At what age should my child start school?
In Dubai, compulsory schooling begins at Grade 1/Year 2, age 6.
Many families, however, choose to enroll their children into PreKG/FS1, at age 3.
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What your family decides may depend on a number of factors such as the developmental stage and personality of your child, your ability to provide childcare and a stimulating environment for your child outside school, the needs of other children in your family, future relocation plans, and budget.
Our School Navigator can talk through your individual situation if you have questions regarding starting age.
When should we apply to a school?
Most schools open applications a year in advance. So if their academic year begins in August, they will begin accepting applications the September or October prior.
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Many schools will accept qualifying students on a first-come-first-served basis until places are full. Others will have an application time frame after which they make offers to the best applicants.
Either way, it's best to submit your application as early as you can. This may mean beginning your school search more than a year in advance so you are ready when applications open, particularly for high-demand schools.
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If you are beginning your school search later, do not worry. Many schools accept applications year round. Your School Navigator will help you establish which schools meet your requirements and have places available.
Is it possible to join a school mid-way through the year?
As Dubai private schools mostly serve an expat population there are families coming and going all the time, so mid-year enrollments are very common.
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Joining a school mid-year is usually straightforward for younger children, but does get more complicated as students enter higher grades, especially if they are also changing curriculums, and academic years. It can also be complicated if you need to find availability for multiple children in different grades. If this describes your family we recommend booking the School Shortlist with Consultation to ensure you get the support you require.
Why might I need the support of Navigate.Ed?
Parents choose Navigate.Ed for many different reasons.
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If you feel overwhelmed by all the information and opinions about different schools we help you cut through the noise to focus on what's important to you.
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If you don't have the time to research all your options we fast-track the process by creating a short-list of schools that best meet your needs and preferences. You then know which schools to visit before making your final choice.
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If you're moving to Dubai from overseas you're probably not familiar with the way schools work here, where they're located or what factors you need to consider. You probably also have a long list of other things to organize, and perhaps have a lot of different feelings about starting life in a new city. Speaking to someone who knows the Dubai education landscape can help give you confidence about that you're making informed decisions.
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If your children are transferring to Dubai from overseas schools, especially as secondary school students, there are a number of conditions that need to be met. It can be hard to find reliable advice that addresses your particular situation.
What does a Navigate.Ed Shortlist look like?
The Shortlist is the cornerstone of our services.
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It's a multipage document providing detailed information about 3-4 recommended schools. Where possible, information is presented graphically to provide meaningful comparisons.
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The Shortlist is highly personalised, based on your unique needs, wants and preferences which you share with us through an online survey and/or conversation.
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Why should I book a school tour?
After receiving your Shortlist we recommend you visit 1-3 schools for a tour or open event.
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A good school tour is not so much about showcasing the classrooms and facilities, but about introducing you to the school community. You might be introduced to school leaders, teachers, students and other parents.
Where possible we always recommend visiting schools during the school day to really get a sense of what it's like. Is there an air of excitement? Calm? Order? Do students and teachers look happy and engaged with learning? Is this the kind of environment that you can imagine your child flourishing in?
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We hope that you enjoy your tour with our recommended schools and are then ready to apply. If not, we're happy to make some new recommendations based on your feedback.
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I'm moving to Dubai from overseas, how can you help?
Moving cities or countries is always a complicated undertaking, especially when moving with children.
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The education landscape in Dubai may be very different to what you're used to, but you can be reassured that there are many fantastic schools here. It's also a place to which people are moving all the time, so schools and communities are always very welcoming to newcomers.
We recommend booking a Shortlist with Consultation package to ensure you we understand your unique needs and requirements, and to help you understand the schooling options available to you. This can all be done online. Many schools also have provisions for overseas applicants such as virtual tours and online applications.
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If you are visiting Dubai before your move we highly recommend taking time to visit your shortlisted schools. Speak to us about our service to schedule a day/morning of tours with hotel pick-up and drop off, or a full concierge service including scheduling assessments, assisting with paperwork, purchasing uniforms and schools supplies etc.
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Are you affiliated with any schools?
Short answer - no.
The vision of Navigate.Ed has always been to provide unbiased advice to parents about their school choices.
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In my time as an admissions director I came across other consultants who clearly had their own agenda, and weren't always acting in the best interests of their clients.
For some, this was agencies who used their consultancy services as a way of directing parents towards testing and tutoring services within their company.
Others were parents who had their own children enrolled in schools that offered a referral discount to parents. They were therefore motivated to recommend just that school, regardless of whether it was a best fit for their friends or clients.
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Traditional agents, more commonly seen supporting university admissions, have agreements with schools they make referrals to. They receive an agreed percentage of tuition fees paid to schools by the students they refer. They are therefore financially motivated to encourage students towards the programmes from which they will receive the biggest cut.
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Of course, every school you visit will tell you that they are the best, and their admissions teams will have enrollment targets to meet.
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Instead, Navigate.Ed works for you, the parent. We want you to find the best school for your child. We take time to understand your needs and preferences, and match schools accordingly. This means doing away with our own biases and preferred learning environments, and offering balanced perspectives. Ultimately, the final school choice is made by you.
We have no affiliations with any schools, or school groups. We receive payments only from our customers, the parents. We don't advertise or support specific schools on our platforms - we only highlight or reshare content and initiatives we think benefit families (i.e. scholarships, discounts, special events), showcase the breadth of provision provided by UAE schools, or spark discussion of a relevant topic.