Education in UAE for expats in 2024

Educational development is one of the main priorities of the UAE: about 15% of the country's government revenues are spent on this sector. According to the former President of the Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the best use of wealth is raising educated and literate people. The literacy rate of the Emirates’ population has increased significantly over the past 20 years and has reached 97.6% by 2019. Forty years ago there was one university in the UAE, now there are more than 130 universities in the country.

UAE School Education System

The education system in the UAE is similar to the British one and consists of the following stages:

• Kindergarten — 4 to 5 years old.
• Primary school — 6 to 11 years old.
• Preparatory school — 12 to 14 years old.
• Secondary school — 15 to 17 years old. Upon graduation, a Secondary School Leaving Certificate is issued. Instead of preparatory and secondary schools, children from 12 to 18 years old can attend a technical secondary school and get a Technical Secondary Diploma.
• Higher education.

The school week in the UAE starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday. Friday and Saturday are days off. For UAE citizens, all stages of education from kindergarten to university are free, while schooling is compulsory for children from 6 to 12 years old.

Public Schools in Dubai for Expats

Children of the UAE residents who are not citizens can only attend public schools on a fee basis. However, in such schools boys and girls study separately and teaching is conducted in Arabic, with the exception of some technical disciplines. Tuition in a public school in Dubai costs about 1,500 US dollars per year.

In the UAE public schools, studies of the Arabic language, the Koran, Islamic culture and history are a significant part of the school program. Boys and girls study separately starting from the 7th grade (equivalent to year 8 in the British school system).

Private Schools in Dubai

More than 40% of pupils in the UAE attend private schools where teaching is conducted in English and in accordance with international standards. It is considered easier to enter a university after a private school.

There are more than 200 private schools in Dubai, where mostly foreigners study. Private schools in Dubai operate according to a variety of national and international standards. For example, pupils can study under the British IGCSE program, the international IB (International Baccalaureate) or according to the national standards of Germany, France, Russia and other countries.

Private school tuition fees in Dubai average 8,000 US dollars per year. This cost depends on the level of education and the quality of the infrastructure, but most importantly on what program the training is being conducted. British and American schools are the most expensive for parents. Studying in an Indian, Russian or German school will cost less.

Admission requirements for a private school in Dubai depend on the curriculum and standards of each school. As a rule, children are tested or interviewed, which determines their knowledge level and proficiency in the language of instruction.

There are usually no hard deadlines for applying, so parents can apply any time before the school year starts. In some schools, a new pupil may be accepted during the school year, provided that there are free places in the class.

Documents required for admission to a private schools in Dubai:

• child's birth certificate;
• copy of the child’s passport;
• copy of one of the parents’ passport with a resident visa;
• copy of the Emirates ID card of the child and one of the parents;
• child’s photographs 3x4 cm in size;
• academic transcript from the child's last school with grades;
• extract from the child’s medical record of vaccinations.

All documents must be translated into English and certified.

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English Curriculum Schools in Dubai

There are 17 schools in Dubai that have received an outstanding rating from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). These include 16 English speaking schools and one French speaking school.

One of the best English speaking schools in Dubai is GEMS Dubai American Academy. Education here is conducted according to American standards or the IB (International Baccalaureate) program.

To enter GEMS, pupils take a computer-based entrance test that assesses their Mathematics and reading skills, as well as English language proficiency. The tuition fee for one academic year at GEMS is approximately 24,000 US dollars.

Another exemplary English speaking school in Dubai is the British Repton School. However, only 44% of the pupils here are British, the rest come from 77 different countries of the world. Tuition at Repton costs from 16,000 US dollars per year for primary school to 26,000 US dollars for secondary school.

Higher Education in UAE

There are three state and more than 130 private and international universities in the UAE. State universities of Dubai are:

• United Arab Emirates University (UAEU);
• Zayed University;
• The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).

There are several special zones in the Emirates where campuses of international universities are concentrated. These are called the Knowledge Village and the Academic City in Dubai and the University City in Sharjah. There are branches of universities that have been originally founded in the UK, the USA, Germany, Spain, France, and Australia in the UAE.

Most university programs in the Emirates are taught in English.

Applying to a University in the UAE

Private universities in the UAE have different requirements for international students. As a rule, it is necessary to confirm the English language proficiency by providing a certificate of passing the TOEFL iBT or IELTS exam with at least 540 or 6.5 points, respectively.

Documents required for the admission to a university in the UAE:

• application (it is usually filled out on the university website);
• copy of the secondary education certificate;
• higher education diploma (if any);
• 4 photographs;
• copy of the passport;
• TOEFL or IELTS results;
• application processing fee.

All documents must be translated into English and notarised.

In order for a foreign higher education diploma to become valid in the UAE, it must be legalised. Consular legalisation of a diploma is usually done in the home country before moving to the UAE.

Many educational institutions in the UAE offer preparatory courses for applicants to undergraduate programs. Such courses are called foundation courses, and help to bridge the knowledge gap between the school and the first year of a bachelor's degree.

Higher education students in the UAE receive a student resident visa. The university is in charge of completing the required forms for its issuance.

Best Universities in UAE

Here is a list of the best universities in the UAE in 2023:

• United Arab Emirates University. This is the oldest university in the UAE; it is located in the city of Al Ain. A year of study here costs from approximately 8,500 to 15,000 US dollars, depending on the chosen program.
• American University of Sharjah. This private university has a high percentage of international students and is located in Sharjah, the third largest city in the UAE. Tuition here costs 26,000 US dollars per year.
• New York University Abu Dhabi. This is the UAE branch of a prestigious American university. Tuition here costs approximately 28,000 US dollars per semester (56,000 US dollars per year).
• Khalifa University. This university is recognized as one of the best in its region and is regularly included in international rankings. It is located in Abu Dhabi. The tuition cost here is close to 21,000 US dollars for undergraduate students and 33,000 US dollars for postgraduate students. The cost is calculated individually for each student, because it depends on the program’s workload.
• Zayed University. This state university was founded by the first President of the UAE and its campuses are located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A year of study here costs 20,000 US dollars.

Scholarships in Dubai

The tuition costs at the UAE universities vary from approximately 7,000 to 30,000 US dollars per academic year.

Many universities offer scholarships for talented students, covering either the full tuition cost or a part of it.

For example, the UAE University has established several scholarships for foreigners, which are awarded for academic excellence, research achievements or for working as an educational assistant.

Khalifa University also provides tuition grants ranging from 50% to 100% of the tuition cost, depending on the student's GPA.

Talented international students are also supported by New York University in Abu Dhabi. Scholarships here are awarded depending on a student's academic achievements and leadership skills.

Almost every university in the UAE has financial support options, so we advise you to carefully review the websites of your favourite educational institutions.

Author: Anastasia Nikitina