Dubai School Finder 2026–27: Compare by Curriculum & Area

Dubai school fees 2026–27: examples by curriculum

A sample of published schedules below. Compare fees for every Dubai school in one table, sorted by annual cost.

KHDA froze private-school tuition for 2026–27 (Dubai Media Office, 22 May 2026).

• See the real annual cost →
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Private schools in Dubai

In Dubai, “private school” generally means a school that is independently operated rather than part of the government-school system. Private schools serve families from many backgrounds and may follow British, American, IB, Indian, or other curricula. The right fit depends on your child’s year group, curriculum continuity, commute, admissions timing, and total budget—not just the school’s name.

Use the Dubai schools finder to compare options and narrow the search by curriculum and area. Contact schools directly for current places, entry requirements, transport details, and fees. For any inspection or regulatory information, verify the latest details through KHDA and the school’s own admissions portal.

British curriculum schools in Dubai: how to think about fees

British-curriculum schools can differ substantially in tuition, registration charges, deposits, transport, uniforms, meals, and optional activities. Treat any fee figure you see online as indicative unless it comes from the school’s current admissions materials. Do not assume that two schools using the British curriculum have similar total costs.

For scale, 2026–27 tuition at The Arbor School (Al Furjan) runs from AED 49,500 (FS1) to AED 92,500 (Years 12–13), and at Dubai College (Al Sufouh) from AED 97,415 (Years 7–11) to AED 110,305 (Years 12–13), per each school’s own fee schedule, checked 11 Oct 2026.

Before applying, ask for the current fee schedule and a full first-year estimate for your child’s year group. Check whether an application fee, assessment fee, deposit, or payment-plan terms apply, and confirm what is refundable. Verify current school details on the KHDA portal and the school’s own website rather than relying on an old comparison or a quoted per-year estimate.

For a deeper look at waitlists, admissions timing, and the questions to ask about fees, see Dubai school admissions 2027. You can also use our Dubai cost-of-living guide and salary needed in Dubai guide to test the wider household budget.

Al Barsha as an example area cluster

Al Barsha is a useful example of why location matters when comparing Dubai schools. A cluster may give you several options within a practical part of your daily route, but a short map distance does not always mean a short school-run time during peak traffic. Check the actual route from home, work, and any planned move before treating an area as a shortcut.

Start with the schools finder, filter by the curriculum and year group you need, then review the options for your preferred area. See Schools in Al Barsha on the finder, and confirm current availability, transport coverage, admissions rules, and fees with each school. This keeps the area hub useful without assuming that every nearby school is the right fit.

American School of Dubai (Al Barsha Second): AED 60,571–89,319 tuition for 2026–27.

Plan admissions before you shortlist

Places and year-group availability can change, especially for popular entry points. Use Dubai school admissions 2027 to plan a shortlist, ask about waitlists, and prepare the documents schools commonly request. For when a school must refund the application fee, see Dubai school admissions. Recheck dates and fees with the school before making a decision.

Questions on Dubai schools, rankings, fees and Al Barsha

• How does Dubai's education system rank internationally?

  No official world ranking covers Dubai's education system as a whole. In PISA 2025, the OECD test of 15-year-olds, KHDA reports Dubai private schools separately and places them sixth in reading and eighth in mathematics and science among participating countries and economies. OECD tables report the UAE as a whole: 458 in science against an OECD average of 482. Dubai private schools' mean scores were 501 in reading, 511 in mathematics and 522 in science. Within Dubai, KHDA inspects and rates each private school: in 2023-24, the last full inspection cycle, 81% of students attended schools rated Good or better. Full inspections were paused in 2024-25 and 2025-26 except for schools in their third year of operation, so many published ratings date from 2023-24.

• What are private schools in Dubai?

  Private schools in Dubai are independently operated schools offering a range of curricula, including British, American, IB, and Indian options. Use the Dubai schools finder, then verify admissions requirements, current fees, and regulatory information with the school and KHDA.

• How much are private school fees in Dubai in 2026–27?

  Tuition depends on the school and year group. In the 2026–27 fee schedules we checked on 11 October 2026, annual tuition runs from AED 5,525 (The Indian High School, Oud Metha, Grade 5) to AED 110,305 (Dubai College, Years 12–13). KHDA froze private-school tuition for 2026–27, so schools cannot raise it this year. Tuition excludes transport, uniform, books and capital or facility fees; use the true-cost calculator at /schools/true-cost to estimate the full annual cost.

• How much do British curriculum schools in Dubai cost?

  It varies by school and year group. Two 2026–27 examples from the schools' own fee schedules: The Arbor School in Al Furjan charges AED 49,500 (FS1) to AED 92,500 (Years 12–13), and Dubai College in Al Sufouh charges AED 97,415 (Years 7–11) to AED 110,305 (Years 12–13). Those figures are tuition only. Ask each school for its current fee schedule and full cost breakdown, and use the Dubai school admissions 2027 guide for questions to ask about waitlists and fees.

• Are there schools in Al Barsha?

  Al Barsha is one area to check when using the Dubai schools finder. Search the area alongside your child’s curriculum and year group, then confirm the school-run route, places, transport, admissions process, and current fees directly with each school.