Moving to Dubai with Children: A School Search Guide

Moving to Dubai with children is exciting, but the school question tends to keep parents up at night. The good news is that Dubai has one of the widest ranges of international schools anywhere in the world, with curricula from Britain, America, India, the IB and beyond all represented across the city. The challenge is simply that there is so much choice, and the best-known schools fill up fast. This guide walks you through the search the way a friend who has already done it would: calmly, practically, and with the steps that actually matter. With a little planning, you can land in Dubai with a school place sorted and a child who is ready to settle in.

Start your search early, because good schools have waiting lists

The single most important thing to know is that the most sought-after schools in Dubai often have waiting lists, particularly for popular year groups and at the start of the academic year in late summer. Families who begin looking six to twelve months before the move give themselves the most options. If your timeline is tighter than that, do not panic. Places do open up throughout the year as other expat families come and go, and many excellent schools have availability that simply is not as widely talked about.

Begin by getting a feel for the landscape before you narrow anything down. You can browse schools by area, curriculum and age group to build a shortlist, then dig into the details on each one. The earlier you start, the more time you have to ask questions, sit on a waiting list if you need to, and make a calm decision rather than a rushed one.

Choose a curriculum that gives your child continuity

Curriculum is the decision that shapes everything else, so it deserves real thought. The goal is continuity: a curriculum that connects smoothly with what your child has studied before and with wherever they may go next. A few things to weigh up:

• Where they have come from. If your child has been in a British, American or Indian system, staying within the same curriculum usually makes the transition far gentler. The content, assessment style and even the school year will feel familiar.
• Where they may go next. If you expect to move again, or your child is heading toward university in a particular country, pick a curriculum that travels well and is recognised where you are likely to end up.
• The stage your child is at. Younger children usually adapt to a new system easily. For teenagers mid-way through exam courses, continuity matters more, so try to avoid switching curricula in the middle of a qualification.

Dubai offers genuine depth in every major curriculum, so you rarely have to compromise on this. Take your time, and let your child's history and likely future guide the choice.

Set a realistic budget, including the extras

Tuition is only part of the picture, and the extras catch many families by surprise. When you set your budget, build in the costs that sit alongside the headline fee so there are no shocks later. These commonly include:

• Registration and assessment fees charged when you apply, which are often separate from tuition.
• A deposit to secure the place, sometimes refundable and sometimes offset against later fees.
• Uniforms, books and devices, plus the cost of a school laptop or tablet at some schools.
• Transport if you plan to use the school bus, which is priced by distance.
• Trips, clubs and activities that add up across the year.

Fees vary widely across the city, and they can shift year to year, so always check the current figures on each school's own page rather than relying on older numbers. A practical move is to compare schools side by side so you can see fees and key details next to each other and judge what genuinely fits your family's budget.

Weigh location and commute against the school itself

Dubai is a spread-out city, and the daily commute shapes family life more than people expect. A school that looks perfect on paper can lose its shine if it means your child sits in traffic for an hour each way, twice a day. Before you commit, think about where you are likely to live and work, and how the school run fits around it. If you have not chosen a neighbourhood yet, you have a useful chance to let the school and the home decision inform each other.

That said, do not let location override everything. A slightly longer drive to a school that is genuinely the right fit can be worth it, especially if a good school bus route takes the journey off your hands. It helps to look at the wider picture of schools in Dubai grouped by area, so you can balance the school itself against a sensible commute and find the combination that works for your family.

Work through the enquiry process, then help them settle

Once you have a shortlist, the practical process is straightforward. Reach out to each school directly to ask about availability in your child's year group, request a tour or a virtual walkthrough, and find out what the assessment and enrolment steps involve. Have your child's recent school reports and records ready, as schools usually ask for these. Send your enquiries to two or three schools at once rather than waiting on one reply, so you keep your options open.

When the place is confirmed, the focus shifts to your child. A move is a big change for them, so a few small things help enormously:

• Talk it through honestly, and let them ask questions about the new school and the new city.
• Visit the campus together if you can, so the first day feels less unfamiliar.
• Lean on the school's support, as Dubai schools are deeply experienced with new arrivals and often pair newcomers with a buddy.
• Give it time, because most children settle within a term once friendships start to form.

Thousands of families make this exact move every year, and their children thrive. With an early start and a clear plan, yours will too.

Ready to begin? Use Talem to explore schools across Dubai, compare your shortlist in one place, and send your enquiries with confidence. Your family's new chapter starts with a single search.