KHDA school fee refunds: what you get back when you leave
Last checked against KHDA on 22 October 2026.
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.
Quick answer
KHDA's School Registration and Refund Policy for private schools took effect on 23 March 2026. Refunds are worked out term by term from the withdrawal date recorded on the Withdrawal Certificate.
How to withdraw formally
Complete and submit a formal written withdrawal request to the school. The date you give on it becomes the official withdrawal date, is recorded on the Withdrawal Certificate and is the date every refund calculation uses. It cannot be backdated, and absence does not count as withdrawal: fees keep accruing until the request is submitted.
Refunds before the year starts
Fees paid before the academic year begins are refundable. Only the registration or re-registration deposit is deducted, and only if you ask to withdraw less than 60 calendar days before the start date.
Refunds during a term
Deductions depend on how long your child was enrolled in the term, counted to the withdrawal date.
| Time enrolled in the term | What the school keeps |
|---|---|
| Two weeks or less | One month's fees |
| Between two weeks and one month | Two months' fees |
| More than one month | The full term's fees |
Deposits and re-registration
A registration deposit can only be requested after a formal offer has been made and accepted, cannot exceed 10% of annual tuition and is deducted from first term fees. A re-registration deposit cannot exceed 5% of annual tuition or AED 500, whichever is higher. Either deposit is refundable if you formally notify the school at least 60 calendar days before the start date, and non refundable with less notice.
Termly or monthly payment
Schools collect tuition either in three termly instalments, with Term 1 no more than 40% of annual fees and Terms 2 and 3 no more than 30% each, or in ten equal monthly instalments.
Transport, trips and other services
Mandatory services approved by KHDA are fully refundable before the year starts. Optional services such as transport, trips and activities follow the terms you agreed in writing; if paid before the year begins, they are refundable provided no binding third party contract is already in place and the school set out those terms clearly.
Outstanding fees and certificates
A school may withhold the Transfer Certificate only if fees are outstanding. Once fees are settled it must be issued promptly, with no processing fee. A Transfer or Withdrawal Certificate is needed to enrol at another KHDA permitted school.
Nurseries have their own policy
Early childhood centres follow KHDA's separate Fees and Refund Policy for Private Early Childhood Centres, also effective 23 March 2026. For structured FS1 and FS2 programmes, a deposit is refundable with at least 60 calendar days' notice; flexible arrangements follow the Parent and ECC contract.
If you disagree with the school
Use the school's internal complaints process first and keep a record of each step. If the dispute is still unresolved, either side may refer it to KHDA through its official channels.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get a refund if I withdraw before term starts?
Yes. Fees paid before the academic year begins are refundable, but the deposit is kept if you give less than 60 calendar days' notice.
What if I leave two weeks into a term?
If your child was enrolled in the term for two weeks or less, the school keeps one month's fees and refunds the rest of that term's payment.
What if I leave after more than a month?
The school keeps the full term's fees.
Does my child's last day count as the withdrawal date?
No. Only the date on your formal written withdrawal request counts, and it cannot be backdated.
Can the school hold back the Transfer Certificate?
Only while fees are outstanding. Once fees are paid it must be issued promptly and free of charge.
Can I pay fees monthly?
KHDA allows schools to collect tuition in ten equal monthly instalments or in three termly instalments.
Is the nursery refund policy the same?
No. Early childhood centres have a separate KHDA fees and refund policy.
Related pages
- How to read a KHDA fee fact sheet
- Admissions in Dubai: how it works
- Application documents checklist
- Moving to Dubai from the UK with children
- Dubai school fees