Education and Schools in Abu Dhabi | Private and International Schools in Abu Dhabi

There are an astounding 181 private (international) schools in Abu Dhabi that adhere to at least one of thirteen different curriculums. Such an intimidating range of options caters to a mushrooming expat community that’s not allowed to utilise public schools in the nation, but only a fraction of these may be suitable for your child.

The standard, the quality of facilities, the teaching style, the curriculum and the teaching language varies immensely from one school to another. Most expat parents will choose an institution that mirrors the characteristics found in home country schools.

The British, American and International Baccalaureate schools tend to be the most expensive; the most exorbitant fees peaking at over 150,000 AED per year. Inclusions of school allowances are less common than they used to be in expat packages, so make sure your salary is large enough to cover costs.

Beginning in 2011, all schools must adhere to a uniform school calendar, made up of three terms. For the 2012/2013 school year these will be:

The school week runs from Sunday to Thursday, and school hours vary depending on the institution, but do not start earlier than 7.30am and do not run later than 2.45pm.

Arabic is a required course at all schools, though no subject testing will be completed in this language – merely achievement in basic proficiency is required.

One commonality shared across the board is the fact that all schools are rife with seat shortages; Indian schools in particular have trouble accommodating the growing number of interested students in Abu Dhabi. Primary schools are also notorious for denying students due to unavailability.  Even waiting lists can be winding, and though efforts have been made to open new international schools in Abu Dhabi in 2011, space is still limited.

Finding a school for a little one can very well be the highest hurdle an assignee must overcome, and in turn, should be an issue addressed from the very beginning.

Don’t be afraid to ask your employer to help you secure a seat for your child, especially if you’ve been lured abroad into a senior position. Always start the enrolment process as early as possible - applications and admission requirements are usually posted on school web sites.

If you’ve already made the move to Abu Dhabi, note that school sign-up days are generally in the first week of February; be mindful that the queues can start as early as the day before – be prepared to unroll the old sleeping bag if you want to access the ‘best’ schools in the city.

If you cannot place your child into the school of your choice immediately, it is worth being patient as the turnover of pupils is high and places do become available throughout the year.

Sending two children to the same international school is also a good tactic for ascending the waiting list, and in some cases, qualifying for tuition deductions.

As mentioned, most schools will post an application and admissions requirements on their web site. Furthermore, keep in mind that deposits upon registration tend to be refundable, so best to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to your child’s education.