International Schools in Abu Dhabi 2026/27: Fees, ADEK Ratings and Curricula
Quick Answer: Abu Dhabi's international schools charge from about AED 19,400 a year in Al Ain to AED 105,980 for sixth form at Cranleigh in 2026/27, with every fee schedule approved by ADEK. Schools are inspected every two years under Irtiqa'a and rated on a six-point scale from Outstanding to Very Weak. The 2026/27 year starts on 31 August 2026. Here are the fees, the ratings and the rules.
An international school place in Abu Dhabi costs between AED 31,800 and AED 105,980 a year in 2026/27 at the named schools below, and from AED 19,400 in Al Ain. Every fee schedule is approved by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), which also inspects each private school every two years under Irtiqa'a and rates it from Outstanding to Very Weak. The school year starts on 31 August 2026. This guide covers the rating scale, the curricula, 2026/27 fees at named schools, the fee-increase rules, what Emirati and Muslim pupils must study, and Al Ain. Browse listings on our Abu Dhabi and UAE pages, or compare with Dubai.
How does ADEK rate a school?
Irtiqa'a runs under the UAE Unified School Inspection Framework. Inspectors judge six standards (achievement; personal and social development; teaching and assessment; curriculum; protection, care and support; leadership) across 17 indicators and give one overall rating on a six-point scale: Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak and Very Weak. ADEK's October 2025 release says Good is the minimum standard, inspections are biennial, and schools rated Acceptable or below were barred from adding capacity or enrolling new Emirati students until they improved; 23 schools rose from Acceptable to Good in a year. Each school must display its rating and National Identity Mark on a performance plaque at the entrance, and the plaques page links to the TAMM school search, where reports are published. WhichSchoolAdvisor's running list (updated July 2026) records 43 reports released for 2025/26 so far and 51 schools at Very Good. For how inspections differ from accreditation, see how accreditation works.
Which curricula are on offer?
The same list shows the spread: British (Cranleigh, Brighton College, BSAK, Repton, the Aldar academies), American (ACS, GEMS American Academy, Abu Dhabi International School), IB (Raha International School), Indian (Abu Dhabi Indian School, GEMS United Indian School), French (Lycée Louis Massignon, Lycée Théodore Monod), the German International School, the Japanese School and many Ministry of Education (MoE) curriculum schools. Abu Dhabi National Schools teaches the MoE curriculum bilingually from KG to Grade 12; its website could not be reached in September 2026, so no fee is quoted here. The British International School Abu Dhabi is Outstanding in 2025/26; Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi has no rating yet.
What do named schools charge in 2026/27?
Figures are annual tuition from each school's own fee page, checked September 2026. Ratings and inspection years are from the school's site or the WhichSchoolAdvisor list above.
| School | Curriculum | ADEK rating (year) | 2026/27 tuition, AED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranleigh Abu Dhabi | British | Outstanding (2025/26) | 71,500 to 105,980 |
| Brighton College Abu Dhabi | British | Very Good (2024/25) | 50,830 to 80,780 |
| The British School Al Khubairat | British | Outstanding (2024/25) | 45,560 to 74,560 (2025/26 fees) |
| Repton Abu Dhabi | British | Outstanding (2025/26) | 63,740 to 83,390 |
| Yasmina British Academy | British | Outstanding (2025/26) | 49,740 to 67,270 |
| American Community School | American | Outstanding (2024/25) | 60,765 to 101,537, plus 27,000 capital fee |
| GEMS American Academy | American, IB Diploma | Very Good (2024/25) | 57,850 to 80,610 |
| Raha International School, Gardens | IB | Very Good (2025/26) | 41,960 to 66,030 |
| Abu Dhabi International School, MBZ | American, IB Diploma | Very Good (2025/26) | 31,800 to 47,950, books extra |
| Liwa International School, Falaj Hazza (Al Ain) | American | Very Good (2024/25) | 19,400 to 35,030, books extra |
Sources by school: Cranleigh (bus AED 4,740 from Year 2); Brighton College; BSAK, which still shows its 2025/26 ADEK-approved schedule; Repton (AED 750 book fee to Year 2, 5% deposit); Yasmina British Academy (bus AED 5,841); ACS (AED 630 application, AED 3,000 reservation, first instalment due 1 June 2026); GEMS American Academy (sibling discount from the third child); Raha Gardens (AED 3,250 DP exam fee); ADIS (AED 1,500 registration, AED 3,500 DP exam fee); Liwa Falaj Hazza (bus AED 4,037 inside Al Ain). Aldar Academies publishes one fee page for all seven of its academies. For what each line on a fee schedule means, read international school fees explained.
Can a school raise its fees?
Only within ADEK's School Fees Policy (September 2024, compliance from 2025/26). A standard increase is based on the education cost index and is open only to schools with a valid licence, three years of operation and two years of IFRS-audited accounts filed, applying inside ADEK's window. An exceptional increase needs two consecutive years of adjusted operating losses, at least 80% occupancy and no other exceptional rise in the same year. Schools must publish the stamped ADEK-approved fee schedule, charge only within it, offer three or more equal instalments, cap registration fees at 5% of tuition and deduct them from the final bill, and refund a new pupil's registration fee if parents give written notice two weeks before the year starts. If a child leaves mid-term, the school may keep one month's tuition after one to three weeks of attendance, two months after three to six weeks, and the full term beyond six weeks.
What must Emirati and Muslim pupils study?
ADEK's Curriculum Policy (v1.2, September 2025) requires every school, whatever its curriculum, to teach the Ministry of Education subjects for the minimum time the Ministry sets, and states that exemptions are not authorised. In American-curriculum high schools that means two extra credits of Arabic Language for Arab pupils, two credits of Islamic Education for Muslim pupils and 0.5 credit of UAE Social Studies for everyone. In kindergarten, the KG MoE Subjects Policy makes Arabic compulsory from Pre-KG/FS1 for all pupils, streams Arab nationals into Arabic A and others into Arabic B from KG1/FS2, sets 200 minutes of Arabic a week (rising to 300 by 2027/28) and 90 minutes of Islamic Studies for Muslim pupils, taught in Arabic to Muslim Arab nationals, with UAE Social Studies integrated across subjects.
When does the year start, and what about Al Ain?
The Ministry of Education calendar for 2026 to 2028 applies to public and private schools: the 2026/27 year starts on 31 August 2026, breaks on 12 to 18 October, 14 December to 3 January and 5 to 11 April, and ends on 2 July 2027. BSAK's term dates match, with Reception to Year 7 starting on 31 August and Nursery and most secondary pupils on 1 September. In Al Ain, fees are far lower. Liwa International School Falaj Hazza charges AED 19,400 to AED 35,030 and describes itself as rated Very Good by ADEK, a judgement it announced in April 2025. Al Ain International School is the other listed option; its website could not be opened in September 2026, so check fees with the school. See all listings on our Al Ain page.
Frequently asked questions
- How much are school fees in Abu Dhabi?
- For 2026/27, published tuition at named international schools runs from AED 31,800 (KG at Abu Dhabi International School's MBZ campus) to AED 105,980 (Years 10 to 13 at Cranleigh). Mid-market British schools sit between AED 49,740 and AED 83,390 (Yasmina British Academy, Repton), and the American Community School charges AED 60,765 to AED 101,537 plus a one-off AED 27,000 capital fee. Al Ain is cheaper: Liwa International School Falaj Hazza charges AED 19,400 to AED 35,030.
- What is the ADEK rating?
- It is the result of an Irtiqa'a inspection, ADEK's school evaluation under the UAE Unified School Inspection Framework. Inspectors judge six standards and 17 indicators and give an overall rating on a six-point scale: Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak and Very Weak. ADEK says Good is the minimum standard for every school in the UAE. Inspections run every two years, the rating must be displayed on a plaque at the school gate, and reports are published through the TAMM school search.
- Which schools in Abu Dhabi are rated Outstanding?
- Among the schools covered here, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, Repton Abu Dhabi, Yasmina British Academy and The British International School Abu Dhabi hold Outstanding ratings from 2025/26 inspections, and The British School Al Khubairat and the American Community School were rated Outstanding in 2024/25. Brighton College Abu Dhabi, GEMS American Academy, Raha International School and Abu Dhabi International School are rated Very Good. Check the inspection year, because ratings change every two years.
- Can a school raise fees in Abu Dhabi?
- Only with ADEK approval. Under the ADEK School Fees Policy a standard increase is tied to the education cost index and is open only to schools with a valid licence, at least three years of operation and two years of IFRS-audited accounts, applied for inside ADEK's window. An exceptional increase needs two consecutive years of adjusted operating losses and at least 80% occupancy. Schools must publish the stamped ADEK-approved fee schedule on their website and may charge only within it.
- When does the 2026/27 school year start in Abu Dhabi?
- Students return on Monday 31 August 2026 under the Ministry of Education calendar that applies to public and private schools. The first mid-term break is 12 to 18 October 2026, winter break runs 14 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, spring break is 5 to 11 April 2027 and the year ends on 2 July 2027. British schools such as BSAK follow the same dates, with staggered first days for some year groups.
- What is the cheapest British school in Abu Dhabi?
- Of the British schools whose fee pages were checked for this guide, Yasmina British Academy is the lowest at AED 49,740 for FS1 to Year 1 and AED 67,270 for Years 10 to 13 in 2026/27, and it is rated Outstanding. The British School Al Khubairat's published 2025/26 fees start at AED 45,560 for a core-day nursery place and reach AED 74,560, but its 2026/27 schedule was not yet on its site in September 2026.
