German Schools in Dubai: Options, Costs and Admission

For families moving to Dubai, the choice of school is the decision that sets the timetable for the entire move. German-language schooling is available in the Emirates, but the number of places is limited and the waiting lists are longer than most people expect.

An overview of the options

In Dubai itself there is one purely German school abroad and one international school with a German-language stream. Abu Dhabi has another German school abroad.

The DISD in detail

The Deutsche Internationale Schule Dubai was founded in 2008 and is recognised by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education (Kultusministerkonferenz) as a German school abroad. The school regulator KHDA regularly rates it “Very Good”.

The campus in Dubai Academic City includes sports halls, science labs, IT rooms and a library. There is a focus on STEM subjects. Around 930 pupils from 37 nations are taught by about 80 teachers; including the kindergarten, the number is just under one thousand.

• Language of instruction: German, English from Year 1, French from Year 6
• Arabic is a compulsory subject as required by the UAE, with separate lessons for native speakers
• Bilingual: geography in English from Year 8, history bilingual from Year 9
• Structure: primary school Years 1–4, lower secondary Years 5–10, upper secondary Years 11–12
• Class size in primary school averages 20 to 23 children

Qualifications and entry points

Entry starts at pre-kindergarten from around the age of three. From the age of four, basic German skills are expected; a language assessment is part of the admission process, and support is available for children with no prior knowledge.

Year 5 serves as an orientation stage. The Hauptschulabschluss is possible from Year 9, the Realschulabschluss after Year 10 and the German International Abitur after Year 12. This qualification entitles students to study in Germany, Austria and Switzerland without any additional examination.

One point that affects planning the move: entry into Year 11 is possible if the subject combination fits. New entry into Year 12 is not offered. If you are moving with a child in upper secondary, you need to time the move accordingly.

What it costs

DISD school fees range from around AED 38,760 in kindergarten to AED 73,227 in upper secondary. Increases are subject to KHDA approval and are usually two to five per cent a year.

• Admission fee: a one-off 10 per cent of the annual fee, non-refundable
• Re-enrolment: 5 per cent annually
• Additional costs: school bus, uniform, iPad from Year 1, lunch, excursions
• Sibling discount: 20 per cent from the third child, applied to the youngest
• Payment in three instalments: 40 per cent by 15 August, 30 per cent each by 1 January and 1 April

At the SISD, day school fees are considerably higher, roughly between AED 62,900 and AED 118,400. Boarding is in a different league, from around AED 200,000 upwards.

All amounts are guide values and are adjusted annually; the current fee schedule of the respective school is authoritative.

Application and waiting lists

Applications are made through the school's online form. School reports are submitted, followed by a language assessment or an admission interview depending on the year group. The school year starts at the end of August or beginning of September.

The decisive point: the DISD keeps waiting lists. Twelve to twenty-four months of lead time are the rule, not the exception. If you tackle company formation, visa and school place at the same time, you will be too late. The school application is the longest strand and belongs at the start.

Everyday school life

The day starts early because temperatures can rise above 40 degrees from late morning. Lessons begin at around 7:50 am and end between 1:30 pm and 4:10 pm depending on the timetable. On Fridays, lessons end at around 12:00 noon, in line with the UAE weekend structure.

• Afternoon clubs in music, sport, art and technology
• Uniform required from Year 1, sportswear with the school logo
• Air-conditioned buildings, sports halls, drinking water stations, access control
• Bus service for the main residential areas

Holidays follow the calendar of the Emirates, not that of a German federal state. Summer holidays fall in July and August, plus autumn, winter and spring breaks as well as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The total length roughly matches the German amount, but the distribution is different, which is relevant for anyone coordinating visits home with relatives in Germany.

Traditions from the German-speaking world are kept alive, from St Martin's Day to the Christmas market. At the same time, Arabic, desert excursions and projects on the history of the region are part of the programme.

DISD or SISD: the real question

The difference lies not in quality but in what comes afterwards.

The DISD fits if a return to Germany, Austria or Switzerland is conceivable. The curriculum is identical to what your child would learn in Thuringia. Moving back, or to the GISAD in Abu Dhabi, involves no break in curriculum.

The SISD fits if further relocations are likely. The IB connects more broadly internationally, and the Swiss Matura opens access to Swiss universities. In return, the subject structure is different, and a later switch to the German system means adjustment.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are around 140 kilometres apart, too far for a daily school run. The choice between DISD and GISAD is therefore decided by where you live, not by the school's profile.

How we assess it

From our work with families: the school place is the bottleneck, not the licence and not the visa. A company is set up in days, a visa in weeks, but a school place at the DISD can take one to two years.

If you want to move in summer, you should apply by January of the previous year at the latest. And if you are flexible, base your home search on the school, not the other way round: the school run shapes a family's daily rhythm more than the view from the window.

Our advice: apply to two schools in parallel and visit both campuses in person before you commit. A school tour and a conversation with the school management tell you more than any rating.

What to clarify before applying

• Which year group will your child enter, and is entry at that point possible at all?
• Is your child's German good enough for the language assessment?
• Is a return to the DACH region conceivable, or will further locations follow?
• Does the school budget fit the overall cost plan for the move?
• Are school reports certified and translated?

As of: 28 August 2026. Fees, admission requirements and dates change; the information provided by the respective school is authoritative.

How visa, Emirates ID and family sponsorship fit into the timeline is explained on our page on visa and residency in the UAE.