Dubai · Ib · fees published for 2026/27
GEMS Modern Academy vs Uptown International School
Talem publishes every year group’s fee at both schools, so the honest comparison is the whole bill, not a range.
What each costs from Pre-KG to Grade 12
Difference
AED 317,214
46% more at Uptown International School
GEMS Modern Academy also offers the IB Diploma in its final years, which takes the whole journey to AED 728,571. The figures above take the cheaper route.
The two schools publish a different number of year groups (15 and 17), so the totals cover different spans. The per-year figures below are the like-for-like comparison.
GEMS Modern Academy per year
AED 46,282
average across the ladder
Uptown International School per year
AED 59,497
average across the ladder
Compare by
How the gap opens up
GEMS Modern AcademyUptown International School
Cumulative tuition, one point per year group.
Year by year
Every figure below is the fee each school publishes for that year group.
| Year group | GEMS Modern Academy | Uptown International School | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-KG | 30,983 | 31,145 | +162 |
| KG 1 | 38,246 | 35,045 | -3,201 |
| KG 2 | 38,246 | 40,530 | +2,284 |
| Grade 1 | 43,311 | 47,040 | +3,729 |
| Grade 2 | 43,311 | 52,455 | +9,144 |
| Grade 3 | 45,670 | 57,860 | +12,190 |
| Grade 4 | 45,670 | 57,860 | +12,190 |
| Grade 5 | 48,173 | 59,485 | +11,312 |
| Grade 6 | 48,173 | 59,485 | +11,312 |
| Grade 7 | 48,173 | 59,485 | +11,312 |
| Grade 8 | 48,173 | 67,600 | +19,427 |
| Grade 9 | 51,345 | 67,600 | +16,255 |
| Grade 10 | 51,345 | 73,005 | +21,660 |
| Grade 11 | 56,706 | 73,005 | +16,299 |
| Grade 12 | 56,706 | 73,005 | +16,299 |
Uptown International School publishes 2 further year groups that GEMS Modern Academy does not, so those rows have no counterpart above.
Side by side
| GEMS Modern Academy | Uptown International School | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Nad Al Sheba, Dubai | Mirdif, Dubai |
| Curriculum | Indian CISCE, IB | IB |
| Inspection rating | Outstanding (KHDA) | Very Good (KHDA) |
| Tuition (per year) | AED 30,983 – 73,876 /yr | AED 31,145 – 78,420 /yr |
| Ages / years | 3 - 18 years | 1 - 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed |
| Established | 1986 | 2005 |
| Facilities | Two 25m Swimming Pools8-Lane Synthetic TrackFour Basketball CourtsTwo Football FieldsCricket PitchFive Floodlit Cricket NetsThree Tennis CourtsVolleyball CourtMultipurpose Sports HallGymCycling & Roller Skating TrackSTEM LabBudhayana – The Spark LabFive ICT SuitesSenior LibraryPrimary Learning CentreDiscovery CentreIB LoungeLearning CorridorsAuditoriumMusic RoomsDance StudioMeditation GardenSensorial GardenPlanter's Patch | Design Technology StudiosVisual Arts StudiosScience LabsLibrarySports FacilitiesCatering FacilitiesEarly Years ZonePrimary ZoneSecondary ZoneSEN Support |
GEMS Modern Academy vs Uptown International School at a glance
- GEMS Modern Academy publishes annual fees from AED 30,983 to AED 73,876, against AED 31,145 to AED 78,420 at Uptown International School, putting the two schools in a broadly similar fee band.
- For Pre-KG, GEMS Modern Academy charges AED 30,983 and Uptown International School AED 40,530, so GEMS Modern Academy saves AED 9,547 a year at that stage.
- Both teach the IB curriculum; GEMS Modern Academy additionally offers Indian CISCE.
- Uptown International School starts younger, admitting from age 1 against age 3 at GEMS Modern Academy.
- GEMS Modern Academy is the longer-established of the two, founded in 1986, with Uptown International School following in 2005.
- Location wise, GEMS Modern Academy sits in Nad Al Sheba and Uptown International School in Mirdif, so the school run may decide it.