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For families with children

Schools and universities in Dubai
where to send your child

Dubai has more than two hundred private schools with curricula from British to Russian. We look at whether a state school is possible, what tuition costs, which year group your child joins and which documents to gather.

9 minutes to readYear group calculator

First question

A state school or a private one?

State

Open to foreign children only under strict conditions.

  • A parent works in a government, semi-government or local organisation. Working for a private company does not qualify.
  • Years 2 to 12, with marks of at least 85% in Arabic, English and maths.
  • Teaching is in Arabic, with English as a second language.
  • The fee is 6,000 dirhams a year, and foreign pupils take no more than 20% of places.

Private

The main option for families who came to work for a private company.

  • More than 200 schools and 17 curricula: British, American, IB, Indian, Russian and others.
  • Every private school in Dubai is inspected and rated by the education authority KHDA.
  • Fee increases are capped: no more than 2.35% in the 2025–26 school year.
  • Fee-paying: from a few thousand to more than 100,000 dirhams a year.

The curricula on offer

The curriculum determines the language, the exams and how easily your child can continue studying at home or in another country.

GBBritish

The most common one. IGCSE and A-Level exams, recognised by universities worldwide.

IBInternational Baccalaureate

An international curriculum with an emphasis on independent work. Usually one of the most expensive.

USAmerican

A grades-and-credits system ending in a High School diploma. Convenient for applying in the USA.

INIndian

The CBSE and ICSE curricula. Usually the most affordable, and the school year often starts in April.

RURussian

The Russian curriculum taught in Russian, with English and Arabic. In Dubai it is offered in full by the Russian International School.

Fees

What a school year costs

The price depends on the school and the year group: lower years are cheaper, final years dearer. Set your budget and we will highlight schools with a year group at that price.

My budget per year30 000 AED

Prices are in dirhams per year, from the lowest to the highest year group, excluding uniform, transport and exams. Based on public directories for 2026; check the exact fees on the school’s website.

All private schools in DubaiThe KHDA directory: curriculum, fees and rating for every school

How to choose

The KHDA rating is the main guide

KHDA is Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority. It inspects private schools regularly and publishes their ratings. You can look up any school on the KHDA website.

  1. OutstandingOutstanding
  2. Very goodVery good
  3. GoodGood
  4. AcceptableAcceptable
  5. WeakWeak
  6. Very weakVery weak

A high rating usually means higher fees. A school rated “Good” is a sound choice for most families.

Calculator

Which year group your child will join

From the 2026–27 school year, age is counted as of 31 December of the year of entry, in all schools whose year starts in August or September. Schools starting in April keep 31 March.

5 years as of 31 December 2026

KG2 · Year 1 in a British school

  • 3 yearsPre-KG · FS1
  • 4 yearsKG1 · FS2
  • 5 yearsKG2 · Year 1
  • 6 yearsGrade 1 · Year 2

Documents for admission

The list varies slightly between schools — ask the admissions office for the exact one.

Passports and residence visas of the child and parents
The Emirates ID, or proof that it is being issued
The birth certificate, legalised if issued outside the UAE
School reports for the last two years, in English or translated
A transfer certificate from the previous school, attested in the country where the child studied
Vaccination record
Passport photos
A registration fee — around 500 dirhams at many schools

How to legalise documents from home is covered in the guide “Your passport and documents in the UAE”.

After school

Universities

Dubai hosts campuses of British, American and Australian universities, with the same programmes and degrees as the home campus.

British campuses

University of Birmingham Dubai, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Middlesex University Dubai

≈ 50 000 – 80 000 AED per year

American

American University in Dubai, Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai

≈ 80 000 – 120 000 AED per year

Prices are indicative and depend on the course. Before applying, check that the degree is recognised in the country where your child plans to work.

What to do in advance

  1. Apply early

    Popular schools have waiting lists. Applications for a new school year open long before September.

  2. A school near your home

    The school bus is charged separately, and a rush-hour journey across Dubai takes a long time.

  3. Legalise documents at home

    The birth certificate and the school transfer letter are easier to attest before you move.