Over the past few decades, Dubai has experienced remarkable population growth. In the 65 years since 1960, it has transformed from a modest fishing village of just 35,000 residents into a thriving metropolis of over 3 million. This rapid influx has driven increased demand for infrastructure and essential services – one of the most critical being education. As more and more families from around the world settle in the city in pursuit of opportunity, the need for quality schools has never been more pronounced. This is your definitive guide to private schools in Dubai.
Jumeirah College
Located in Al Safa, this exceptional educational facility provides a place where academic excellence blends with personal growth, with the goal of nurturing happy, confident and accomplished students.
A British curriculum school, Jumeirah College also takes measures to develop each student’s social, physical and emotional skills by focusing on understanding each and every learner as an individual. With students from almost 60 different countries, the school has its own uniquely global mindset, ideal for its goal of curating world citizens.
In the top 1% of A Level and GCSE providers globally, this illustrious establishment has also been rated ‘Outstanding’ for more than 10 consecutive years.
Dwight School Dubai
With its storied history dating back to 1872, this exclusive school has been loyal to its commitment to producing the next generation of global leaders and ethical citizens for more than 150 years.
The Dubai branch benefits from being part of a global network and as such, is ideally placed to help students secure admissions to some of the world’s most prestigious universities upon graduation. Its history of sending students to Ivy League American colleges, as well as top-rated British universities, is unmatched and the school continues its dedication to providing that spark of genius in every child.
Ideally located just minutes from Tilal Al Ghaf, the school uses the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum – a perfect option for students who wish to continue their education abroad.
Nord Anglia International School Dubai
A school which embraces creativity and innovation, Nord Anglia offers both the British and IB curriculums amid a supportive atmosphere designed to maximise your child’s potential.
An integrated school, it offers a personalised approach to learning. Early years use the British Curriculum, while secondary students learn from a version of the National Curriculum of England, leading to IGCSE qualifications. Sixth form allows students the opportunity to choose the IB or A-Levels – both of which are internationally recognised.
Innovative learning spaces blend with world-class sports facilities, as well as photography labs, a recording studio and a 524-seat auditorium, marking Nord Anglia as one of the premier private schools in Dubai.
GEMS Dubai American Academy (DAA)
As close to an all-encompassing private school as you’re likely to find anywhere in Dubai, DAA students achieved a 96% pass rate in the 2023 academic year. With a commitment to excellence, the school – located in Al Barsha – is known for sending its graduates to further education facilities around the world, with the United States, Canada, the UK, Europe and Asia all receiving DAA students in recent years.
Offering the American and IB curriculums, the school can point to its outstanding heritage as one of its key USPs. Over the course of its existence – it was founded in 1998 – the facility has been relentlessly committed to improving and delivering academic excellence to its international student community.
Students benefit from a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, student leadership programmes, and extensive arts and athletics initiatives. These are further complemented by Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) activities, as well as programmes that promote global citizenship.
Dubai College
With clear parallels to the UAE itself via its ambition and intention of developing a culture of excellence, Dubai College stands as one of the city’s foremost independent schools. Core values such as excellence, hard work, kindness and integrity are integral to the learning environment, as the school aims to provide a rich holistic educational experience for its students.
One of the older educational institutions in the city – it’s been around since the late 1970s – Dubai College uses the British curriculum. In 2024, an impressive 19% of graduates received offers from top 10 universities around the world, while 76% of A Levels were achieved at an A* or A grade – making it one of the highest-performing private schools in Dubai.
GEMS World Academy (GWA) Dubai
Offering the IB curriculum and catering to Dubai’s large international community, GEMS World Academy stands tall among some of the most prestigious private schools in the city.
Opened in 2008, the school welcomes more than 2,100 students from over 100 different countries, highlighting its commitment to integration and celebrating similarities in an increasingly connected world. With an 86% pass rate in 2024, the school boasts of sending the majority of its students to their first or second-choice universities.
GWA believe their IB programs offer students “the knowledge, skills and character necessary to take action and create a better, more peaceful world”, while simultaneously expecting their faculty and alumni to subscribe to their GENIUS values: Grounded, Entrepreneurial, Nurturing, Innovative, Unique and Sophisticated.
The school also offers top-class facilities such as the 600+ seat auditorium, custom-built science labs, a music recording studio and a 50-metre Olympic-sized swimming pool. In addition, there is also a first-of-its-kind planetarium, boasting over 300,000 stars on its database.
Royal Grammar School Guildford (RGSG) Dubai
Highly exclusive, this private school separates itself from the rest with their vision of equipping every student with the inner confidence, self-belief and personal resilience to thrive not just in the classroom, but throughout life.
Drawing on its beginnings in the educational heartland of England, the school embodies the ethos and values that have underpinned Royal Grammar School Guildford in the UK for over 500 years, while using the British curriculum.
Rated ‘Outstanding’ in every metric of the British Schools Overseas Inspection report, the school is committed to values such as respect, scholarship, inclusivity and courage through various activities and programmes. The 2024 Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) highlighted the vision, commitment and determination of the principal and her leadership teams, as well as the support for students’ welfare and wellbeing, in addition to the high-quality facilities and resources available.
North London Collegiate School Dubai
Located in the Sobha Hartland development in Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum City, the school is perfectly situated for residents of both Business Bay and Downtown Dubai.
Set across a vast 38,000 square metre campus, the school boasts classrooms equipped with the latest technology, premium IT facilities and a state-of-the-art performing arts centre. The sports resources are no less impressive, with tennis and basketball courts, as well as cricket, football and athletics fields – not to mention the 8-lane indoor swimming pool.
The school employs talented faculty members from around the world, who are on hand to deliver exceptional lessons using the IB curriculum. In 2024, Year 12 students achieved a 100% pass rate (compared to a global average of 79%), while two Grade 10 students achieved a perfect score of 56/56 – a testament to the encouraging environment fostered by North London Collegiate’s diligent teachers.
