How to Enrol Your Child in a UAE School (KHDA Admission)
To enrol a child in a Dubai private school, follow these steps. Choose a school. Your child passes the school's admission assessment. The school registers your child with KHDA. Then you sign the unified Parent–School Contract through the KHDA Parent Portal. KHDA registration itself is free and takes 3 days. The school charges an application fee of AED 500. It also charges an enrolment fee of up to 10% of the tuition.
At a glance
- Cost:
- Application fee AED 500; enrolment fee up to 10% of tuition
- Total time:
- KHDA registration: 3 days; KHDA enrolment decision within 1 working day
- Steps:
- 7 steps
- Where to apply:
- khda.gov.ae
Last reviewed November 2026 against official sources. Re-checked annually · next review due November 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official UAE sources(November 2026).
0 of 7 steps
- Before You Go Self-check
Choose a school
Compare schools on the KHDA website. Look at each school's KHDA Fact Sheet for tuition and fees. Before you apply, check the age cut-off for the year group. See the FAQ below.
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- Submit & Pay Per school policy
Apply + admission assessment
Go to the school you choose. Complete its admission assessment. Each school follows its own policy.
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- Submit & Pay KHDA decision within 1 working day
School registers the student with KHDA
The school registers the student with KHDA through KHDA Smart Services. A student cannot be admitted without KHDA enrolment approval.
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- Fill / Prepare Same day
Parent Portal + Parent–School Contract
Create a KHDA Parents Portal account. Then read and sign the unified Parent–School Contract. You can use the Parent Portal or the smart-device app. This step is required for registration.
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- Wait 3 days Free (KHDA registration)
KHDA reviews and processes
KHDA reviews the registration and processes it. Registration is free of charge. It takes 3 days. KHDA may ask for more documents.
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- Submit & Pay At enrolment Application AED 500 + enrolment up to 10% of tuition
Pay school fees
For new students, the application fee is AED 500. The assessment fees are included. The enrolment fee is up to 10% of the tuition fees. You cannot get it back. It is deducted from your 1st-term fees. For students who are already enrolled and are re-enrolling, the re-enrolment fee is up to 5% of the tuition fees, or AED 500, whichever is higher. You cannot get it back. It is deducted from your 1st-term fees. Tuition itself is different for each school and grade. Check the school's own KHDA Fact Sheet.
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- Follow Up 1 day AED 120
Transfer certificate (if moving schools)
You need a transfer or leaving certificate in two cases. First, if the student was enrolled in a private school in the UAE at any stage. Second, for transfers from outside the UAE for Grade 2 and above. The fee is AED 120. It takes 1 day. You can only get it if all fees with the current school are paid. Transfers from outside the UAE need attestation. From a GCC country: the Ministry of Education of that GCC country. From the rest of the world: (1) the MoE or similar authority in the country of origin, (2) the MoFA or similar authority in the country of origin, (3) the UAE embassy or consulate in the country of origin, (4) the UAE MoFAIC. The student's personal information (full name, nationality, religion) must match the identity card.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the age cut-off for school admission?
For first-time registrations in 2026–27, September-start schools measure age as of 31 December (Pre-KG/FS1: 3; KG1/FS2: 4; KG2/Year 1: 5; Grade 1/Year 2: 6). April-start schools use 31 March, per KHDA's placement guidelines as reported by Khaleej Times. 2026–27 is transitional: children born 1 September–31 December 2022 not yet enrolled may be placed in FS1 or FS2 by joint parent–school decision. From 2027–28 the revised cut-off applies strictly. Already-enrolled pupils and within-Dubai transfers are unaffected.
Do I need a transfer certificate from my child's old school abroad?
Yes, for transfers from outside the UAE for Grade 2 and above. You need an attested school certificate or transfer letter. The attestation chain has 4 steps. They are the MoE of the country of origin, the MoFA of the country of origin, the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, and the UAE MoFAIC.
What is the Parent–School Contract?
The unified Parent–School Contract is the standard agreement between parents and the school. The parent reads it and signs it through the KHDA Parent Portal or app. This is part of registration.
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