United Arab EmiratesAmerican Curriculum
American Curriculum Schools in Dubai
Market Data
At a Glance
~900
International schools in United Arab Emirates
ISC Research
Information as of August 2025
~1,000,000
Students enrolled
ISC Research
Information as of August 2025
School Directory
All American Curriculum Schools in Dubai
Ages 3–18From $16,493/yr
Where these schools are in Dubai
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Policy Watch
Policy changes in United Arab Emirates
Rules that affect cost and eligibility, with the date each was last checked.
- In force
VAT zero-rating applies to qualifying private-school tuition fees
Tuition fees charged by private schools in the United Arab Emirates are zero-rated for value-added tax purposes when both the institution and its curriculum are recognised by the relevant federal or local education authority. This treatment depends on institutional and curriculum recognition, not on a pupil's nationality, so it applies equally to Emirati and non-Emirati families. VAT was introduced nationwide on 1 January 2018 at a standard rate of 5%, and the zero-rate treatment for qualifying tuition has remained continuously in force since that date under Federal Tax Authority guidance, distinct from VAT-exempt services such as school transport.
In force since January 2018 · Checked August 2026
- In force
Standard 5% VAT applies to non-tuition school items and activities
While qualifying school tuition is zero-rated for VAT, items and services billed separately by UAE schools can attract the standard 5% value-added tax rate. The Federal Tax Authority identifies uniforms, electronic devices, food and beverages, non-curriculum field trips, and paid extracurricular activities as standard-rated supplies, distinct from zero-rated tuition and VAT-exempt transport. This treatment has applied since VAT's introduction on 1 January 2018 and remains current under Federal Tax Authority guidance. It applies uniformly regardless of curriculum or pupil nationality and can materially add to the total amount families pay beyond published tuition fees.
In force since January 2018 · Checked August 2026
- In force
Private-school tuition fees and fee increases require education-authority approval
Private schools in the United Arab Emirates must obtain approval from the relevant education regulatory authority before setting or increasing tuition fees. Published via the UAE Government's official information portal, this requirement applies to all licensed private educational institutions regardless of curriculum or pupil nationality, and it constrains how much schools may charge families in a given academic year. The measure functions as an ongoing fee-regulation control rather than a tax on tuition. No specific introduction date was identified in the material reviewed; the government page describing the requirement was last updated in 2025.
Checked August 2026
- In force
Emirati citizens barred from enrolling in Dubai private schools rated Weak or lower
Under Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 50 of 2022, an Emirati citizen cannot be newly enrolled in a private school rated "Weak" or lower by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority's inspection system. Additional conditions apply, including that the school's curriculum conforms with relevant UAE authority resolutions, that the pupil meets the applicable admission-age requirement, and that KHDA grants enrolment approval; standard documentation, including an Emirates ID copy, is also required. The resolution was issued on 6 October 2022 and took effect upon publication in the Official Gazette, making it a currently operative enrolment condition in Dubai rather than an announced future measure.
In force since October 2022 · Checked August 2026
- Announced
UAE issues minimum admission-age eligibility guidance for KG and Grade 1 for 2026–27
The UAE Ministry of Education has issued age-eligibility guidance for admission to kindergarten and Grade 1 in both public and private schools, applicable to the 2026–27 academic year intake. The guidance sets minimum age thresholds determining whether a child is eligible to enrol in these entry grades and applies uniformly across curricula and pupil nationalities. No confirmed effective date was found in the material reviewed, and the guidance concerns a future intake rather than an already-elapsed academic year; it should therefore be treated as an announced eligibility requirement pending that intake rather than confirmed as already in force nationwide.
Checked August 2026