fbpx
Back to previous page

The UAE continues to be the leading country in the world for English-medium K-12 international schools.  In terms of the number of international schools, the UAE is currently competing in a very tight race with China, but in terms of student enrolment, the UAE leads the world decisively. The data has been published in the new Market Intelligence Report for International Schools in the United Arab Emirates by ISC Research, the world’s leading provider of data on the international schools market.

According to the new ISC Market Intelligence Report there are 548 English-medium international schools in the UAE; just three ahead of China.  The two emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi dominate with 260 schools in Dubai and 191 in Abu Dhabi. More schools are under construction with 14 due to open during 2016 including GEMS International School in Mudon, Canadian International School in Dubai, and Sunmarke School in Jumeirah Village. Several more schools are in various phases of development.

The total number of students aged between 3 and 18 attending English-medium international schools in the UAE is 545,074. This is the highest enrolment of any country in the world by a significant margin (Saudi Arabia follows with 260,989). 36% of all international schools in the UAE have over 1,000 students.

There are several reasons why student enrolment is so high at international schools in the UAE. Major factors include the wealth of the country, an extensive expatriate population, demand for high quality, English-medium education by both expatriates and wealthy locals, plus the fact that the governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi allow unlimited enrolment of local children at international schools.  According to the ISC Market Intelligence Report, Emirati students comprise the single largest student nationality (25%) with the exception of Dubai where they are outnumbered by Indian children (29%). However, in no emirate do local children exceed 50% of the student population.

The report states that, with Dubai’s population projected to grow by 13% within the next two years, and further expansion in Abu Dhabi, demand for international school places in these two emirates will continue to increase substantially. The report also suggests that the Northern Emirates, which currently have 29 international schools, represent a potential growth market for the UAE where new developments have been emerging over the past two years.

Fees at some international schools in the UAE are being impacted by the recent oil crisis, and the report evaluates the impact of this on demand and income. Another issue raised by the report is the increasing concern about access to enough qualified teachers with skills and experience from the UK. 47% of the international schools in the UAE follow a British curriculum and 73% offer IGCSE, GCE AS and/or GCE A levels. The report cites less competitive teacher salaries in the UAE than many other countries, plus a drop in the number of people applying to enrol for teacher qualifications in the UK for this concern. “If the number of qualified teachers…begins to dwindle,” says the report, “schools will find it difficult to expand.”

However, the ISC Research UAE Market Intelligence Report, which contains detailed data analysis and crucial information relevant for school expansion, new developments and education suppliers wishing to understand the UAE market in depth, states that the international schools market in the UAE is flourishing. “Further growth is inevitable, spurred by increasing demand from both the expatriate community and from local families,” it concludes.

For the first time, the report includes a detailed focus on Sharjah and the Northern Emirates where development is underway and growth potential exists.  The 160 page report includes detailed research and analysis on tuition fees, student and staff nationalities, capacity utilisation, fee income, salary ranges, new developments, market outlook and more.

Further information about the world’s international schools, as well as the UAE and other country-specific market intelligence reports are available from The International School Consultancy (of which ISC Research is a part) at www.iscresearch.com

    Our members

    Looking for quality education products and services? BESA members sign up to our Code of Practice, so you can be confident you are spending wisely with companies you can trust.

    Code of Practice

    This Code of Practice is a mandatory membership commitment given by members to BESA

    Our Team

    The BESA secretariat is a small, dedicated team that works hard to find channels to market for education suppliers

    Research

    BESA publishes over 20 market research reports each year on a wide range of topics. Access our latest reports and the full research archive.

    UK Education Statistics

    There are currently 32,770 schools in the UK. Of these, 3,714 are nurseries or early-learning centres

    News

    Keep up to date with member news, announcements and BESA activities.

                Policy Updates

                Our weekly roundup of policy news, debate and initiatives.

                Great British Classroom

                Running as part of BESA’s exhibitions programme showcasing the world’s best education products and services

                Resource Our Schools

                The Resource Our Schools campaign has been initiated by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), working with a coalition of organisations and suppliers.

                BESA Export Masterclass 2024

                This conference aims to provide valuable insights, strategies, and networking opportunities to support businesses in expanding their international presence and exploring export opportunities.

                Special Interest and Working Group meetings

                BESA recognises the importance of bringing together members with common interests to share ideas, information and maintain a tight focus on each market place.

                LearnEd 2024: Education in Action

                Showcase best practice to improve school outcomes. Join BESA's NEW face-to-face conferences to generate leads from senior leaders.

                Special Interest Groups

                With such a diverse market, BESA recognises the importance of bringing together members with common interests to share ideas

                International

                BESA works with UK education suppliers to help maximise their export potential, regardless of their stage in their export journey.

                Discounts and Opportunities

                We work hard to identify high-quality providers to the education suppliers sector, and negotiate discounts on behalf of our members.

                Code of Practice

                This Code of Practice is a mandatory membership commitment given by members to BESA.

                LendED

                LendED enables you to search, preview and test education technology products before you buy them, so you can be sure they will meet your needs.

                Supplier Directory

                Looking for quality education products and services? BESA members sign up to our Code of Practice, so you can be confident you are spending wisely with companies you can trust.

                  Sponsorship

                  Learn more about BESA’s sponsorship opportunities.

                  Masterclass

                  Explore Masterclass sessions at LearnED 2024. Delegates will be able to participate in 4 Masterclasses based on their selected topics of interest.

                  Demonstrations

                  Demonstrations will take place in the main Exhibition Space for LearnED 2024. All attending delegates will be able to engage with these sessions.