Dubai school fees: what to budget for your children
Our calculator budgets 5,000 AED a month per child for school fees, or 60,000 AED a year. For two children that is 10,000 AED a month, more than the 9,500 AED rent of a 2-bed flat in JLT in the same cost model.
- 227 private schools in 2024-25
- 17 curricula
- No fee increase in 2026-27
- Per child: 5,000 AED a month in the calculator, 60,000 AED a year. Its lower and higher fee bands run from 1,200 to 9,200 AED a month.
- Two children: 10,000 AED a month, 120,000 AED a year. Three children: 15,000 AED a month.
- On a 30,000 AED salary: school fees for two children take 33% of it. If the employer pays them, a family of four keeps 12,905 AED a month instead of 2,905 AED.
- 2026-27: KHDA confirmed no increase in private school fees this academic year. (KHDA, May 2026)
School fees in our calculator, per child
| Fee band, per child | Typical a month | Typical a year |
|---|---|---|
| Lower fees1,200 to 1,950 a month | 1,575 | 18,900 |
| Mid-range fees Calculator uses this4,000 to 6,000 a month | 5,000 | 60,000 |
| Higher fees5,800 to 9,200 a month | 7,500 | 90,000 |
Source: the fee bands in the cost model behind our calculator, from KHDA school fee data and the Edarabia 2025 school fees report, checked November 2025. Figures are monthly averages, so a year is 12 times the monthly figure. The calculator charges the typical mid-range fee for each child, unless your employer pays school fees.
Fees differ by school and by year group. For the exact fee for your child, open the school's fee fact sheet in the KHDA school directory.
School fees for 1, 2 and 3 children
| Children | Lower a year | Mid a year | Higher a year | Calculator a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18,900 | 60,000 | 90,000 | 5,000 |
| 2 | 37,800 | 120,000 | 180,000 | 10,000 |
| 3 | 56,700 | 180,000 | 270,000 | 15,000 |
What school fees do to a family salary
In the cost model behind our salary guides, a family of four with two children at school, in a 2-bed flat in JLT, costs 27,095 AED a month. 10,000 AED of that is school fees. If the employer pays the fees, the same family costs 17,095 AED a month.
| Salary a month | Left if you pay school fees | Left if the employer pays them |
|---|---|---|
| 20,000 AED | Short by 7,095 | 2,905 (15%) |
| 30,000 AED | 2,905 (10%) | 12,905 (43%) |
| 40,000 AED | 12,905 (32%) | 22,905 (57%) |
To keep at least a quarter of the salary, this family needs 36,200 AED a month when it pays school fees, or 22,800 AED when the employer pays them.
Method: the mid-range setup of the salary guides, rent at the middle of the JLT range, balanced lifestyle, half home cooking, eating out once or twice a week, metro. The salary is the only income, with no housing or transport allowance. Costs include a monthly emergency buffer and leave out health insurance, flights home and one-off moving costs.
What to ask an employer about school fees
In our model, school fees for two children cost 10,000 AED a month, so an allowance that covers them is worth that much to the family every month. Ask for the answers in writing before you sign.
- Is there a school fee allowance, and is it per child or one amount for the family?
- How many children does it cover, and is there a cap per child each year?
- Does the company pay the school directly, or do you pay and claim it back?
- Does it cover tuition only, or also the registration deposit, books, uniforms and school transport?
- Is it paid when the school bills each term, or spread across your monthly salary?
- Does it start in your first month, and do you repay any of it if you leave during the school year?
- Is it written into the offer letter or the contract?
More questions to ask before you accept: the Dubai job offer checklist.
KHDA rules on school fees
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) regulates private schools in Dubai, including their fees.
No fee increase in 2026-27
KHDA confirmed on 22 May 2026 that there will be no increase in school fees at private schools in Dubai for the 2026-27 academic year. (KHDA, May 2026)
How fee increases normally work
In a normal year, a fee rise depends on the Education Cost Index (ECI), which measures what it costs to run a school, and on the school's last inspection rating. The framework covers tuition, and uniforms and books when the school provides them, at private schools open for three years or more. (KHDA, in force from 2019-20)
| Inspection result for a for-profit school | Fee rise it may apply for |
|---|---|
| Kept the same rating | Up to the ECI |
| Rose from Very weak to Weak, Weak to Acceptable, or Acceptable to Good | Up to 2 times the ECI |
| Rose from Good to Very good | Up to 1.75 times the ECI |
| Rose from Very good to Outstanding | Up to 1.5 times the ECI |
| Dropped to a lower rating | No increase |
Not-for-profit schools can ask for more than the ECI, with board approval and the support of parent representatives. For 2025-26, KHDA set the ECI at 2.35% and said eligible for-profit schools could apply for a rise up to, and not above, that figure. Schools open for less than three years could not raise fees. (KHDA, in force from 2019-20; KHDA, May 2025)
What the inspection ratings mean
The Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB) inspects private schools and rates them on six levels: Outstanding, Very good, Good, Acceptable, Weak and Very weak. The KHDA school directory shows each school's latest overall rating, its curriculum, its location and its fee fact sheet. A school rated Acceptable or lower must send KHDA an approved improvement plan with any fee increase request. (KHDA, in force from 2019-20; KHDA, checked October 2026)
How fees are paid
- Schools collect tuition in three instalments, due at the start of each term. The first can be at most 40% of the year's fees, the second and third at most 30% each.
- A school can instead collect 10 equal monthly instalments. You and the school can also agree another plan in writing, such as paying the whole year up front.
- Apart from the registration and re-registration deposits, a school cannot ask for any other payment to hold your child's place.
(KHDA, March 2026, revised July 2026)
Deposits when you apply
- Application fee: up to 500 AED. It is refunded if your child is not offered a place, and it is not taken off the tuition fees.
- Registration deposit: up to 10% of the year's tuition, asked for only after you accept a formal offer. It is taken off the first term's fees. At the calculator's typical fee of 60,000 AED a year, that is up to 6,000 AED per child, paid before the move.
- If plans change: the registration deposit is refunded if you cancel at least 60 days before your child's start date.
- Re-registration deposit for the next year: up to 5% of the year's tuition or 500 AED, whichever is higher.
(KHDA, March 2026, revised July 2026)
If you leave Dubai during the school year
- Refunds are worked out term by term, from the withdrawal date on the Withdrawal Certificate. Days your child is absent still count as days in school.
- Enrolled in the term for two weeks or less: the school keeps one month of fees. Between two weeks and a month: two months. More than a month: the full term.
- Tuition paid before the school year starts is refunded. Book fees are refunded only if your child leaves before the year starts.
- The school can hold back the Withdrawal or Transfer Certificate until all fees are paid, and another Dubai school needs it to register your child.
(KHDA, March 2026, revised July 2026)
When the school year starts
Dubai private schools start their academic year in September or in April. The deadline for the re-registration deposit cannot be earlier than 1 May at September schools, or 1 February at April schools. Plan the move and the first fee payment around your school's start. (KHDA, March 2026, revised July 2026)
Dubai private schools in numbers
In 2024-25, 227 private schools taught 387,441 students across 17 curricula. The most common were UK (37% of students), Indian (26%), US (14%), International Baccalaureate (7%) and UK and IB (4%). (KHDA, January 2025) In May 2026, KHDA reported that enrolment grew 6% in 2025. (KHDA, May 2026)
Why there is no school list here
We only publish numbers we can trace. KHDA's open school dataset has no fees, its licence does not cover school names, and the latest copy we could open carried 2019-20 ratings. So we do not list or rank schools. For each school's current rating and fees, use the KHDA school directory, which you can filter by curriculum, area, rating and fee range.
Questions parents ask
How much are school fees in Dubai per child?
Our calculator budgets 5,000 AED a month per child, or 60,000 AED a year, the typical fee in its mid-range band. Its lower band runs from 1,200 AED a month and its higher band up to 9,200 AED a month. The exact fee depends on the school and the year group, and each school publishes a fee fact sheet on the KHDA school directory.
Will Dubai private school fees go up in 2026-27?
No. KHDA confirmed in May 2026 that there will be no increase in school fees at Dubai private schools for the 2026-27 academic year.
How do Dubai schools collect fees?
Under KHDA rules, schools collect tuition in three instalments at the start of each term, with no more than 40% in the first term and 30% in each of the other two. A school can instead offer 10 equal monthly instalments, and a parent can agree another plan in writing, such as paying the year up front.
Do we get school fees back if we leave Dubai during the year?
Refunds are worked out term by term from the withdrawal date on the Withdrawal Certificate. If your child was enrolled in the term for two weeks or less, the school keeps one month of fees. Between two weeks and a month, it keeps two months. After more than a month, it keeps the full term. Fees paid before the year starts are refunded, less the deposit if you cancel less than 60 days before the start.
How does a KHDA rating affect school fees?
Under the KHDA School Fees Framework, a for-profit school that keeps its rating may apply to raise fees by up to the Education Cost Index. A school that moves up a rating may raise them by more, and a school that drops a rating may not raise them at all. For 2026-27 no increase is allowed.
Plan the rest of the move
Sources
- Calculator fee bands: the cost model behind our calculator, from KHDA school fee data and the Edarabia 2025 school fees report, checked November 2025.
- Under Hamdan bin Mohammed's directives, Dubai freezes private school fees for 2026-27 academic year. KHDA, May 2026.
- Education Cost Index set at 2.35% for Dubai's for-profit private schools in 2025-26 academic year. KHDA, May 2025.
- School Fees Framework. KHDA, in force from 2019-20.
- Registration and Refund Policy for all Dubai Private Schools. KHDA, March 2026, revised July 2026.
- Dubai's private school sector records 6% enrolment growth in 2024-25 academic year. KHDA, January 2025.
- School directory: ratings, curriculum, location and fee fact sheets for each private school. KHDA, checked October 2026.
KHDA documents read in October 2026. Rules can change, so check the KHDA site before you pay a deposit.