10 Best Schools in Abu Dhabi 2025–2026 — Fees, Admission & Reviews

The British School Al Khubairat (BSAK) is an ADEK Outstanding-rated, not-for-profit British curriculum school in Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, serving approximately 2,000 students from FS1 to Year 13, with annual fees of AED 51,410–74,560 for the 2025–2026 academic year.

What You Need to Know

• The British School Al Khubairat holds ADEK Outstanding across all six Irtiqaa performance standards and holds a simultaneous Outstanding from British Schools Overseas — one of very few schools in the UAE to achieve the top rating under both frameworks.
• The British School Al Khubairat is the oldest British curriculum school in Abu Dhabi, founded in 1968 on land donated by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and operating as a not-for-profit institution under the patronage of the British Ambassador to the UAE.
• The British School Al Khubairat's student value-added score exceeds three times the UK national average per CEM University of Durham data, with students averaging more than half a grade above expected outcomes in every subject.
• The British School Al Khubairat is the only school in Abu Dhabi to offer an Engineering BTEC, and its campus includes a 340-seat theatre, 600-seat auditorium, science and innovation centre, full-size synthetic-turf pitch, and two libraries.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — Outstanding across all 6 standards

⚠️ Full ADEK Irtiqaa inspection reports available at tamm.abudhabi.

Annual Fees 2025–2026

No additional charge for textbooks or materials. Source: BSAK official / WhichSchoolAdvisor.

Admission Process

1. Contact Admissions first — Email or call before applying; demand for 2026–27 is described as unprecedented and most year groups are on waiting lists.
2. Apply online at britishschool.sch.ae/admissions. Upload passport, birth certificate, Emirates ID, and last two school reports. Pay a non-refundable AED 250 application fee by bank transfer.
3. Waiting list — Applications join year-group waiting lists; places are offered as vacancies arise, typically from April onwards.
4. Accept offer & ADEK eSIS — Complete ADEK eSIS registration before your child's first day.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is an ADEK Outstanding-rated British curriculum school on Saadiyat Island, serving approximately 1,773 students from FS1 to Year 13, with annual fees of AED 71,500–105,980 for 2025–2026.

What You Need to Know

• Cranleigh Abu Dhabi retained its ADEK Outstanding rating in the 2025–26 Irtiqaa cycle, one of only five Abu Dhabi schools to do so in that round, with Outstanding confirmed across all four school phases.
• Cranleigh Abu Dhabi won the TES International School of the Year in 2019 and appears in Spear's Top 100 global schools, making it the most internationally recognised UK public school branch to open in Abu Dhabi.
• Cranleigh Abu Dhabi received a Wellbeing Award from the National Centre for Wellbeing (NCB), with ADEK inspectors confirming Outstanding pastoral care built around tutors who develop sustained, multi-year relationships with individual students.
• Cranleigh Abu Dhabi's seven-hectare Saadiyat Island campus — adjacent to the Louvre Abu Dhabi — features a 650-seat auditorium, black box theatre, two music schools, science labs, three libraries, and specialist arts and design studios.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa 2025–26 — Outstanding

⚠️ Full report at tamm.abudhabi. Accreditation report: https://zena-which-media.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/pdfs/2025-05/cranleigh-abu-dhabi-utDCkMBsGPVr.pdf

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Admission Process

1. Enquire early at cranleigh.ae/admissions. Pre-Prep registration opens each August and fills within days.
2. Online registration — Submit with most recent school report, passport, and a confidential school reference.
3. Academic evaluation — All Prep and Senior applicants sit an assessment at Cranleigh or remotely. Sixth Form applicants complete two subject papers and an online interview. Sibling priority applies.
4. Confirm place & ADEK eSIS — Complete mandatory ADEK eSIS registration before the first day.

Brighton College Abu Dhabi is an ADEK Very Good-rated British curriculum school in Bloom Gardens, Abu Dhabi Island, serving approximately 1,850 students from FS1 to Year 13, with annual fees of AED 50,830–80,780 for 2025–2026.

📌 Rating note: Brighton College Abu Dhabi holds an ADEK Irtiqaa rating of Very Good (May 2025). It simultaneously holds a BSO Outstanding (2024). ADEK inspectors rated governance and curriculum Outstanding within the overall Very Good verdict, citing strong capacity to improve.

What You Need to Know

• Brighton College Abu Dhabi was rated Outstanding by BSO in 2024 and Very Good by ADEK in May 2025; ADEK awarded Outstanding specifically for governance and curriculum, and inspectors confirmed attainment in core subjects is largely above international benchmarks.
• Brighton College Abu Dhabi places among the top 5 schools in Abu Dhabi for 2025 exam results, with graduates securing places at Oxford, Cambridge, and leading global universities; it won the Top Schools Award for Best UAE School for Theatre, Dance and Performing Arts 2021–22.
• Brighton College Abu Dhabi's eight-acre campus includes a 25-metre shaded swimming pool, full-size 4G astro pitch, fitness suite, long jump pit, and dedicated performing arts spaces.
• Brighton College Abu Dhabi became the first British-curriculum school group in the UAE to partner with the University of Buckingham for a PGCE in Arabic (launched October 2025), reinforcing staff development as a strategic priority.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — May 2025 (Very Good overall)

⚠️ Accreditation report: https://zena-which-media.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/pdfs/2025-05/brighton-college-abu-dhabi-xprZunxmYgnX.pdf

Annual Fees 2025–2026

New pupils pay a refundable 5% registration fee on accepting a place. Source: WhichSchoolAdvisor / Brighton College Abu Dhabi.

Admission Process

1. Apply online at brightoncollege.ae/admissions. Upload passport, recent school reports, and any SEN/medical reports.
2. Entry assessment — Pre-Prep (FS1–Year 1): play session. Prep & Senior (Years 2–11): CAT4. Sixth Form: formal interview. Non-native English speakers may also complete a language proficiency assessment.
3. Decision by Friday email — Brighton College communicates its decision by the end of the assessment week.
4. Accept offer — Pay 5% registration fee (refundable against first-term fees). Complete ADEK eSIS registration before the first day.

Repton School Abu Dhabi is a British curriculum school on Al Reem Island operating across two campuses. In February 2026 the school announced it had received an overall Outstanding ADEK rating. Annual fees range from AED 59,150 (FS1/FS2, Rose Campus) to AED 76,500 (Years 12–13, Fry Campus) for 2025–2026.

📌 Two-campus note: Repton operates across a Rose Campus (FS1–Year 1) and a Fry Campus (Years 2–13) on Al Reem Island. Both are under the same principal and operate as a single through-school under the Cognita group. The school announced an overall Outstanding ADEK rating in February 2026 — verify the current published rating at tamm.abudhabi.

What You Need to Know

• Repton School Abu Dhabi announced an overall Outstanding ADEK Irtiqaa rating in February 2026, a milestone cementing its position among Abu Dhabi's elite schools; the school also holds a BSO Outstanding rating.
• Repton School Abu Dhabi draws on 450 years of Repton School Derbyshire heritage, and its pastoral care and students' personal development have been rated Outstanding by ADEK inspectors across multiple inspection cycles.
• Repton School Abu Dhabi provides student iPads from age 3 and operates as an Apple Distinguished School, integrating digital literacy across all year groups through a dedicated Pupil Digital Team and Apple teacher programme.
• Repton School Abu Dhabi offers scholarships from Year 5 to Year 11 in academia, music, sports, and innovation, assessed through document review, school reports, and references from the student's current school.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — Outstanding announced February 2026; verify current published report at tamm.abudhabi

⚠️ Full reports at tamm.abudhabi. Accreditation report: https://zena-which-media.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/pdfs/2025-05/repton-fry-campus-junior-senior-school-abu-dhabi-zvuPsHNhCWxe.pdf

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Plus AED 750 book fee for FS1–Year 2. Registration deposit: 5% of tuition, deducted from first-term fees. Source: WhichSchoolAdvisor / Repton Abu Dhabi official.

Admission Process

1. Book a tour and enquire at reptonabudhabi.org.
2. Submit registration form online with most recent school report, passport, and SEN/EAL documentation if applicable.
3. Assessment — Age-appropriate assessment conducted on-campus or remotely for overseas applicants. Sibling priority applies.
4. Accept offer — Pay 5% deposit (deducted from first-term fees). Complete ADEK eSIS registration before the first day.

Raha International School is the first IB Continuum school in Abu Dhabi, currently rated Very Good by ADEK (most recent inspection cycle), serving 2,800+ students from EY1 to Grade 12 across two campuses in Khalifa City, with annual fees of AED 41,550–66,030 for 2025–2026.

📌 Two campuses: Gardens Campus (original, EY1–Grade 12, rated Very Good) and Khalifa City Campus (KCC, opened 2020, rated Good from first inspection February 2024). Fees are identical across both campuses.

What You Need to Know

• Raha International School was the first school in Abu Dhabi to be fully authorised for the complete IB Continuum — PYP, MYP, and DP — and remains one of only two IB through-schools in the emirate, alongside GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi (which is working toward DP authorisation).
• Raha International School achieved an average IB Diploma score of 34 points in 2025, above the global average of 30, with a 96% pass rate versus a global benchmark of 85%, and 97% of graduates progressing to top-100 universities worldwide.
• Raha International School's Gardens Campus held ADEK Outstanding ratings across multiple consecutive inspection cycles before receiving a Very Good in the most recent round; parents are encouraged to check the current TAMM listing for the latest published report.
• Raha International School includes textbooks and materials in tuition fees for all grades up to Grade 10, and operates two indoor swimming pools, full-size sports pitches, and science and innovation labs across its campuses.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — Very Good (Gardens Campus, most recent cycle); Good (KCC, first inspection 2024)

⚠️ Full ADEK reports at tamm.abudhabi.

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Textbooks included up to Grade 10. DP exam fee (Grade 12): AED 3,250. Payable in three instalments. Source: Raha International School official / WhichSchoolAdvisor.

Admission Process

1. Apply online via the Raha website. Admissions are first-come, first-served — apply early for high-demand year groups.
2. Confirmation — The admissions team responds within two working days confirming seat availability.
3. Documents — If a place is available, submit Emirates IDs for student and parents, birth certificate, school reports, and vaccination records. No transfer certificate required from other Abu Dhabi schools.
4. ADEK eSIS — Complete ADEK eSIS registration before the first day. Age placement follows ADEK guidelines (birthdate by 31 December).

The British International School Abu Dhabi (BIS Abu Dhabi) is an ADEK Outstanding-rated British and IB curriculum school in Shakhbout City, serving students from FS1 to Year 13, with annual fees of AED 54,204–76,952 for 2025–2026.

What You Need to Know

• British International School Abu Dhabi is ADEK Outstanding and retained that rating in the 2025–26 inspection cycle, making it one of Abu Dhabi's most consistently high-performing international schools across more than a decade.
• British International School Abu Dhabi is part of Nord Anglia Education, providing exclusive collaborations with The Juilliard School (arts), MIT (STEM), and UNICEF (global citizenship) embedded within the standard tuition fee.
• British International School Abu Dhabi offers one of the broadest post-16 pathways in Abu Dhabi: A Levels, IB Diploma, and BTEC (Business, IT, Sports, Hospitality Management from 2025–26; Engineering and Architecture under consideration).
• British International School Abu Dhabi's sports facilities include a full-size competition pool, a learner pool, and flood-lit grass rugby pitches — facilities also used for training by the UAE Rugby team and Al Jazerah football club.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — Outstanding (retained 2025–26)

⚠️ Full report at tamm.abudhabi. Fee schedule: nordangliaeducation.com/bis-abu-dhabi/admissions/tuition-fees.

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Fees include textbooks and curriculum materials. Uniforms purchased separately. EAL support pathway (if required): additional AED 6,000. 5% registration fee for new joiners (deducted from tuition). Source: BIS Abu Dhabi official / WhichSchoolAdvisor. Limited places available across most year groups as of December 2025.

Admission Process

1. Enquire and book a tour at nordangliaeducation.com/bis-abu-dhabi/admissions. The school responds to all enquiries within 24 hours (excluding weekends and national holidays).
2. Apply online — Applications accepted year-round. Submit with supporting documents.
3. Assessment — All students sit a short age-appropriate assessment covering English fluency, writing, and cognitive skills.
4. Accept offer — The full process from enquiry to offer should take no longer than two weeks. Complete ADEK eSIS registration before the first day.

Abu Dhabi International School (AIS) is an ADEK Very Good-rated school in Al Rowdah, Abu Dhabi Island, established in 1992, offering a US curriculum to Grade 8 before transitioning to a British IGCSE/A Level pathway from Grade 9, with annual fees of AED 13,660–32,280 for 2025–2026 — the most affordable school in this guide.

What You Need to Know

• Abu Dhabi International School offers the most affordable fee structure among established long-running private schools in Abu Dhabi in this guide, starting from approximately AED 13,660 per year — making quality education accessible to a broader range of families.
• Abu Dhabi International School has maintained an ADEK Very Good rating across multiple inspection cycles (most recently 2023–24), and is one of the longest-established private schools in Abu Dhabi, founded in 1992 by Mrs Jihan Nasr.
• Abu Dhabi International School takes a distinctive dual-pathway approach — a US curriculum builds foundational skills from KG to Grade 8, before students transition to British GCSE/IGCSE and A Level pathways from Grade 9 onwards.
• Abu Dhabi International School reserves approximately 5% of places for students with special educational needs and learning difficulties, making it one of a small number of Abu Dhabi schools with a stated inclusive admissions policy for students requiring additional learning support.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — Very Good (2023–24)

⚠️ Full ADEK report at tamm.abudhabi.

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Contact school for exact per-grade fees. Annual fee average: AED 23,000. Source: WhichSchoolAdvisor.

Admission Process

1. Apply via the school website at ais.ae. AIS has an open admissions philosophy and accepts applications year-round.
2. Submit supporting documents — Passport, birth certificate, Emirates ID, most recent school reports, vaccination records, and any SEN documentation.
3. Assessment and placement — AIS uses IOWA Assessments and MAP testing for placement purposes.
4. ADEK eSIS — Complete mandatory ADEK eSIS registration before your child's first day.

GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi is an ADEK Very Good-rated IB and British curriculum school on Al Reem Island. Established in 2022, it currently serves FS1 to Year 11 (Year 12 from August 2025, Year 13 from August 2026), with annual fees of AED 55,420–73,890 for 2025–2026.

📌 Growing school: GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi has grown from ~300 students at opening to 970+ by Spring 2025. Phase 2 campus expansion launched August 2025. IB DP authorisation is in progress; the school is already welcoming Year 12 students from August 2025.

What You Need to Know

• GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi is one of only two IB through-schools in Abu Dhabi, integrating IB PYP and MYP (with IGCSE) and preparing its first cohort for IB Diploma from August 2025 — subject to official IB authorisation completion.
• GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi won the TES International Schools Award for Staff Wellbeing 2025, and its ADEK inspectors rated health and safety procedures Outstanding, alongside Outstanding partnerships with parents.
• GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi fees are fully inclusive of all textbooks, supplementary books, and materials, making the all-in cost more transparent than many comparable premium schools.
• GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi's Phase 2 campus expansion (August 2025) added specialist science and technology labs, a secondary library, food technology spaces, robotics with CAD/CAM, a fitness suite, and enhanced outdoor learning areas.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — Very Good (2021–22; note: this is the most recent inspection available for this school)

⚠️ Full ADEK report at tamm.abudhabi and via the school's Inspection Reports page at gemsworldacademy-abudhabi.com/en/inspection-reports.

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Fully inclusive of textbooks, supplementary books, and materials. Uniforms, lunches, and transport charged separately. New admissions deposit: 5% of annual tuition on acceptance (adjustable against first-term fees). Source: GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi official fee page.

Admission Process

1. Book a tour at gemsworldacademy-abudhabi.com/en/school-tours.
2. Apply online — All documentation must be in English with an official school stamp. Provide transfer certificate and most recent report card.
3. Assessment and observation — Students complete an age-appropriate assessment. All new students are observed for a minimum of three weeks to confirm appropriate placement.
4. ADEK eSIS — The school's Government Relations Executive assists with ADEK eSIS registration, required before the first day.

Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi (NAS Abu Dhabi) is a newly established premium British curriculum school on Al Reem Island, part of the Nord Anglia Education group. Not yet ADEK-inspected (opened 2023), it serves FS1 to Year 12 (Year 13 from August 2026), with annual fees of AED 65,000–95,000 for 2025–2026.

📌 New school: NAS Abu Dhabi opened September 2023 and has not yet undergone its first ADEK Irtiqaa inspection. Its group sister school BIS Abu Dhabi is ADEK Outstanding; NAS Dubai (same group) is KHDA Outstanding. The first GCSE cohort completes examinations in June 2026 and the first A Level cohort in 2027.

What You Need to Know

• Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi won the TES International Schools Award for Staff Wellbeing 2025, confirming the school community and culture Principal Liam Cullinan has established in just two years.
• Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi is built on a 44,000 square metre site with a 37,500 square metre purpose-built building containing 112 large classrooms, 12 science labs, a world-class library, a state-of-the-art dance studio, six music rooms, and five specialist technology spaces.
• Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi delivers the same Nord Anglia global collaborations with The Juilliard School, MIT, and UNICEF as its Outstanding-rated sister school BIS Abu Dhabi — all included in the standard tuition fee.
• Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi offers an exclusive 10% fee reduction for Year 12 students joining in 2025–26, applied across their full two-year Sixth Form period, representing potential savings of AED 19,000 over the A Level programme.

School Performance

ADEK Irtiqaa: Not yet inspected (school opened September 2023)

⚠️ For reference context: BIS Abu Dhabi (same group) is ADEK Outstanding. NAS Dubai (same group) is KHDA Outstanding. Once available, the report will appear at tamm.abudhabi.

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Fees inclusive of co-curricular activities and global collaboration experiences. Source: WhichSchoolAdvisor / NAS Abu Dhabi official fee schedule.

Admission Process

1. Enquire or book a tour at nordangliaeducation.com/nas-abu-dhabi. Virtual meetings available for families not yet in the UAE.
2. Apply online — Applications accepted year-round. Submit with transfer certificate and most recent school reports in English.
3. Assessment — Age-appropriate assessments conducted for all incoming students. ADEK eSIS registration completed with school support before the first day.

Merryland International School (MIS) is an ADEK Outstanding-rated British curriculum school in MBZ City, Mussafah, established in 1978, serving students from FS2 to Year 13 with separate-gender classes, and annual fees of AED 26,200–46,620 for 2025–2026 — the most affordable ADEK Outstanding school in this guide.

What You Need to Know

• Merryland International School has held an ADEK Outstanding rating continuously since the 2017–18 inspection cycle and retained Outstanding in the 2025–26 round, making it one of the longest-tenured Outstanding-rated schools in Abu Dhabi's private sector.
• Merryland International School has been designated by Cambridge International as its pilot school for outstanding academic performance in the Middle East every year — a recognition backed by consistently high IGCSE and A Level results.
• Merryland International School was founded in 1978 by Mrs Susheela George, starting as a seven-student Kindergarten in a villa; today it educates students from 60+ nationalities on a purpose-built campus in MBZ City, combining ADEK Outstanding academics with mid-range fees that represent among the best value in Abu Dhabi's private school market.
• Merryland International School operates with separate-gender classes within a co-educational framework — a distinctive approach that distinguishes it from most other schools in Abu Dhabi and suits families seeking this structure for their child's development.

School Performance

Source: ADEK Irtiqaa — Outstanding (retained 2025–26)

⚠️ Full ADEK Irtiqaa inspection report available at tamm.abudhabi.

Annual Fees 2025–2026

Re-registration fee: 5% of tuition for continuing students to secure the following year's place. Textbooks provided. Source: Merryland International School official / WhichSchoolAdvisor.

Admission Process

1. Contact the school via merrylandinternational.net or visit the MBZ City campus in Mussafah to enquire about availability.
2. Submit application with passport copies, birth certificate, Emirates ID, recent school reports, vaccination records, and any SEN documentation.
3. Assessment — Age-appropriate assessment for placement. Arabic and Islamic Education are core components as required by ADEK.
4. Fee payment — Term 1 fees plus two post-dated cheques for Terms 2 and 3 collected on enrolment. Complete ADEK eSIS registration before the first day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which school in this guide has the lowest fees? Abu Dhabi International School offers the lowest fees in this guide, starting from approximately AED 13,660 per year for Kindergarten. Merryland International School is the most affordable ADEK Outstanding school, starting at AED 26,200 (FS2). For British premium schools, Brighton College Abu Dhabi (AED 50,830) and The British School Al Khubairat (AED 51,410) offer the lowest entry-level fees.

Which school has the highest fees? Cranleigh Abu Dhabi charges the highest fees at AED 105,980 per year for Years 10–13. Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi reaches AED 95,000 at Sixth Form (standard rate), though students joining in 2025–26 benefit from a 10% reduction to AED 85,500 for their full two-year Sixth Form period.

What is the difference between ADEK Outstanding and Very Good? Both represent high-quality education. Outstanding means performance substantially exceeds UAE expectations across all six Irtiqaa standards. Very Good means performance exceeds expectations. Schools rated Very Good — including Raha, GEMS World Academy, Brighton College, and Abu Dhabi International School — often have specific standards rated Outstanding within their overall rating. Always read the full ADEK report at tamm.abudhabi rather than relying solely on the headline rating.

Which schools in this guide offer the IB curriculum? Raha International School offers the complete IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, DP), and GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi offers IB PYP and MYP with IB DP authorisation in progress (Year 12 from August 2025). British International School Abu Dhabi offers IB Diploma Programme as a post-16 pathway alongside A Levels and BTEC. All other schools follow the British National Curriculum with IGCSE and A Level pathways.

When should I apply for 2026–27? Applications are open now at all 10 schools. BSAK describes 2026–27 demand as unprecedented. Cranleigh's Pre-Prep registration fills within days of opening each August. BIS Abu Dhabi had limited places across most year groups as of December 2025. NAS Abu Dhabi and GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi currently have better availability. Apply as early as possible — particularly for FS1 and key secondary entry points at the most in-demand schools.

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Conclusion

Abu Dhabi's private school landscape in 2025–26 offers parents remarkable choice across curriculum type, fee band, inspection rating, and location. From the 57-year heritage of The British School Al Khubairat and the ultra-premium Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, to the IB excellence of Raha International School, the outstanding-rated value of Merryland, and the brand-new facilities of Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi — every family will find a strong fit in this guide. Schedule school tours by April 2026, as places at BSAK, Cranleigh, and BIS Abu Dhabi fill well ahead of the new academic year, and waiting lists at the most in-demand schools can extend across multiple intake cycles.