UAE international schools are well-resourced and diverse, but expensive and competitive for the best ones. Here is what Saffa parents need to know before they arrive, because school waitlists do not wait for you.
The basics
- All private schools in the UAE are regulated by KHDA (Dubai) or ADEK (Abu Dhabi). Inspection reports and ratings are published online and publicly available.
- Public schools are for UAE nationals only. Expat children attend private schools.
- Tuition fees range from AED 15,000 to AED 80,000+ per year depending on school and year group.
- Many employers include an education allowance as part of the package. Confirm this before accepting an offer.
- Waitlists for popular schools are long. Apply as soon as you have a move date, or before.
Curriculum options
- British (UK National) — Best for UK or Australia university-bound students. Key qualifications: IGCSEs and A Levels. Most popular choice for Saffa kids.
- American — Best for US or Canada university-bound students. Key qualifications: Common Core, AP and US Diploma.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) — Best for globally mobile families or undecided destination. Key qualifications: PYP, MYP, IB Diploma.
- South African (NSC) — Very limited availability in the UAE. Only relevant if you are planning to return to SA for university.
- CBSE (Indian) — Best for India university-bound students. Key qualifications: Grade 10 and 12 boards.
What documents you need for school admission
- Child's passport copy and Emirates ID (or visa file number if not yet issued)
- Both parents' passport copies and UAE residency visa pages
- Last 2 years of school reports (translated into English if not already)
- Transfer Certificate from the previous school
- Vaccination record consistent with UAE requirements
- Birth certificate (attested)
- Recent passport-size photographs of the child
Key platforms for school research
- KHDA ratings (Dubai) — khda.gov.ae. Every school's latest inspection report is published here.
- ADEK ratings (Abu Dhabi) — adek.gov.ae.
- WhichSchoolAdvisor.com and iSchoolAdvisor.com — Parent reviews and fee comparisons.
- SchoolsComparison.com — Quick side-by-side comparison tool.
Lekker to know
Very few UAE schools offer the South African NSC curriculum. Most Saffa kids end up in British curriculum schools, which are well-regarded globally and have a clear path to both SA and international universities. Arabic is a compulsory subject in most UAE schools. Non-Arabic-speaking kids are placed in beginner classes and it quickly becomes a non-issue.
Information correct as of June 2026. Fees verified from publicly available school fee schedules.