Education and Schools in Dubai

There a number of international schools in Dubai that cater to the large expat community that has come to call the Emirate home.

Many follow the English school system and offer KS, GCSE and A Level curricula, while others follow the US, Indian or UAE public school syllabus. There is a local syllabus requirement even for international schools in the UAE, so expat kids will study Arabic and in some cases the Islamic religion and UAE social studies.

For the most part, schools in Dubai adhere to high standards; so expats must consider what kind of learning environment will best benefit their child and what priorities they have in choosing an institution.

It is important to note that school fees have seen a sharp rise in the last three years; so much so in fact, that many expat parents are now choosing to home school their children or send them back to their home country to gain an education. Hikes of up to 90 percent have been instituted in some cases, yet for those on good salaries or with education allowances there is no shortage of schools to choose from.

Currently the most popular choices for expat primary education are the Dubai English Speaking School and the Jumeirah English Speaking School, while Dubai College tops the list of secondary schools. For those expats with kids intending to study at tertiary level, there are several international universities who have campuses in Dubai offering degree level studies.

School fees for primary education start at around Dhs. 30,000 while high school can cost as much as Dhs. 65,000 per year.