Cities / Dubai / Australian International School, Dubai (AIS Dubai)
Australian International School, Dubai (AIS Dubai)
IB school with sibling and early payment discounts available.
In brief
The first Australian-curriculum school in Dubai, opened in 2021 in Al Barsha South. Sister school to the long-established AIS Sharjah, with capacity to grow to 2,000 students.
Owned by Al Sharif Investment Trading Group with Queensland-government roots through Sharjah, run by Karen McCord from Bundaberg High. KHDA awarded Good at the first DSIB inspection in 2024. Currently runs to Year 10, adds Year 11 in 2026-27 and Year 12 in 2027-28. Around 450 students on a 350,000 sq ft campus built for far more, so classes are small for now.
Premium tier fees of roughly AED 52,000 to 90,000. Curriculum is Australian with the IB Diploma at the top end. Parents speak warmly of the community feel and communication, and families wanting curriculum continuity to Australia find this the only realistic option in Dubai. Inspectors flagged Arabic and Islamic Studies as weaker than other subjects and noted teaching quality is uneven across departments, common at a school still in build-out.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| KG1 | 3 | AED 52,000 |
| Pre-KG | 3 | AED 52,000 |
| KG2 (Prep) | 4 | AED 52,000 |
| Year 1 | 5 | AED 56,000 |
| Year 2 | 6 | AED 56,000 |
| Year 3 | 7 | AED 60,000 |
| Year 4 | 8 | AED 63,000 |
| Year 5 | 9 | AED 63,000 |
| Year 6 | 10 | AED 71,000 |
| Year 7 | 11 | AED 81,000 |
| Year 8 | 12 | AED 81,000 |
| Year 9 | 13 | AED 85,000 |
| Year 10 | 14 | AED 85,000 |
| Year 11 | 15 | AED 90,000 |
| Year 12 | 16 | AED 90,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Enrolment Application Fee | AED 500 |
Reviews
A young Al Barsha South campus, open since 2021 and still growing into its senior years. Parent talk so far is small in volume and warm in tone, mostly pointing at the teaching staff and the feel of the place. KHDA gave it Good on its first inspection in 2024 with the familiar Dubai pattern, strong English, maths and science and weaker Arabic and Islamic Education. The Australian curriculum is the headline; the senior pathway will branch into either the Queensland Certificate of Education or the IB Diploma once Year 12 opens in 2027-28, so there are no exam results to read yet.
Positives
- Teachers and classroom feel. The recurring thread in parent comments is the staff. Teachers come across as engaged and personally invested, and younger children in particular are described as happy and confident at pickup. Inspectors echoed the warmth, noting purposeful lessons and good student behaviour.
- Campus and facilities. The Al Barsha South site is new and well resourced for the current roll. Two pools, a six-court sports hall, large classrooms, dedicated music and art rooms, a 600-seat auditorium. Facilities sit ahead of where enrolment currently is, which is comfortable now and gives room as the school grows into Years 11 and 12.
- Australian curriculum, dual senior pathway. The only school in Dubai delivering the Australian curriculum, with Education Queensland accreditation. The model is inquiry-based and pitched at families who want either an Australian route home or the IB Diploma at the end. Year 11 opens in 2026-27 and Year 12 in 2027-28.
Considerations
- Arabic and Islamic Education. The standard Dubai weak spot, flagged explicitly by KHDA. Arabic, as both first and additional language, and Islamic Education sit at Acceptable rather than Good, with inspectors calling out unreliable internal assessment in Arabic and underdeveloped speaking. The school has been asked to lift these to match the core.
- Senior school is unproven. No graduating cohort yet, no IB or QCE results to look at, and Years 11 and 12 are still being built out. Families joining now for the upper years are signing up to a pathway the school has not yet run end to end.
- Premium fees for a school still proving itself. Fees sit in the AED 52,000 to 85,000 range, classified as premium by the local market. The campus and staffing justify the spend at the lower years; at the senior end the value question depends on how the first IB and QCE cohorts land.
Leadership
Karen McCord
Welcome to the first Australian Curriculum International School in Dubai. We are committed to delivering high-quality education from Nursery onward, grounded in excellence, innovation, and care. We believe in cultivating lifelong learners, empowering every student to realise their individual potential, and fostering responsible global citizens.
Accreditations
- KHDA 01