As more families make Dubai home, demand for world-class schooling is rising – and so are fees. With over 220 private schools now operating in the emirate, education has become one of Dubai’s most resilient markets, growing year on year. While some fees surpass UK university tuition, the most expensive schools aren’t trading on prestige alone – they rethink what education should look like in a fast-moving, tech-driven world. Whether it’s helipad sports pitches, AI innovation hubs, or bilingual pathways tailored to Oxbridge admissions, these campuses are designed with the future in mind. Below, we spotlight four of the most expensive schools in Dubai, and explore what sets them apart.
GEMS School of Research & Innovation
When GEMS first revealed plans for the School of Research & Innovation (SRI), they called it the “school of the future”, and it’s shaping up to be just that. Set to open its doors in August 2025 (pending KHDA approval), this new school is already making headlines as Dubai’s most expensive, with annual fees starting at AED 116,000 in Foundation Stage, climbing up to AED 206,000 by Year 13. Here, it’s the school architecture, not just the price tag, that tells the story. Located in Sport City, this sprawling 47,600 square metre campus is set around an elevated helipad-pitch, an Olympic-sized pool, and an NBA-standard basketball court. The future is the framework throughout, with VR suites, AI studies, e-sports labs, and innovation hubs that replace traditional IT rooms.
In terms of teaching, SRI follows the British curriculum, adapted with a forward-facing emphasis on research, robotics, and real-world problem solving. Classrooms are deliberately intimate with capped cohort sizes, and a ‘family first’ policy that empowers parents to be a close part of their children’s school life. Indeed, SRI goes as far as having dedicated work spaces for parents, alongside a café, for when the kids are in class.
The faculty is global, with an advisory board that includes the UK’s former chief of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman. SRI might resemble a tech startup campus more than a traditional school, but in an education landscape that’s increasingly defined (and pressured) by change, it’s a bold concept that just might become the new benchmark.
North London Collegiate School (NLCS)
When NLCS Dubai opened in 2017, it brought with it the heritage of its 19th-century founder, Frances Mary Buss – a pioneer who championed academic opportunity for girls. The Dubai campus, set in Sobha Hartland, carries that legacy forward with distinction. Annual fees here range from around AED 90,000 in pre-kindergarten to AED 144,000 in the IB Diploma years. The curriculum follows the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, and DP), with graduates regularly heading to Oxbridge, Ivy League and other top universities. With just 1,000 students and a maximum class size of 24, it’s one of the most academically ambitious and well-rounded schools in the city. Debating, drama, Duke of Edinburgh, and service-led programmes are all central to student life – alongside a well-supported house system that fosters camaraderie and healthy competition.
In a landscape increasingly dominated by STEM subjects, NLCS stands out for its commitment to the arts, with specialist practice rooms, a recording studio and a black box theatre. Elsewhere, high-spec science labs and expansive libraries reinforce a culture that values depth over display. NLCS doesn’t try to be the most extravagant school in Dubai – instead, it’s rooted in substance, honouring the legacy of one of the UK’s most influential women’s rights campaigners.
Repton School Dubai
Of singular pedigree, Repton School Dubai traces its lineage back to England’s historic Repton College, first founded in 1557. Since opening its doors in Nad Al Sheba in 2007, Repton has long reigned as one of Dubai’s most expensive schools, with fees ranging from AED 56,000 in Foundation up to AED 100,000 in Sixth Form. Students follow the British curriculum – IGCSEs and A‑Levels – with the option to switch to the IB Diploma in Years 12 and 13. Classes are small, and the teaching culture blends academic rigour with real-world confidence. Repton has a particularly strong music department, led by a faculty of professional musicians.
With its terracotta spires and expansive, leafy grounds, the campus feels more like a country estate than a Dubai school. Spread across 120,773 square metres, it features an Olympic-sized pool, performance studios, art and design labs, and a golf academy, making it one of the most facility-rich campuses in the region. It’s also among the few schools in Dubai to offer boarding for both boys and girls – a full British-style residential experience with weekend excursions and round-the-clock pastoral care.
Repton has held an “Outstanding” KHDA rating since 2014 and is regularly named among the top 150 private schools globally. Graduates consistently go on to Oxbridge, Ivy League, and other leading universities across Europe and the US. Repton also has a newer, smaller branch in Al Barsha, located on the former Foremarke campus.
Swiss International Scientific School Dubai (SISD)
Set along the Dubai Creek waterfront in Al Jaddaf, Swiss International Scientific School Dubai (SISD) is something of a hidden gem. Since opening in 2015, this Nord Anglia Education school has become one of the most prestigious in the city, earning a spot on Carfax Education’s list of the world’s top 100 private boarding schools – the only one in UAE to make the cut. What stands out at SISD is its curriculum fluidity. Designed to meet the needs of Dubai’s increasingly diverse student base, it offers personalised curriculum pathways in French, German, Arabic and English. Annual fees range from AED 63,000 in pre-kindergarten to AED 130,000 in Grade 12, placing SISD firmly within Dubai’s highest tier.
Like Repton, SISD has the option for boarding from age 11, with a modern Swiss-style boarding house that looks more like a boutique hotel than dormitory. Rather than mirror British tradition or American prep school culture, SISD delivers a distinctly European model – globally minded, future-focused, and confident in its approach.
