Cities / Dubai / Dubai International Academy Town Square (DIATS)
Dubai International Academy Town Square (DIATS)
As the third campus in the Dubai International Academy network, DIATS benefits from the proven educational framework that earned DIA Emirates Hills an Outstanding KHDA rating and established the original school as Dubai's first full IB continuum provider since 2005.
In brief
As the third campus in the Dubai International Academy network, DIATS benefits from the proven educational framework that earned DIA Emirates Hills an Outstanding KHDA rating and established the original school as Dubai's first full IB continuum provider since 2005. The school will launch with fees ranging from AED 49,000 to AED 70,500, positioning it competitively within Dubai's IB school market while offering families in Town Square access to premium international education without lengthy commutes to other areas of the city.
The campus design emphasizes sustainability and innovation with specialized facilities including STEAM hubs, climate-controlled multipurpose halls, and integrated outdoor learning zones. Initial enrollment represents 25 nationalities, reflecting the diverse expatriate community in Town Square and surrounding developments like Remraam and Arabian Ranches. The phased opening approach allows the school to build its community gradually while maintaining the high standards expected from the DIA brand, with plans to expand year-by-year toward full K-12 provision including the IB Diploma Programme.
Strengths
- Leadership team with deep DIA experience and proven track record
- Purpose-built campus with extensive facilities including three pools and STEAM hubs
- Part of established Innoventures Education group with Outstanding-rated sister school
- Convenient location for Town Square and surrounding community residents
- Competitive fee structure for IB education in Dubai
- Diverse international student body already registered from 25 nationalities
Considerations
- School has not yet opened - no track record of academic results or university placements
- Limited to Pre-K through Grade 8 initially, requiring transfers for older students
- Growing competition in Town Square with other premium schools opening nearby
- As a new school, may take time to establish full IB programme authorization
- Founding principal role brings both opportunity and pressure to establish school culture
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Pre KG | 3 | AED 49,000 |
| KG1 | 3 | AED 49,000 |
| KG2 | 4 | AED 57,000 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | AED 57,000 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | AED 62,500 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | AED 62,500 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | AED 62,500 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | AED 62,500 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | AED 70,500 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | AED 70,500 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | AED 70,500 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance Test Fee | AED 525 |
Reviews
Brand new for August 2026, the third DIA campus from Innoventures Education after the Outstanding-rated Emirates Hills original and Very Good-rated Al Barsha. Opens with Pre-K to Grade 8 and grows year by year to a full IB continuum. Founding principal Candice Combrinck moved across from the DIA network, where she ran primary at Emirates Hills and was founding head of primary and vice principal at Al Barsha. The pitch into the Town Square community is a walkable campus on a 330,000 sq ft site, IB from age three, and a founders discount of roughly a quarter to a third off published fees for the early cohorts. No KHDA inspection until year three, and no parent community yet.
Positives
- Group track record. The two existing DIA campuses sit at the top end of KHDA outcomes, Emirates Hills Outstanding and Al Barsha Very Good. Leadership for the new campus is drawn from inside that network rather than parachuted in.
- Founders pricing. Founding-family fees run AED 49,000 in Pre-K and KG1 up to AED 70,500 at Grade 8. KHDA-approved rates start at AED 68,000 and climb to AED 120,000 in the senior years, so the discount lifts at some point after the founding intake.
- Location fit. Sits inside the Nshama Town Square master development in south Dubai, walkable for residents and aimed at a catchment that has not had an IB continuum school on its doorstep.
Considerations
- Brand new, nothing to inspect. First KHDA inspection sits three years away. The systems, teaching, and culture will only be visible once cohorts are in the building, and reputation cannot be transferred wholesale from the other two DIA campuses.
- IB-only, phased rollout. Opens Pre-K to Grade 8 with PYP and MYP, growing year by year to the full Diploma and Career-related Programme. Families joining at the older end accept that the senior school is still being built around them.
- Long-run fee ceiling. Once founders rates lapse, this is a premium-tier school. Published rates reach AED 110,000 to 120,000 for Grades 11 and 12.
Leadership
Candice Combrinck
Mr. Patrick Affley is a long-term UAE resident who served 11 years as Founding Principal of Dove Green Private School in Dubai.
Accreditations
- KHDA 01