Lifestyle
UAE — Living: Education
UAE public schools are free but only for Emirati citizens — expatriate families must use private schools, and more than 90% of UAE students attend private institutions. Dubai has over 227 private schools offering 17 different curricula (British, American, IB, Indian, and others), regulated and rated annually by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA): Dubai currently has 23 Outstanding, 48 Very Good, 81 Good, 48 Acceptable, and 2 Weak-rated schools. Starting the 2026-27 academic year, KHDA resumes private school inspections (paused for a year) with a stricter regime — schools now receive no more than 24 hours' notice before inspectors arrive.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceKnowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)Last reviewed: 2026-07-18
Key facts
- Public schools are free only for Emirati citizens; expat families must pay for private schooling.
- 90%+ of UAE students attend private schools; Dubai alone has 227+ private schools across 17 curricula.
- KHDA regulates and publishes annual ratings for Dubai private schools (Outstanding to Weak).
- From 2026-27, KHDA resumes inspections with only 24 hours' notice given to schools beforehand.
Common mistakes
- Assuming public schooling is an option for expatriate children — it is restricted to Emirati citizens.