Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It’s also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The city of Abu Dhabi is located on an island in the Persian Gulf, off the Central West Coast. Most of the city and the Emirate reside on the mainland connected to the rest of the country. The city is home to the President of the UAE, who is a member of the Al Nahyan family.
Abu Dhabi’s rapid development and urbanisation, coupled with the massive oil and gas reserves, production, and relatively high average income, have transformed it into a large, developed metropolis. It is the country’s centre of politics and industry, and a significant culture and commerce centre.
The economy of Abu Dhabi has grown more slowly than those of its neighbours; however, it has been largely unaffected by regional financial crises as its oil wealth has helped insulate its economy from shocks.
Education In Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is home to international and local private schools and universities, including government-sponsored. All schools in the emirate are under the authority of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. This organization oversees and administers public schools and licenses and inspects private schools. Since 2009, the council has brought over thousands of licensed teachers from native English-speaking countries to support their New School Model Program in government schools. Every year during the season of admissions an exhibition is launched in Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center under government supervision. Universities from every corner of the world exhibit their career programs and scholarship programs. Heriot-Watt University, University of Bolton, Cambridge University, Oxford University, the Petroleum Institute, Khalifa University, and Abu Dhabi University attend.
Top 10 schools in Abu Dhabi
The British curriculum dominates in Abu Dhabi’s international schools. To a lesser extent, so do other English-speaking countries’ curricula – American, Canadian, and Australian in particular. Some European and Asian curricula can also be found, however, so there is a wide variety to choose from. English is the language of instruction in most international schools, with Arabic offered as a compulsory second language.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is the government organisation responsible for regulating international schools in Abu Dhabi. Every two years they assess and rate schools all over the capital and publish detailed results on their website.
1-American International School

The American International School, Abu Dhabi is a private international K-12 school offering an American curriculum. The college-preparatory IB Diploma Program (IBDP) is offered in grades 11 and 12, and the IB Primary Years Program (IBPYP) is offered from KG to Grade 5.
School Details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 31870 – 57940 |
CURRICULUM | IB & American |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:10 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 18 |
TIMINGS | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
OUTDOOR SPORTS | Gymnastics, /hockey, Horse Riding, Karate, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Skating and Shooting. |
ADDRESS | PO Box 5992, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
2-Abu Dhabi International School

Abu Dhabi International is a private international school licensed by the Ministry of Education located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. They offer an American curriculum, as well as the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.
School details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 31300 – 48800 |
CURRICULUM | IB, American & British |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:12 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 22 |
INDOOR SPORTS | Sports Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Cross Country, |
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED | Yes |
ADDRESS | Sector Z 17-01, 63rd Street, Near Al Ain University، Mohammed Bin Zayed City – Abu Dhabi – United Arab |
3-GEMS Cambridge International School

At the GEMS Cambridge International School, Abu Dhabi, we offer an enhanced British National Curriculum. The curriculum is mapped from Foundation Stage 1 through to Year 13, and uses GCSE, International GCSE and A Level and International A Level qualifications. The academic offering ensures that all essential content and skills are explicitly taught and assessed, and benchmarked against nationally defined criteria.
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FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 27200 – 36220 |
CURRICULUM | British |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:15 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 30 |
INDOOR SPORTS | Sports Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Cross Country, |
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED | Yes |
ADDRESS | Bawabat Al Sharq, Baniyas City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
4-Brighton College

Brighton College is a private school with a curriculum based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales, leading to the award of International GCSE and A-level.
School details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 48900 – 77720 |
CURRICULUM | British |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:6 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 18 |
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED | Yes |
OUTDOOR SPORTS | Gymnastics, /hockey, Horse Riding, Karate, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Skating and Shooting. |
ADDRESS | 175 Das St – Abu Dhabi |
5-Al Najah Private School

The high school is a British curriculum and IB curriculum school. It runs from kindergarten through 12th grade. The school has a long history of producing the highest academic performance in IGCSE/ AS and A-level external examinations. At the same time, the graduates of the IB score some of the best averages worldwide.
School Details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 14700 – 32560 |
CURRICULUM | IB, British |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:6 |
AVERAGE CLASS SIZE | 28 |
INDOOR SPORTS | SportsAthletics, Badminton, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Cross Country, |
OUTDOOR SPORTS | Gymnastics, /hockey, Horse Riding, Karate, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Skating and Shooting. |
ADDRESS | Mohammed Bin Zayed City – 9 Near Al Safir Mall – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates |
6-Al Basma British School

At Al Basma, we believe that education is the key to success. That’s why we follow the National Curriculum in England and then lead our students on to IGCSEs and A-levels.
In addition to Arabic and UAE Social Studies, all children at Al Basma study Islamic Studies.
School Details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 20,000 – 40506 |
CURRICULUM | British |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:10 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 25 |
INDOOR SPORTS | SportsAthletics, Badminton, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Cross Country, |
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED | Yes |
ADDRESS | Behind Deerfields Mall P.O Box No- 45994, Abu Dhabi, UAE |
7–Virginia International Private School

The STEAM subject is a crucial part of the student-focused integrated curriculum. It strives for a positive learning environment that meets the needs of each student.
School details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 24987 – 42905 |
CURRICULUM | American |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:10 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 20 |
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED | Yes |
OUTDOOR SPORTS | Gymnastics, /hockey, Horse Riding, Karate, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Skating and Shooting. |
ADDRESS | P.O BOX: 7732, Abu Dhabi |
8–Ajyal International School

The school’s academic traditions and approach to learning are grounded in a broad, balanced and rigorous English National Curriculum.
School details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 25100 – 39610 |
CURRICULUM | British |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:5 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 20 |
TRANSPORT PROVIDED | Yes |
OUTDOOR SPORTS | Gymnastics, /hockey, Horse Riding, Karate, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Skating and Shooting. |
ADDRESS | Abu Dhabi, MBZ, Zone 15 |
9-German International School

The Abitur is a rigorous, comprehensive examination that all German students must pass to receive their high school diploma. It is equivalent to the British A-Levels, Scottish Highers and Irish Leaving Certificate exams.
To prepare for the Abitur, students are taught German, English, French, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry and History at German schools. They also study ethics and the Islamic religion (Islam). The arts are taught in English and physical education is taught bilingually (German and English). The subjects Art and Geography are taught in English and the subject Biology is taught bilingually (German and English).
School details
FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED 32010 – 48110 |
CURRICULUM | German |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:10 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 20 |
INDOOR SPORTS | SportsAthletics, Badminton, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Cross Country, |
OUTDOOR SPORTS | Gymnastics, /hockey, Horse Riding, Karate, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Skating and Shooting. |
ADDRESS | Sheikh Amar Road, Al Talah, Ajman |
10-Al Mamoura Academy

They offer the English National Curriculum and the American Curriculum State Curriculum, both of which are respected around the world for their high academic standards and focus on developing confidence and individual thinking. Both programmes are delivered through enquiry or ‘project-based learning’, a method of teaching which inspires a love of learning and deepens a student’s knowledge by challenging them to complete real-world tasks.
The English National Curriculum is among the most in-demand study options in the world, respected for its high academic standards and focus on developing confidence and individual thinking. The learning pathway is delivered through enquiry or ‘project-based learning’, a method of teaching which inspires a love of learning and deepens a student’s knowledge by challenging them to complete real-world tasks.
The American Curriculum State Curriculum is the most highly regarded of all study programmes in the United States. With close ties to prestigious universities such as Harvard and MIT, it stands above other curricula for its rigorous, comprehensive and forward-thinking design.
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FEE STRUCTURE | Course fee: AED13,200- 21,250 |
SCHOOL STRENGTH | 2500 students |
TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO | 1:6 |
AVERAGE CLASS STRENGTH | 30 students |
INDOOR SPORTS | SportsAthletics, Badminton, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Cross Country, |
OUTDOOR SPORTS | Gymnastics, /hockey, Horse Riding, Karate, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Skating and Shooting. |
ADDRESS | Sheikh Amar Road, Al Talah, Ajman |
Conclusion
So, we are here to let you know that to get the best international school soh should be your first choice. There are many reasons to opt for the best international schools in Abu Dhabi while selecting a school for your child.
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