Guides for Expatriate Parents

• New and Upcoming Dubai Schools: 2026-27 — Checked 10 October 2026. New schools can expand your shortlist, but published launch plans, current year groups and future phases are different things. Confirm availability, approvals and the fee offer directly before applying.
• Understanding KHDA Ratings — KHDA oversees private-school quality in Dubai. Read each rating alongside its inspection year and report, then consider your child’s needs, curriculum and school-run.
• Choosing the Right Curriculum — Dubai offers one of the world's most diverse school landscapes. The curriculum you choose will shape your child's academic pathway, university options, and the ease of transition if you relocate again.
• How much does school cost in Dubai in 2026-27? — Dubai private school fees are not rising in 2026-27: KHDA confirmed the freeze on 22 May 2026. Across 199 private schools, the median starting fee is AED 24,877 a year and the average is AED 29,830, and 68% of schools start under AED 40,000. Fees then rise with each year group, and extras such as transport and uniform come on top.
• Choosing Where to Live — In Dubai, where you live and where your children go to school are closely linked decisions. School placement can be competitive, and commute times in peak traffic can be significant. Planning both together is strongly recommended.
• Admissions Timeline — Availability varies by school, year group and intake. Contact admissions early and ask about current places, assessment requirements and how its waiting list works.
• SEN and Inclusion — KHDA requires all private schools to have inclusive education policies and to make reasonable adjustments for students with special educational needs. However, the quality and depth of SEN provision varies significantly between schools.
• How to Choose a School in Dubai — A practical, step-by-step way to narrow Dubai's 200-plus private schools down to a shortlist you can actually visit — balancing curriculum, budget, KHDA rating, the daily school run and admissions timing.
• British vs IB vs American Curriculum in Dubai — British, IB and American are three common options in Dubai. Compare their structure, assessment and university pathways alongside other available curricula, including Indian programmes.
• CBSE schools in Dubai: fees, KHDA ratings and where to find them — Dubai has 34 Indian-curriculum (CBSE) private schools on our list, and they are the most affordable curriculum in the city, averaging AED 10,836 a year in starting fees. 16 start under AED 10,000. 11 are rated Very Good or Outstanding by KHDA, and five of those start under AED 12,500. Fees are frozen for 2026-27.
• What Extras Do Parents Pay For? — Tuition is the headline number, but the real annual cost of a Dubai school includes several extras. Here's what to budget for beyond the published fee range.
• Documents Needed to Apply — Dubai school applications need a fairly standard set of documents. Getting them ready early — especially any attestations — stops paperwork delays costing you a seat.
• Dubai School Year Groups Explained — British, American and IB systems name and age their year groups differently. Here's how they line up so you can work out which year your child enters in Dubai.
• How to Compare Dubai Schools — Once you have a few contenders, compare them on the things that actually affect daily life and outcomes — not just the headline rating. Here's a simple framework.
• Questions to Ask on a School Tour — A tour is your strongest signal. Beyond the polished presentation, these questions reveal how a school really runs day to day.
• Dubai school term dates and holidays, 2026-27 — For Dubai private schools starting in September, the 2026-27 year runs from 31 August 2026 to 2 July 2027. Winter break starts on 14 December 2026, with classes resuming on 4 January 2027, and spring break starts on 5 April 2027, with classes resuming on 12 April, per KHDA. April start schools follow different dates.
• How to read a KHDA school fees fact sheet — Every Dubai private school has a KHDA School Fees Fact Sheet for each year group. It shows tuition, any mandatory fees, a total, required supplies such as uniform, optional services such as transport, discounts, enrolment fees and the fee increase policy for the year. Compare totals, not tuition alone, and find each sheet in the KHDA directory.
• KHDA school fee refunds: what you get back when you leave — Under KHDA's policy, refunds are calculated from the withdrawal date on your formal written request, not your child's last day. Fees paid before the year starts are refundable, minus the deposit if you give less than 60 calendar days' notice. Within a term, the school keeps one month's fees, two months' fees or the full term, depending on how long your child was enrolled that term.
• Moving to Dubai from the UK with children: a schools guide — Many UK families moving to Dubai look first at British curriculum schools, which use UK year group names. Placement follows UAE age rules rather than English ones, tuition is frozen for 2026-27, and places vary by school and year group, so check availability and start applications early.