Investigated the importance of the effectiveness of test anxiety on achievement motivation for secondary school students, cross-culturally between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 2 samples were intended to study the differences between students of both sexes in high and low levels of anxiety in achievement motivation, as well as the differences in achievement motivation. The sample was composed of 349 students from Egypt and 320 students from UAE. An anxiety test and achievement motivation test were used after they were verified to suit Middle Eastern cultures. Correlation coefficients were used to test the hypotheses. There was a negative correlation between anxiety and achievement motivation for students in Egypt and the UAE. Significant differences were found comprising anxiety, sex, and nationality. Interaction between anxiety and sex relevant to achievement motivation was significant at 0.05. Also, interaction between anxiety and nationality was significant at 0.05. Interaction between sex and nationality was significant at 0.01.