Updated 29 October 2026

British vs American curriculum in the UAE

The facts side by side: how the two systems are organised, what children sit at 16 and 18, and how the IB fits in. No rankings, just what is different.

British schools follow the National Curriculum for England, from Year 1 to Year 13, with GCSEs or IGCSEs at 16 and A levels at 18.

American schools follow a chosen US state's standards, from Grade 1 to Grade 12, ending in a High School Diploma built from credits and a GPA, often with AP exams and the SAT.

Both teach the same UAE mandatory subjects (Arabic, Islamic Education for Muslim students, and social and moral studies), and in Dubai both are inspected on the same framework.

The two systems side by side

	British (UK) curriculum	American (US) curriculum
What sets the content	The National Curriculum for England (called the UK curriculum in Dubai)	The standards of one chosen US state, commonly New York, California or Massachusetts, or the AERO standards for American schools overseas
Year names	Early Years Foundation Stage, then Year 1 to Year 13	KG1 (Pre-K) and KG2 (Kindergarten), then Grade 1 to Grade 12
Stages	Key Stage 1 (Years 1-2), Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6), Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11), post-16 (Years 12-13)	Elementary (ages 6-11), middle school (ages 11-14), high school (Grades 9-12)
School year	Usually three terms	Usually two semesters
Exams at 16	GCSEs or IGCSEs at the end of Year 11, graded 9-1 (or A*-G, depending on the board)	No national exam. Students earn credits in Grades 9-12
Finishing school	Usually 3 or 4 A levels (graded A*-E), or vocational BTECs, at 18	A High School Diploma, awarded for completing the credit requirements; transcript with letter grades and a GPA
Extra exams	Some schools use Cambridge Checkpoint tests at the end of primary	Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams, the SAT and PSAT. MAP tests, three times a year, are widely used
Recognition	Many schools are accredited by British Schools Overseas (BSO) or other UK bodies	Schools must be accredited by an approved US body (such as NEASC, MSA or WASC) for the diploma to be valid

Based on KHDA's parent guides to the UK and US curricula in Dubai. Year 2 is the same as Grade 1, so a British year is always one number higher than the American grade.

How the British curriculum works in the UAE

British schools teach the National Curriculum for England through key stages. Children start with the Early Years Foundation Stage, then move through primary (Years 1 to 6) and secondary (Years 7 to 11). In Years 10 and 11 they study for GCSEs or IGCSEs, usually sitting the exams at the end of Year 11. In Years 12 and 13 most take A levels, or vocational qualifications such as BTECs.

The big difference from an American school is that the main results come from external exams set by exam boards, taken at the end of a course. Reports may include target grades and predicted grades for university applications.

Inside school, many British schools use standardised tests to check progress, such as CAT4 for reasoning. See CAT4 scores explained.

How the American curriculum works in the UAE

American schools teach to the standards of one US state that the school chooses, or to the AERO standards written for American schools overseas. The year is usually split into two semesters.

In high school (Grades 9 to 12), students earn credits by passing courses. Every grade counts towards their Grade Point Average (GPA), and the final transcript lists every course, grade and credit. Required subjects include English, maths, sciences, US social studies, physical education, a modern foreign language and the arts, plus the UAE subjects. Many schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses with College Board exams. The SAT is also used, including for UAE university equivalency.

KHDA says every American school in Dubai must be accredited by an approved US body, such as NEASC, MSA or WASC, so that its High School Diploma is valid for university entry. It is worth asking any American school which body accredits it.

Where the IB fits

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a third option, with four programmes for ages 3 to 19:

Primary Years Programme (PYP): early years (ages 3 to 6) and primary (Grades 1 to 5).
Middle Years Programme (MYP): Grades 6 to 10, ending with a personal project.
Diploma Programme (DP): ages 16 to 19. Six subjects (usually three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level) plus three core parts. Each subject is graded 1 to 7, and the full diploma needs at least 24 of the 45 available points.
Career-related Programme (CP): at least two DP subjects combined with a vocational course such as a BTEC.

Some British schools in Dubai are UK/IB schools: they follow the English National Curriculum up to Year 11, then offer either A levels or the IB Diploma in Years 12 and 13.

What is the same in every curriculum

UAE mandatory subjects. Arabic, Islamic Education (for Muslim students) and social and moral studies are taught in every private school. See is Arabic compulsory in UAE schools.
The same inspections. Dubai schools of every curriculum are rated on the same six-level scale. See KHDA school ratings explained.
The same national calendar. British, American and IB schools all work to the UAE school calendar.
UAE university entry. KHDA notes that students from either system who want a UAE university need the Ministry of Education's equivalency process, which includes completing the UAE subjects.

Questions to help you choose

Where might you live next? If a move to the UK is likely, a British school keeps your child on the same year groups and exams. If a move to the US is likely, an American school keeps them on grades, credits and a GPA.
How does your child like to be assessed? British secondary results rest mostly on final exams. American high school grades build up course by course across four years.
How broad should the last two years be? A levels usually mean three or four subjects in depth. The IB Diploma keeps six subjects plus its core. An American diploma spreads credits across many subjects.
Might you need to switch later? Ask any school you are considering how it places students arriving from the other system, especially in the exam years.

Questions parents ask

Which is better, the British or American curriculum?

Neither is better in general. They lead to different qualifications: GCSEs and A levels in British schools, a High School Diploma with a GPA and often AP exams in American schools. Both are accepted by universities worldwide. The right choice depends on where your family may live next, where your child may go to university, and which school suits your child.

Which grade is Year 7 in the American system?

Year 7 matches Grade 6. In KHDA's tables, Year 2 sits alongside Grade 1, so you subtract one from the British year to get the American grade (Year 13 = Grade 12).

Do American schools in the UAE teach Arabic and Islamic Education?

Yes. The UAE's mandatory subjects apply to every private school, whatever its curriculum. KHDA notes that US curriculum students must meet UAE requirements for Arabic, UAE Social Studies and Islamic Education, and British schools teach the same subjects.

What is a UK/IB school?

A school that teaches the English National Curriculum up to Year 11, then lets students choose between A levels (or BTECs) and the two-year IB Diploma or Career-related Programme for Years 12 and 13.

What score do you need to pass the IB Diploma?

At least 24 points out of a maximum of 45, as well as completing all the programme requirements. Each subject is graded from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest).

Is religious education taught at British schools in Dubai?

No. KHDA notes that religious education and relationships education are statutory in the English National Curriculum but are not delivered in Dubai. Muslim students take Islamic Education, and non-Arab students take Moral, Social and Cultural Studies.

Sources