20 Affordable British Schools In Dubai

Who says there’s no such thing as affordable British schools in Dubai? we updated our hugely popular guide to Affordable Schools. Find out which Dubai schools have surprisingly good ratings, feedback and results – all for lower than the average tuition fees!

Affordable is not a word that typically comes to mind in relation to Dubai. Life here can certainly be expensive and while there are some things that families can forego, school fees are an unavoidable expense for most. British curriculum schools are consistently a top choice for many families and the good news is that there are affordable options in Dubai, some of which are really rather good. zigdubai.com isn’t alone in believing this, the KHDA thinks so too! 

At the outset, we need to say that what is Affordable to one family may be less so to another.  The range of fees that we have included in the Affordable category range from starting fees in FS1 of AED 6,465 per year at their lowest, to AED 28,000 at their highest, and for Year 13 from AED 16,971 to AED 49,200. 

List of 20 Most Affordable Schools in Dubai

This is our list of the 20 Most Affordable Good (or even Very Good) Schools.

School Name	2022-23 overall rating	2023-24 overall rating	Average Fees	Actual Fees 2023-24	Location
Al Diyafah High School	Good	Not yet published	14,000	AED 10,880–23,110	Al Qusais
Al Salam Community School	Good	Not yet published	31,000	22,660 – 39,140	Al Twar
Al Salam Private School	Good	Not yet published	19,500	AED 17,096–23,773	Al Nadha
Apple International School	Good	Not yet published	11,000	AED 6,465–18,771	Al Qusais
Cambridge International School Dubai	Good	Not yet published	29,000	AED 22,660–35,020	Al Twar
Dubai Gem Private School	Good	Not yet published	17,000	AED 12,874–26,432	Oud Metha
Dubai Scholars Private School	Good	Not yet published	19,500	AED 15,077–30,000	Al Qusais
GEMS Founders Mizhar School	Good	Not yet published	30,500	AED 23,690–36,050	Al Mizhar
GEMS Founders School Dubai	Good	Very Good	29,500	AED 23,129–34,693	Al Barsha South
GEMS Winchester School	Good	Not yet published	28,000	AED 19,398–36,570	Dubailand
MSB (Al Ameen) School	Very Good	Not yet published	14,000	AED 11,545–27,045	Al Nadha
Pristine Private School	Good	Not yet published	20,000	AED 16,779–24,607	Al Nadha
Star International School Al Twar	Good	Not yet published	35,500	AED 20,976–46,140	Al Twar
Star International School Mirdif	Good	Not yet published	40,500	AED 28,000–49,200	Mirdif
St Mary’s Catholic School	Good	Not yet published	11,500	AED 8,643–16,791	Oud Metha
The City School International	Good	Not yet published	18,000	AED 13,670–33,000	Nad Al Hamar
The Sheffield Private School	Good	Not yet published	30,500	AED 22,503–42,437	Al Nadha
The Westminster School	Good	Not yet published	12,500	AED 9,217–17,385	Al Qusais
Winchester School Jebel Ali	Very Good	Not yet published	21,000	AED 14,237–31,760	Jebel Ali

Trade-offs of Lower Fees in Affordable Schools

With such a wide range, it is important parents consider what the trade off for lower fees will be. Class sizes are likely to be on the higher side (closer to 30 than 20) and the ratio of teachers to students is also likely to be on the higher end – 1:15 rather than the 1:8 or 1:10 found in more costly schools. There is also no escaping the reality that less expensive schools will usually have fewer facilities. You can’t expect planetariums and Olympic sized swimming pools if you are not going to pay for them. 

Parents need to be reasonable and to decide what they can and can’t live without before assessing any affordable British school in Dubai.

Class Sizes and Teacher-to-Student Ratios

There are however some necessities: you should expect outdoor play areas and at least basic sports facilities within any school. You should also expect qualified teachers who care about the academic attainment and well-being of their students. 

Facility Expectations in Budget Schools

It is worth parents thinking outside of the box here also; if quality teaching and individualized attention is a key factor over facilities, there are some truly excellent online schools offering the National Curriculum for England and the IB that are available within this affordable fee bracket.

Setting Priorities: What You Can and Can’t Live Without

As many of the less expensive schools are ‘older’ and have retained their Good rating in many instances for a number of years, the implementation of the Education Cost Index (ECI) which is linked to school improvement as well as the overall cost of living index, has meant they have been unable to increase their fees significantly, whereas the newer kids-on-the-block have tended to open at a higher fee level.

This means that, while you are getting an institution with an established, and often respected culture and a long list of alumni, it is also likely to be in older buildings, with older facilities and equipment, and often located in the older, more congested parts of the emirate.

Exploring Online Schools for Quality Teaching

Having said that, we have been able to include a few of the newer more affordable schools that have opened in the past five years or so in recognition of the changing dynamic of the market.  There is no doubt that GEMS in particular has led the way in this context.  However, it is not reasonable to expect a newer school, constructed from scratch on a plot of land in the newer areas of the city to be able, from a fee perspective, to match the older, established schools in the city centers who will be paying significantly lower rents.  This is one of the trade offs.

We have also found that the older established schools, despite anecdotally good public examination performance, are the least inclined to share the details of their results with parents. 

Newer, Affordable Schools and Changing Market Dynamics

Many ‘more affordable’ schools also trade off lower fees with fewer subjects offered for IGCSEs and A’ Levels, so if your child is planning Mandarin and Theater Studies post 16, again, expect to be disappointed by what’s on offer.

It is also something of a fallacy that good quality British education requires British teachers to deliver it. Don’t just take our word for it, check the ratings awarded by the KHDA who recognize good teaching wherever it takes place, regardless of nationality.