
German International School Abu Dhabi

German International School Abu Dhabi

German International School Abu Dhabi (Deutsche Internationale Schule Abu Dhabi, GISAD) is a private, co-educational German-curriculum school on Al Faddan Street in Al Manhal, Abu Dhabi, founded in 1976 and one of the oldest German schools in the UAE. It is a recognised Deutsche Auslandsschule (German School Abroad), teaching the State of Thüringen / KMK curriculum bilingually in German and English from Kindergarten to Grade 12, with intensive German-as-a-Foreign-Language support alongside Arabic and Islamic Education per the UAE MoE. Leaving qualifications include the German International Abitur (offered since 2018/19), the Realschulabschluss and the Deutsches Sprachdiplom (DSD I). ADEK's October 2025 inspection rated the school Very Good overall, with Outstanding health, safety and child protection, and recorded 427 students on roll, 72 of them Emirati, taught by 59 teachers and 10 teaching assistants at a ratio of about 1:7. It is a deliberately small, close-knit school with very low class sizes.
Fees for 2026/2027, per year group. Excludes registration, uniform, and transport.
Fees are the school's published table for 2025/26, which remain the fees in force for 2026/2027: ADEK's approval letter states a schedule stays valid until a later one replaces it, and the school did not take the 2.63% increase ADEK approved. Tuition is AED 36,610 for kindergarten, AED 43,630 for the primary school, AED 49,270 for Sekundarstufe I and AED 55,150 for Sekundarstufe II, quoted in dirhams and inclusive of VAT, with AED 2,000 off the kindergarten fee for early pick-up. Payment is in three instalments due two weeks before the school year, on 1 December and on 1 March, with a 2% or 3% surcharge for instalment plans; transfers are accepted in dirhams or in euros to a German account. Registration is AED 1,000, a refundable book deposit of AED 5,000 applies, and re-enrolment takes a 5% deposit between April and June. Enrolling makes parents members of the school association, which levies an annual membership fee set by its general meeting; the amount is not published. Sibling reductions begin with the third child and extend to bus fees, a hardship reduction of up to 30% is decided by the association board, and a scholarship is open for 2026/2027. Withdrawal is charged at one month's fee up to three weeks' notice, two months up to six, and a full semester beyond that.
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ADEK 2025–2026 inspection
Play- and competency-based early years with German immersion and German-as-a-Foreign-Language support.
The German primary curriculum: German, Mathematics, Sachunterricht (general science/social), English, plus Arabic and Islamic Education (UAE MoE).
Lower secondary (Thüringen/KMK): German, English, Mathematics, the sciences, Geography and History, with French from Grade 6. Leads to the Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss / MSA and the DSD (Deutsches Sprachdiplom).
The Oberstufe culminating in the German International Abitur (Deutsches Internationales Abitur, offered since 2018/19): German, English and Maths at advanced level, Geography taught in English and Biology bilingually, with a choice of Chemistry or French at Grade 11.
Three science laboratories.
A multilingual library (Mediothek).
Two ICT/computer suites.
Dedicated Arabic and French language labs and a geography lecture theatre.
A fine-art studio, a music room and drama/event spaces.
An indoor gymnasium/sports hall.
Outdoor activity areas and a dedicated KG movement room.
A medical centre (school nurse) and a school social-work/counselling department (school psychologist).
Head of School
Schulleiter (Principal) of the German International School Abu Dhabi, leading the recognised German School Abroad through its sustained ADEK Very Good rating.
Head of Administration
Deputy Head of School
Head of Challenge & Support
Head of Upper School
Head of Middle School
Head of Primary School
Acting Deputy Head of Primary School
Head of Kindergarten
Deputy Head of Kindergarten
Deputy Head of Kindergarten
Head of All-Day Care
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63 Al Faddan Street, Al Manhal, PO Box 4150, Abu Dhabi, UAE