WhereNext Value Score · Dubai

Best value international schools in Dubai

Updated 2026-04-26 · 55 schools scored · 203 schools indexed

Want this value-ranked against YOUR family's ages, budget, and curriculum preference?

Quick answer

The WhereNext Value Score (0-100) measures what families get for what they pay — smaller class sizes, more nationality diversity, more accreditations, stronger learning support, and richer activities relative to cost. 55 international schools in Dubai are scored. Median Value Score: 71/100. Highest-scoring: Dubai Heights Academy at 83/100 (tuition $7,000–$14,000 USD). This is NOT a quality ranking — it's cost-versus-features.

Key facts

55 schools scored WhereNext Value Score (0–100) — class size + nationality diversity + accreditations + learning support + activities, normalised by cost.
Median value: 71/100 the 50th-percentile school in Dubai.
Top: Dubai Heights Academy 83/100 value score · $7,000–$14,000/yr tuition.
Median tuition: $16.0k/yr published tuition midpoint across 55 schools.
Methodology value = features ÷ cost · NOT a quality ranking · CC BY 4.0 underlying data.

Schools scored

Median value

71/100

Top score

83/100

Median tuition

$16.0k

Curriculum mix

British (32)IB (22)Indian (6)American (5)French (2)German (1)

Schools ranked by Value Score (highest first)

International schools in Dubai ranked by WhereNext Value Score, highest first
#	School	Curriculum	Tuition USD	Est. all-in	Value
1	Dubai Heights Academy	British, IB	$7,000-$14,000	$14,000	83/100
2	GEMS Royal Dubai School	British	$5,000-$10,000	$11,000	82/100
3	South View School Dubai	British	$6,000-$11,000	$12,000	82/100
4	GEMS Founders School Dubai	British	$7,000-$10,000	$12,000	81/100
5	Safa Community School Dubai	British	$6,000-$12,000	$12,500	81/100
6	The King's School Dubai	British	$8,000-$14,000	$14,100	80/100
7	Uptown International School Dubai	IB	$8,000-$16,000	$15,500	80/100
8	GEMS Metropole School Motor City	British, IB	$8,000-$16,000	$15,500	80/100
9	Raffles International School	British	$9,000-$23,000	$19,850	79/100
10	Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills	IB	$12,246-$21,698	$20,822	79/100
11	Horizon International School Dubai	British	$4,000-$8,000	$9,500	78/100
12	Regent International School	British	$6,000-$10,000	$11,500	78/100
13	Jumeira Baccalaureate School (JBS)	IB	$12,000-$25,000	$22,350	78/100
14	Dubai British School Jumeira Park	British	$10,000-$19,000	$18,000	77/100
15	Dubai British School (Emirates Hills)	British	$12,000-$19,000	$19,350	77/100
16	Global Indian International School (GIIS) Dubai	Indian, IB	$5,000-$14,000	$13,000	75/100
17	Raffles International School	British	$9,272-$23,636	$20,304	75/100
18	Universal American School (UAS)	IB, American	$14,000-$23,000	$22,350	75/100
19	GEMS New Millennium School Dubai	Indian	$3,000-$6,000	$6,950	74/100
20	Sunmarke School	IB	$8,000-$18,000	$16,500	74/100
21	GEMS Dubai American Academy	American, IB	$18,000-$25,000	$25,350	74/100
22	GEMS Wellington Academy Al Khail	British	$9,000-$16,000	$16,000	73/100
23	Kings' School Al Barsha	British	$15,791-$28,825	$26,158	73/100
24	Kings' School Al Barsha	British	$13,000-$20,000	$20,350	72/100
25	Dubai English Speaking College (DESC)	British	$14,000-$21,000	$21,350	72/100
26	Nord Anglia International School Dubai	British, IB	$19,000-$29,000	$27,850	72/100
27	GEMS Wellington International School	British, IB	$22,000-$30,000	$29,850	72/100
28	Kings' School Dubai	British	$12,847-$19,551	$19,609	71/100
29	GEMS Modern Academy	Indian, IB	$5,000-$12,000	$12,000	70/100
30	Dubai International Academy	IB	$12,000-$24,000	$21,850	70/100
31	American School of Dubai	American	$15,000-$27,000	$24,850	70/100
32	GEMS World Academy Dubai	IB	$15,000-$28,000	$25,350	70/100
33	Repton School Dubai	British, IB	$15,000-$28,000	$25,350	70/100
34	GEMS Founders School Dubai South	British	$8,424-$11,016	$13,220	69/100
35	Dubai British School Jumeira	British	$11,845-$19,026	$19,286	69/100
36	St. Mary's Catholic High School	British	$2,694-$5,233	$6,414	68/100
37	Rashid School for Boys (GEMS)	British	$6,000-$12,000	$12,500	67/100
38	Brighton College Dubai	British	$12,000-$22,000	$20,850	67/100
39	Collegiate American School Dubai	American	$8,000-$16,000	$15,500	65/100
40	Lycee Francais International Georges Pompidou	French	$10,000-$17,000	$17,000	65/100
41	Foremarke School Dubai	British	$10,000-$18,000	$17,500	65/100
42	Jumeirah College	British	$21,497-$26,870	$28,034	65/100
43	Dubai International Academy Al Barsha	IB	$10,000-$22,000	$19,850	64/100
44	Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) — Arabian Ranches	British, IB	$10,000-$22,000	$19,850	64/100
45	Greenfield Community School (Taaleem)	IB	$12,000-$22,000	$20,850	64/100
46	Indian High School Dubai	Indian	$2,000-$5,000	$5,950	63/100
47	GEMS Our Own Indian School	Indian	$3,000-$6,000	$6,950	63/100
48	Delhi Private School Dubai	Indian	$3,000-$7,000	$8,500	63/100
49	Nord Anglia International School Al Barsha	British, IB	$14,000-$24,000	$22,850	63/100
50	American School of Dubai	American	$16,491-$27,853	$26,022	63/100

“Est. all-in” is a WhereNext-modeled estimate — published tuition plus typical fees for the city (registration, transport, uniform, activities). It is not the school's itemised fee schedule — verify final fees with the school.

Showing top 50 of 55 scored schools — browse all schools in Dubai.

How the Value Score works

The WhereNext Value Score starts at 50 (neutral) and adjusts across six dimensions: class size (−10 to +15), diversity (+0 to +10), accreditations (+0 to +10), learning support (+0 to +8), activities richness (+0 to +5), and a cost-tier adjustment that boosts cheaper schools and discounts premium-tier schools that don't justify their pricing through other dimensions.

Important: the Value Score is NOT a quality ranking. A school with strong educational outcomes can have a moderate Value Score if it sits in the premium tier; a smaller, cheaper school with good fundamentals can score higher on Value while still being a different fit for your family.

Read the full Value Score methodology

True annual cost in Dubai

Schools ranked by total annual cost (tuition + hidden fees) →

All schools in Dubai

203 schools — full directory and search →