IB Schools in the UAE
IB World Schools teach the International Baccalaureate, from the Primary Years Programme through to the Diploma. Compare IB schools across the UAE by fees, rating and reviews below.
51 UAE schools offer at least one International Baccalaureate programme: 33 in Dubai, 9 in Abu Dhabi, 6 in Sharjah and 3 elsewhere. That makes it one of the smaller curriculum groups in the country, and it is the one most often chosen by families who expect to move again or who are looking beyond UK universities. Most pair the IB with something else rather than running it alone: 19 of the 51 are IB-only, while 14 also teach a British curriculum, 12 American and 3 Australian, so the sixth form is often a choice between the Diploma and A-levels. 11 hold Outstanding and 21 Very Good.
The IB is usually described as a premium curriculum, and at the lower end of this list it plainly is not. Published fees run from AED 15,600 to AED 143,681. The lowest is Australian School of Abu Dhabi, open since 2005 and rated Good, at AED 15,600 to AED 37,030. The highest is North London Collegiate School Dubai at AED 91,735 to AED 143,681, rated Very Good.
GEMS Modern Academy in Nad Al Sheba is the most affordable Outstanding school offering the IB anywhere in the country, starting at AED 30,983. It runs an Indian CISCE base with an IB Diploma finish, which is the pattern behind a good part of this list: the Diploma bolted onto a different primary curriculum rather than a full IB continuum.
The full-continuum schools are the older ones. American Community School of Abu Dhabi is the oldest here, open since 1972 and Outstanding, at AED 60,765 to AED 101,537. Dubai International Academy at Emirates Hills opened in 2005, is Outstanding, and is one of the 19 that run the IB alone rather than alongside another curriculum.
All 51 institutions
Fees at a glance
| School | Curriculum | Annual fees from | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi | American | AED 57,850 | Very Good |
| GEMS Wellington Academy - Silicon Oasis | British | AED 40,340 | Very Good |
| Bateen World Academy | IB | AED 54,000 | Outstanding |
| GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi | IB | AED 55,420 | Very Good |
| Dubai International Academy | IB | AED 44,979 | Outstanding |
| Nord Anglia International School Dubai | British | AED 69,625 | Outstanding |
| GEMS Wellington International School | British | AED 47,527 | Outstanding |
| Repton School Dubai | British | AED 57,178 | Outstanding |
| GEMS Modern Academy | Indian CISCE | AED 30,983 | Outstanding |
| American Community School of Abu Dhabi | American | AED 60,765 | Outstanding |
Fees shown are annual starting tuition, read from each school's own published fee schedule and not estimated or interpolated; ratings come from KHDA, ADEK, SPEA and other regulator publications. How Talem verifies → Talem holds 5,698 published fee rows, one for every year group a school publishes, and 362 of the 416 schools listed publish 2026/2027 fees. Open a school's fee page for its full year-by-year ladder and the academic year it covers, or browse the UAE school fee index, every school that publishes a fee structure, grouped by emirate.
All 51 institutions, A to Z
Frequently asked questions
How many IB schools are there in the UAE?
Talem lists 51 IB World Schools across the UAE offering the PYP, MYP or Diploma Programme.
What is the IB Diploma?
The IB Diploma is a two-year programme for ages 16 to 19, recognised by universities worldwide, covering six subject groups plus the core.
Is the IB harder than A-Levels?
The IB is broader, with six subjects plus the core, while A-Levels go deeper into three or four. The better fit depends on your child's strengths and goals.