The Guide
Mon, 15 June 2026

Notes / Dubai

Best IB Schools in Dubai

Dubai's IB shortlist by published Diploma average and KHDA tier, from NLCS and JESS at the top to the strong mid-tier and the full-continuum schools.

Mia Windsor  /  Managing Editor  /  1 June 2026

Best IB Schools in Dubai

The brief

Around 34 schools in Dubai are authorised to deliver some part of the IB. The emirate is the largest IB market in the Gulf and second-biggest in the Middle East. By scale of premium-tier IB provision Dubai sits behind Jakarta in Asia but ahead of every other Gulf city.

Top-year IB fees range from AED 35,000 (USD 9,500) at the affordable end to AED 143,000 (USD 39,000) at NLCS. The frame that organises most parent conversations is the KHDA inspection cycle: every private school is inspected annually under the DSIB framework and rated Outstanding through Very Weak. KHDA is a regulator-inspector, not an accreditation; it sits alongside any CIS, NEASC or BSO layer a school holds.

The top tier

Selective demand, multiple inspection layers, published DP averages of 35 or higher, and a track record that holds against the global IB benchmark. Senior-year fees AED 80,000 to 105,000; NLCS sits above at AED 144,000.

JESS Arabian Ranches

Arabian Ranches. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 54,129–104,544. Founded 1976 (Arabian Ranches campus newer). BSO Outstanding, COBIS, IAPS, HMC. ~750 pupils.

The strongest IB DP result in the city. 2025 DP average 37 to 38, 100% pass rate. Sixth Form is dual track (IB DP and BTEC) over an English National Curriculum and IGCSE spine. HMC and IAPS membership is unusually robust for Dubai and signals UK independent-style governance.

North London Collegiate School, Dubai (NLCS)

Nad Al Sheba. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 91,735–143,681. Founded 2017. BSO accredited, KHDA Outstanding. ~1,600 pupils.

Dubai outpost of the UK's NLCS and the highest-fee school in the emirate. Full PYP + MYP + DP continuum, with DP as the only Sixth Form route. 2025 DP average 36.8, 2024 and 2023 at 37.2, 2022 at 38.1. A small dip from the 40.1 in the 2021 COVID cohort, in line with the global return to baseline. Brand names the operator; quality follows the campus.

Sunmarke School

Jumeirah Village Triangle. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 53,040–88,538. Founded 2016. BSO Outstanding 2023, IBO authorised. ~2,000 pupils.

Fortes Education campus. DP 36.5 in 2024-25 alongside *A-Level 53% A/A, 78% A/B and GCSE 55% 9-7*, so the school holds at the top of both tracks. Sixth Form runs IB DP, IB CP, A-Level (Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, Oxford AQA) in parallel; depth on each track is the question with multi-pathway sixth forms.

Repton School Dubai

Nad Al Sheba. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 57,178–102,753. Founded 2007. BSO accredited, COBIS member. ~1,800 pupils.

Dubai sister of Repton, Derbyshire. DP 36, 100% pass. GCSE 4-9 at 94%. Sixth Form is IB DP only, the structural choice that most distinguishes it from a Dubai College or Brighton path. English National Curriculum and IGCSE spine.

Philadelphia Private School (PPS)

Al Qusais. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 19,517–35,160. Founded 2006. NEASC, KHDA. ~1,000 pupils.

The outlier. DP 35.2 average in the 2025 inaugural cohort, 67% scoring 36 or higher, alongside 92% of AP scores at 3 or above. Premium-tier results at affordable-tier fees. Single cohort is a thin base from which to project the trend; the BSO/COBIS layer most premium schools carry is absent. The numbers earn a place on this list.

Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills (DIA)

Emirates Hills. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 44,979–79,696. Founded 2005. KHDA. ~1,800 pupils.

The original Dubai IB school and still one of the most consistent. DP average 35.25 in 2024, 100% pass rate, against the worldwide 30.3. Full PYP + MYP + DP + CP continuum. KHDA tier sits at Very Good with Outstanding strands. The Al Barsha sister campus is a tier below on results.

Swiss International Scientific School Dubai (SISD)

Al Jaddaf. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 60,834–114,268. Founded 2017. KHDA Very Good, IB World School, A-Level pathway via Pearson Edexcel. ~2,600 pupils.

Bilingual is the proposition: full English + French or English + German Swiss bilingual streams from primary through DP. *2025 DP average 34.4, 96% pass; A-Level 37% A/A, IGCSE 90% A-C.* The bilingual DP option is unusual in Dubai and the closest local equivalent to a continental European DP.

GEMS Wellington International School (WIS)

Al Sufouh. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 47,527–103,399. Founded 2005. BSO Outstanding, COBIS Patron's Accreditation (Beacon Status). ~2,900 pupils.

Flagship of GEMS' Wellington line. DP 35 in 2024, 98% pass. Dual Sixth Form across A-Level and IB DP. Larger than JESS, Brighton or Sunmarke at senior; better subject breadth, lower per-pupil intimacy. Beacon Status is the top COBIS membership tier.

Strong mid-tier

Senior-year fees AED 40,000 to 90,000. DP averages of 33 to 35, KHDA Very Good or high Good, a credible IB inspection lineage even where the BSO/COBIS layer is thinner.

GEMS World Academy (GWA)

Al Barsha. Ages 2 to 18. Fees AED 71,113–123,442. Founded 2008. CIS, NEASC. ~2,000 pupils.

GEMS' full continuum (PYP + MYP + DP) flagship. DP 34 in 2024, 100% pass. Sits high on fees but lower on published DP signal than NLCS, JESS or DIA Emirates Hills; the CIS-NEASC pair is the deeper inspection layer.

Deira International School (DIS)

Festival City. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 44,616–89,889. Founded 2005. BSO Outstanding 2025, COBIS Accredited Member. ~2,000 pupils.

Al-Futtaim group campus. *DP 34.2 in 2025, 100% pass. GCSE 35% A/A in 2025.** Sixth Form is IB DP only over a British primary spine.

Universal American School (UAS)

Festival City. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 40,377–82,925. Founded 2005. CIS. ~1,500 pupils.

American spine through Grade 10, then dual AP and IB DP at Sixth Form. DP 34 in 2024; AP 52.5% scoring 3 or above across 95 exams.

Dwight School Dubai

Dubai Sports City. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 65,117–110,755. Founded 2018 in Dubai. CIS, NEASC. ~800 pupils.

The Dubai branch of New York's Dwight School. Full continuum (PYP + MYP + DP + CP). 2025 DP average 32.5, just above the worldwide 30.32. American-international register; smaller cohort than the GEMS or DIA campuses.

Nord Anglia International School Dubai (NAS)

Al Barsha. Ages 3 to 18. Fees AED 69,625–105,288. Founded 2011. NEASC-CIE Foundation Standards (April 2025). ~1,500 pupils.

Four Sixth Form streams: IB DP, A-Level, AP, IGCSE. *DP 94% pass, 33.1 average; IGCSE 90.2% A-C; AP 54.2% at 4 or 5.** Breadth is the proposition; depth per track thinner than at single-track schools.

Uptown, Greenfield, Fairgreen, EIS Meadows, Raffles, DIA Al Barsha

The five continuum-style mid-tier campuses cluster between DP 32 and 33 with 100% pass rates:

  • Uptown International (Mirdif, AED 31,145–78,420, CIS): PYP + MYP + DP + CP, DP 33 in 2025.
  • Greenfield International (Green Community, AED 34,470–82,865, CIS + NEASC): full continuum, DP 33 average, 31% scoring 36 or higher.
  • Fairgreen International (Sustainable City, AED 49,400–84,500, CIS + MSA-CESS): full continuum, DP 32 in 2024.
  • EIS Meadows (Meadows, AED 28,990–85,976, KHDA): Al Habtoor group, DP 32 across 2023-25, MYP 39 against global 37.3 is the better signal.
  • Raffles World Academy (Umm Suqeim, AED 33,544–87,990, CIS member): British primary spine into IB DP, 100% pass in 2024.
  • DIA Al Barsha (Al Barsha, AED 47,807–84,928): sister to DIA Emirates Hills, newer campus, 100% DP pass in published cohorts.

Best for full IB continuum (PYP + MYP + DP)

For families who want the IB programme as a coherent 3-to-18 pathway rather than a Sixth Form bolt-on, the continuum schools are the question. PYP and MYP execution quality vary significantly between schools (curriculum briefing: "Strength depends heavily on implementation and staff capability"), so the inspection layer matters more here than the IB authorisation alone.

Best for DP-only or Sixth Form entry

For families switching into the DP from a British or American Year 11 or Grade 10, the entry point is the IGCSE-to-DP or AP-to-DP bridge. Schools below take external entrants at 16+ into a structured DP cohort:

At a glance

SchoolAreaFees AEDFees USDKHDA tierIB programmesLatest DP avgStandout
JESS Arabian RanchesArabian Ranches54,129–104,54414,750–28,500OutstandingDP37–38 (2025)BSO Outstanding, HMC
NLCS DubaiNad Al Sheba91,735–143,68125,000–39,150OutstandingPYP, MYP, DP36.8 (2025)Full continuum, BSO
SunmarkeJVT53,040–88,53814,450–24,150Very GoodDP, CP36.5 (2024-25)BSO Outstanding 2023
Repton DubaiNad Al Sheba57,178–102,75315,600–28,000OutstandingDP36 (2024)100% DP pass
DIA Emirates HillsEmirates Hills44,979–79,69612,250–21,700Very GoodPYP, MYP, DP, CP35.25 (2024)Innoventures flagship
Philadelphia PrivateAl Qusais19,517–35,1605,300–9,600KHDADP35.2 (2025)Affordable, AP also
GEMS Wellington IntlAl Sufouh47,527–103,39912,950–28,200OutstandingDP (+ A-Level)35 (2024)COBIS Beacon
SISDAl Jaddaf60,834–114,26816,600–31,150Very GoodDP34.4 (2025)Bilingual FR/DE
GEMS World AcademyAl Barsha71,113–123,44219,400–33,650Very GoodPYP, MYP, DP34 (2024)CIS + NEASC
Universal AmericanFestival City40,377–82,92511,000–22,600Very GoodDP (+ AP)34 (2024)CIS
Deira InternationalFestival City44,616–89,88912,150–24,500Very GoodDP34.2 (2025)BSO Outstanding 2025
Nord Anglia DubaiAl Barsha69,625–105,28819,000–28,700GoodDP (+ A-Level, AP)33.1Four-track Sixth Form
Uptown InternationalMirdif31,145–78,4208,500–21,400Very GoodPYP, MYP, DP, CP33 (2025)Full continuum, CIS
Greenfield IntlGreen Community34,470–82,8659,400–22,600Very GoodPYP, MYP, DP, CP33CIS + NEASC
Dwight School DubaiSports City65,117–110,75517,750–30,200GoodPYP, MYP, DP, CP32.5 (2025)American-international
Fairgreen IntlSustainable City49,400–84,50013,450–23,050Very GoodPYP, MYP, DP, CP32 (2024)Sustainability brief
EIS MeadowsThe Meadows28,990–85,9767,900–23,450GoodPYP, MYP, DP32 (2025)MYP 39 vs global 37.3
Raffles World AcademyUmm Suqeim33,544–87,9909,150–24,000Very GoodDP100% passCIS member
Regent InternationalAl Khail49,076–69,73013,400–19,000Very GoodDP (+ A-Level)38 (2024)BSO Outstanding
Lycée Français Jean MermozNad Al Sheba46,350–84,46012,650–23,050KHDADP (+ Bac, A-Level)n/pAEFE French bilingual

Fees are 2025-26 top-year ranges as published. KHDA tier moves annually; verify the current rating before committing. AED to USD at the pegged 3.67 rate. "n/p" = not published.

The four IB programmes

The IB offers four programmes:

  • Primary Years Programme (PYP), ages 3 to 12. Inquiry-led, concept-driven, transdisciplinary themes. No external IB exams; culminates in the PYP Exhibition. Quality depends heavily on implementation and staff capability.
  • Middle Years Programme (MYP), ages 11 to 16. Eight subject groups, conceptual framing, criterion-referenced internal assessment plus a Personal Project at the end. MYP execution varies significantly between schools.
  • Diploma Programme (DP), ages 16 to 19. Six subjects (three Higher Level, three Standard Level) plus Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS. Graded out of 45. DP structurally guarantees breadth.
  • Career-related Programme (CP), ages 16 to 19. DP study combined with a vocational career pathway. Smaller footprint in Dubai; offered at Greenfield, Uptown, Dwight, Fairgreen, DIA Emirates Hills and Ambassador.

The DP is the programme parents are usually asking about. The worldwide May 2024 DP average was 30.32 points. A Dubai school publishing 35 or higher sits in the global top quartile; 38 or higher is exceptional.

Dubai's IB market includes bilingual IB pathways that most British or American international schools do not run: SISD delivers the DP through an English plus French or English plus German bilingual stream, and Lycée Français Jean Mermoz runs an AEFE French baccalauréat alongside IB and Cambridge tracks. For families wanting their child to graduate genuinely bilingual at 18, these two schools answer a question the British and American IB schools do not.

How to choose between them

Every school on this list is an IB World School, so the decision rarely turns on IB authorisation alone. The questions that decide fit:

Continuum or DP-only. For 3 to 18 IB, NLCS, DIA Emirates Hills, GEMS World Academy, Dwight, Uptown, Fairgreen, Greenfield and Ambassador run the full pathway. For DP entry at 16 from a British or American base, Repton, JESS, Sunmarke, Wellington, Nord Anglia, Regent and Hartland are the established bridges.

Published DP average. Some schools publish the average, some only the pass rate. A 35-plus average against a global 30.32 is a meaningful gap.

Location. Dubai traffic is a structural constraint. The clusters: Al Sufouh and Umm Suqeim (Wellington, Raffles); Al Barsha (NAS, GEMS World Academy, DIA Al Barsha); Nad Al Sheba and MBR City (NLCS, Repton, GEMS Modern, LFJM); Emirates Hills, Meadows, Sustainable City (DIA Emirates Hills, EIS Meadows, Fairgreen); Festival City and Mirdif (Deira International, UAS, Uptown); Arabian Ranches and Sports City (JESS, Dwight); older inland (Greenfield, Sunmarke, Philadelphia).

Fee band. AED 90,000-plus reaches NLCS and GEMS World Academy. AED 60,000 to 90,000 covers the established premium tier. AED 40,000 to 60,000 covers most of the strong mid-tier continuum schools. Under AED 40,000 points to Philadelphia, Uptown and EIS Meadows.

Inspection layer. KHDA is universal and annual. BSO signals UK independent benchmarking on a three-year cycle. CIS and NEASC signal a North-America-rooted whole-school review. Premium IB schools typically hold one of {BSO, CIS, NEASC} alongside KHDA.

Language. SISD and Lycée Français Jean Mermoz are the bilingual options. The rest deliver the DP in English.

Related reading

FAQs

How many IB schools are there in Dubai?

Around 34 schools are authorised to deliver some part of the IB (PYP, MYP, DP or CP). About a third run the full PYP + MYP + DP continuum; the rest run DP or DP + CP only, usually over a British or American primary spine.

What is the highest IB Diploma average in Dubai?

The strongest published average is JESS Arabian Ranches at 37 to 38 (2025), with NLCS Dubai at 36.8, Sunmarke at 36.5 and Repton at 36 close behind. All four sit well above the May 2024 worldwide average of 30.32. Regent International published a 38 in 2024, an outlier above its fee bracket; verify the cohort size and the trend across years before treating a single-year figure as the level.

Can my child enter the IB Diploma at 16 from a British curriculum school?

Yes. Repton, JESS Arabian Ranches, Sunmarke, GEMS Wellington International, Nord Anglia Dubai, Regent International and Hartland take external entrants into Year 12 of the DP from an IGCSE base. The IGCSE-to-DP bridge is well-established.

What is the difference between KHDA, BSO and IB authorisation?

KHDA inspects every Dubai private school annually and rates Outstanding through Very Weak. BSO is administered by the UK Department for Education on a three-year cycle against UK independent school standards. IB authorisation is granted by the IBO and confirms a school can deliver a given IB programme. A school can hold all three; the layers answer different questions.

Are there bilingual IB schools in Dubai?

SISD runs a Swiss English + French or English + German bilingual stream through the DP. Lycée Français Jean Mermoz is an AEFE French school with an IB pathway. The other IB schools deliver the DP in English.

Sources: school websites, KHDA inspection reports, IBO authorisation register, BSO inspection summaries via the UK Department for Education school register, and ISG verified profile data. Fee figures are 2025-26 top-year ranges as published by each school. AED to USD converted at the pegged 3.67 rate. IB DP averages reflect each school's most recent published cohort; verify directly with admissions before committing.

About the author

Mia Windsor, Managing Editor. Mia sets the editorial standards at The Guide, drawing on eight years navigating the international school landscape as a parent and an ex-London journalist.