Education for Children

In the UAE, primary education is compulsory for children of all nationalities over 5 years of age. There are public (government) and private schools available, depending on the type of education you require for your child. To qualify for enrolment in any school, the child must have a valid residence visa.

While government schools offer free education to UAE nationals, children of other nationalities must pay fees. There is a variety of private schools available in Abu Dhabi, many of which are community schools from various countries. These schools follow the educational system in their home countries. There are also international schools which offer mainly US and British curriculums. These schools fill up very quickly as many families want to send their children to US or British universities when they are older, or they want their children to follow the same curriculum as they did prior to arriving in the UAE. The fees are determined by the individual schools but are subject to approval by the Ministry of Education.

Children in the UAE are permitted to change schools as well as curricula, but this is only allowed at the end of an academic year. Cases with extenuating circumstances may be allowed to change mid-year, but this is on a case by case basis and not common practice. In addition, changing from one curriculum to another is allowed only until grade 9. Arabic language classes are compulsory at all levels. All government schools are segregated, and while most private schools are co-ed, some may have seperate classes or timings for boys and girls.

If you are planning on moving to the UAE and want to enrol children in a school, there is a lot of paperwork involved and it is best to contact the preferred school or the Ministry of Education in advance to find out what you need. All paperwork will need to be original and most likely stamped by the UAE consulate in your home country.