UAE announces date for school fees increase

The UAE government has revealed the amended policies for the conditions under which private schools in the UAE may increase tuition fees.

The government explained that new regulations will be put in place starting from the next academic year, and will actually come into effect, which was also confirmed by the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi, by reviewing the tuition fees policy for the new academic year 2025-2026.

Increasing school fees in the UAE

The Department of Education in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates confirmed that private schools wishing to increase tuition fees must first submit clear and accurate applications according to the timetables specified by the Department of Education and Knowledge.

Tuition fee increase conditions in the UAE

The government revealed that increasing school fees for private schools in the United Arab Emirates requires them to meet some mandatory conditions, which are as follows:

• Obtaining a valid school license at the start of the school year.
• Working continuously for a period of not less than three years.
• Submitting financial audit reports for the previous two academic years, prepared and approved in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
• Submit during the fee increase period specified by the Department of Education and Knowledge.

Emirati schools may not increase tuition fees by more than 15%

The UAE government stated that it is not permissible in any way to increase tuition fees for schools in the United Arab Emirates by more than 15%, in some exceptional cases, but additional conditions must be met, before submitting them to the Department of Education and Knowledge, according to the following conditions:

• Documenting operational losses for the past two consecutive academic years, with confirmation by an auditor.
• Maintaining an occupancy rate of no less than 80%.
• To be in operation for a period of no less than three academic years.
• Obtaining a valid school license at the beginning of the academic year.
• Submitting audited financial statements for the previous two academic years.
• It is worth noting that schools can increase tuition fees exceptionally, for one time only, while for schools managed by embassies, these conditions are completely different, and require justifications and approval from the Board of Directors.

Categories for which tuition fees can be increased in the UAE

• Tuition fees
• Educational resources fees
• School uniform fees
• Transportation fees
• Extracurricular activities fees