Updated 29 October 2026

School admissions in Dubai

How getting a place at a private school in Dubai works: the steps, the documents, and what the entry assessments usually involve.

You apply to each school directly. Your child sits that school's assessment. If they are offered a place, the school registers them with KHDA and you sign the Parents Contract online.

Core documents: Emirates IDs for your child and you (or a passport copy), plus an attested school certificate or transfer letter from Year 3 (Grade 2) upwards.

Entry tests are set by each school. Selective schools publish their process; many British schools also ask for CAT4 results.

The steps

KHDA regulates all private schools in Dubai. Its registration service for children joining a Dubai private school for the first time works like this:

Apply to the school you have chosen, directly. There is no central application system for Dubai private schools.
Your child sits the school's admission assessment, following that school's own policy.
If the school offers a place, the school registers your child with KHDA (the Knowledge and Human Development Authority) through KHDA's online services.
You create an account on the KHDA parents portal.
You review and sign the unified Parents Contract on the portal or the KHDA app.
KHDA reviews and processes the registration.
Once approved, your child is registered and the school can provide all student services.

Before step 1, check the school's age rules. From 2026-27 a child's age on 31 December decides their year group for new admissions, so a child born between September and December may join a different year group than you expect. See UAE school age cut-off and year groups.

Documents you will need

Document	Who needs it
Valid Emirates ID for the child and the parents or guardians	Everyone registering with KHDA
Passport copy (and diplomatic card, if relevant)	Children not eligible for an Emirates ID
Attested school certificate or transfer letter (transfer certificate, TC)	Children joining Grade 2 (Year 3) or higher
Anything else the school asks for	Varies: usually reports, test results, sometimes references

Certificates must be in Arabic or English. If the originals are in another language, KHDA says they must be translated by a legal translator and the translation authenticated. KHDA also notes that certificates from Quranic centres do not count as evidence of completing school grades.

The transfer certificate has its own rules, including how it is attested inside and outside the UAE. See transfer certificates in the UAE.

Entry assessments: what to expect

KHDA's process simply says the child is assessed "as per the school policy". So the honest answer is that it depends on the school. What is published:

Early years. Under the 2026-27 transition rules, UK-curriculum schools can assess the readiness of children born between September and December before FS1 entry. Beyond that, ask each school how it assesses its youngest applicants.
CAT4. Many British schools in Dubai use CAT4 (the Cognitive Abilities Test) and some ask for it when you apply. Khaleej Times reported in September 2026 that Dubai British Schools list CAT4 and a written English assessment for applicants from Year 3 to Year 12. If your child has a CAT4 report, see CAT4 scores explained.
Selective schools. Dubai College runs a 2-hour online assessment of English, maths and non-verbal reasoning for Year 7 and also looks at reports, GL Progress Test and CAT4 results (see Dubai College entrance exam). Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) asks, as a guide, for a CAT4 score of at least 115 and progress test scores averaging 115+ for its limited Open Entry places in Years 3 to 9.
English. Some schools require fluent English to join. Dubai College, for example, does not teach English as an additional language and requires all applicants to be fluent.

Ask each school three questions: what the assessment involves for your child's year group, which past reports and test results it wants, and whether there is a waiting list. Popular schools can be full: JESS, for example, says most year groups are full with oversubscribed waiting lists.

When the school year starts

KHDA says Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curriculum schools run from April to March; all other curricula, including British schools, start in September and end in June or July. Children joining mid-year are placed using Dubai's age-grade chart, and any change of year group in the middle of a year needs KHDA approval.

Children with special educational needs

If a school reviews a complete application and declines a child because of inclusion needs or capacity, KHDA requires the school to file a Non-Admission Notification (NON) form. The same applies if the child is put on a waiting list because the school's inclusion places are full. Share any reports with the school early so it can plan support.

Abu Dhabi and the other emirates

This page describes Dubai, where KHDA sets the rules. Private schools in Abu Dhabi are regulated by ADEK (the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge) and in Sharjah by SPEA (the Sharjah Private Education Authority). The overall shape is similar (apply to the school, assessment, registration), but documents and steps are set by each authority, so follow the school's instructions.

Questions parents ask

What documents are required for school admission in Dubai?

KHDA's registration service lists the child's and parents' Emirates IDs (or a passport copy if the child is not eligible for an Emirates ID), an attested school certificate or transfer letter for children joining Grade 2 or higher (Year 3 and above in a British school), and any other documents the school asks for. Schools commonly ask for recent school reports and test results as part of their own assessment.

Do I need a transfer certificate for FS1, FS2 or Year 1?

KHDA's registration service asks for an attested school certificate or transfer letter from Grade 2 (Year 3) upwards. For the youngest children, age decides the year group. A school can still ask for reports from a previous nursery or school, so check its document list.

Do Dubai schools have entrance exams?

Every child sits the school's own admission assessment, and what that involves is up to each school. Selective schools publish more detail: Dubai College, for example, uses a 2-hour online test of English, maths and non-verbal reasoning for Year 7. Many British schools ask for CAT4 results; Khaleej Times reports that Dubai British Schools list CAT4 and a written English assessment for Years 3 to 12.

Can I apply to a Dubai school before we have an Emirates ID?

Yes, you can apply. Registration with KHDA uses the Emirates ID, and KHDA has a separate registration route using a passport copy for children who are not eligible for an Emirates ID. Ask the school how it handles families whose IDs are still being issued.

Can a Dubai school refuse my child because of special educational needs?

If a school reviews a complete application and declines a child because of inclusion needs or capacity, or puts them on a waiting list because its inclusion places are full, KHDA requires it to file a Non-Admission Notification form. Talk to the school's inclusion lead early and share reports openly.

Which year group will my child join?

From FS1 to Year 1, age decides: 3 by 31 December for FS1, 4 for FS2 and 5 for Year 1, under the rules from 2026-27. From Year 2 upwards, a child coming from another school is placed mainly by their transfer certificate. Our age cut-off guide has the full table.

Sources