With most Dubai private schools given the green light to increase tuition fees, the spotlight turns to institutions whose rates remain competitive.
A spike of up to 5.2 per cent in fees could send some parents on a hunt for more affordable alternatives in a pool of more than 200 private schools in the city.
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The emirate’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has made all information about school fees available in a comprehensive fact sheet that can be accessed online. In just a few taps, one can see an overview of how much an institution charges — including costs outside the scope of tuition fees.
Khaleej Times searched for some of the most affordable schools in Dubai, based on 2023-2024 fees published on the KHDA fact sheets. Here’s a list:
Iranian Salman Farsi Boys School
- Annual fees: Dh2,546 (Grade 1) to Dh3,845 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Iranian
- Founding year: 2000
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Al Qusais First
Crescent English School
- Annual fees: Dh3,954 (KG1) to Dh10,280 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Indian
- Founding year: 1984
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Al Qusais First
Little Flower English School Dubai
- Annual fees: Dh4,004 (KG1) to Dh4,288 (Grade 6)
- Curriculum: Indian
- Founding year: 1984
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Hor Al Anz
Gulf Model School
- Annualfees: Dh4,490 (KG1) to Dh7,580 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Indian
- Founding year: 1982
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Muhaisnah First
The Central School
- Annual fees: Dh4,278 (KG1) to Dh7,701 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Indian
- Founding year: 1981
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Al Nahda Second
New Indian Model School
- Annual fees: Dh4,697 (KG1) to Dh7,766 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Indian
- Founding year: 1980
- KHDA rating: Good
- Location: Al Garhoud
English Language Private School
- Annual fees: Dh4,312 (FS2) to Dh11,321 (Year 13)
- Curriculum: UK
- Founding year: 1982
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Umm Hurair First
Al Sadiq Islamic English School
- Annual fees: Dh5,567 (FS2) to Dh10,150 (Year 11)
- Curriculum: UK
- Founding year: 1989
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Al Qusais First
Elite English School
- Annual fees: Dh5,414 (KG1) to Dh11,736 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Indian
- Founding year: 1993
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Deira
Gulf Indian High School
- Annual fees: Dh5,033 (KG1) to Dh9,161 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Indian
- Founding year: 1979
- KHDA rating: Good
- Location: Al Garhoud
Grammar School
- Annual fees: Dh5,125 (FS1) to Dh6,954 (Year 13)
- Curriculum: UK
- Founding year: 1974
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Al Garhoud
United International Private School
- Annual fees: Dh6,229 (KG1) to Dh13,310 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Philippine
- Founding year: 1992
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Muhaisnah First
Al Eman Educational EST
- Annual fees: 6,000 (KG1) to 8,939 (Grade 9)
- Curriculum: Ministry of Education
- Founding year: 1973
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Al Rashidiya
Arab Unity School
- Annual fees: Dh6,504 (FS1) to Dh11,121 (Year 13)
- Curriculum: UK
- Founding year: 1975
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: A Mizhar First
Pakistan Educational Academy
- Annual fees: Dh6,644 (KG1) to Dh8,702 (Grade 12)
- Curriculum: Pakistani
- Founding year: 1983
- KHDA rating: Acceptable
- Location: Umm Hurair