The American Community School of Abu Dhabi (ACS) is a private, not-for-profit, co-educational American international school on Saadiyat Island, in the Saadiyat Marina District a short walk from New York University Abu Dhabi. Founded in 1972 on land donated by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, it is one of the capital's oldest international schools, and in January 2024 it relocated from its long-standing Al Bateen home to a purpose-built campus — designed by Broadway Malyan to an Estidama Pearl 3 sustainability rating and roughly double the size of the old site. ACS follows a US standards-based, Common Core-aligned curriculum from KG1 to Grade 12, leading to a Middle States-accredited American High School Diploma alongside the IB Diploma Programme and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the high school. It serves around 1,200 students from more than 80 nationalities and is the only not-for-profit American-curriculum school in Abu Dhabi rated Outstanding by ADEK, as well as a member of the NESA association of overseas schools. IB Diploma candidates average about 34 points — some five points above the global average.
+1
KG1 – Grade 12
+3
1972
Fees for 2025/2026, per year group. Excludes registration, uniform, and transport.
Official 2026-27 schedule. A one-time, non-refundable capital fee of AED 27,000 applies to each new student (campus upkeep, payable in the first year). Students receiving ongoing learning support pay an annual Student Support Services fee of AED 5,505. Other costs: uniform ~AED 600-1,000, Apple laptop for Grades 5-12 ~AED 4,200, optional transport ~AED 8,000/yr, IB & AP exams AED 440-490/subject. Not-for-profit school; tuition excludes the capital fee, devices, uniform, transport and exams.
ADEK 2022–2023 inspection
Play-based early-years programme developing communication, early literacy and numeracy, and social-emotional skills, with low 1:7 adult ratios.
US standards-based, Common Core-aligned elementary curriculum with specialist subject teaching and a strong Arabic programme.
Subject-specialist middle-school programme bridging elementary to high school, with STEM, the arts and a world-languages choice.
Dual post-16 pathway: the Middle States-accredited American High School Diploma with the IB Diploma Programme and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. ~94% of seniors sit at least one IB exam; IB Diploma average ~34 points.
Complete the online registration form and pay the registration fee.
Applicants sit an age-appropriate assessment where required.
Meet the admissions team and tour the campus.
Accept the offer and pay the deposit to secure the place.
Reach the admissions team directly to book a visit or ask about places.
Superintendent (Head of School)
Leads ACS as Superintendent, overseeing the school's academic programme and its move to the Saadiyat Island campus.
No reviews yet. Be the first to review American Community School of Abu Dhabi.
No questions yet. Be the first to ask about American Community School of Abu Dhabi.
Saadiyat Marina District, Saadiyat Island, PO Box 42114, Abu Dhabi, UAE
