Dubai School Fees 2026–27: What Parents Should Check
Use the correct KHDA School Fees Fact Sheet to separate approved tuition and mandatory fees from supplies, transport and optional activities before accepting a place.
When comparing Dubai school fees for 2026–27, do not rely on a school’s headline tuition number alone. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) provides a School Fees Fact Sheet for every Dubai private school, with information for the selected campus, academic year and grade.
KHDA confirmed that Dubai private-school fees would not increase for the 2026–27 academic year. That freezes approved tuition increases; it does not mean every school, grade or family has the same total annual cost.
1. Find the exact school, campus and grade
Open the KHDA school directory ↗ and select the correct campus. Schools with similar names may operate different branches, curricula or grade ranges. Open the fee fact sheet for the grade your child will enter and confirm that it shows the 2026–27 academic year.
2. Read all four cost groups
KHDA describes the School Fees Fact Sheet as a one-page reference covering mandatory and optional fees. A useful comparison separates:
- Tuition: the approved academic fee for the selected grade.
- Mandatory fees: approved items the school requires for that grade or programme.
- Required supplies: items such as books, uniforms or devices, including whether another supplier may be used.
- Optional services: transport, trips, clubs, meals or other services a family may choose.
KHDA says tuition plus application, registration and re-enrolment fees are regulated. Costs not directly related to curriculum delivery—such as transport, trips and extracurricular activities—may fall outside the same regulation. The school-specific fact sheet is therefore more useful than a generic “fees from” advertisement.
3. Understand the 2026–27 tuition freeze
On 22 May 2026, KHDA announced that private schools in Dubai would have no fee increase for the 2026–27 academic year. Parents should still compare the current grade’s fact sheet with the written offer because a child moving to a higher grade may enter a different approved fee band, and optional services or required supplies may differ.
Ask the school to explain any amount that is not shown clearly on the fact sheet. A discount can reduce the family’s bill, but its eligibility, duration and effect on future payments should be recorded in writing.
4. Check application and registration payments
KHDA’s School Registration and Refund Policy, effective 23 March 2026, says a school may charge up to AED 500 to process a new student’s application. This application fee is separate from tuition. It is refundable in specified situations, including when the student is not offered a place after assessment or when the school collected the fee without first disclosing that no place was available or that only a wait-list position might result.
A school may request a registration deposit only after making a formal enrolment offer that the parent accepts. The deposit cannot exceed 10% of annual tuition and must be deducted from the first term’s tuition; it is an advance payment, not an additional annual charge.
5. Build the real first-year budget
Add the amounts relevant to your child rather than copying another family’s total:
- Approved tuition for the exact grade.
- Mandatory fees shown on the fact sheet.
- Books, uniform, stationery and any required device.
- Transport, meals and chosen activities.
- Application cash outlay and the registration deposit.
- Any genuine written discount.
Keep the annual cost and the payment schedule as separate calculations. A refundable or deductible deposit affects cash flow even when it is not an extra annual cost.
6. Before making a payment
- Match the invoice to the current KHDA fact sheet and the School/Parent Contract.
- Ask which charges are mandatory, which are optional and which may be bought elsewhere.
- Read the registration, withdrawal and refund conditions before paying.
- Use the school’s verified payment channel—not a personal account or an unverified message link.
- Keep the offer, fact sheet, invoice, contract and receipt together.
If the figures do not match
Ask the school for a written item-by-item explanation. Check that you selected the correct campus, grade and academic year. If the answer still conflicts with the KHDA fact sheet or published policy, use KHDA’s official parent guidance and complaint route rather than relying on social media.
Related guides
- Dubai school registration and refund rules
- Check a Dubai school inspection rating
- Review and sign the Parent–School Contract
- File a Dubai school complaint with KHDA
Official sources and review note
Dubai Daily Guide reviewed this page on 19 October 2026 against the KHDA 2026–27 fee announcement ↗, KHDA School Fees Fact Sheet guidance ↗ and KHDA registration and refund policy ↗. Always use the current fact sheet for the individual school, campus and grade.