Cities / Dubai / The International School of Choueifat - Dubai Investments Park (ISC-DIP)
The International School of Choueifat - Dubai Investments Park (ISC-DIP)
Sabis-network school on a 10-acre Dubai Investments Park campus, founded 2012, running the proprietary Sabis Educational System from KG1 through Grade 12.
In brief
Founded in 1975 as part of the Lebanese-origin Sabis Education Network, ISC-DIP operates from a 10-acre purpose-built campus in Dubai Investments Park under Principal Ralph Chbeir's leadership. The school follows the proprietary Sabis Educational System, an American-style curriculum aligned with US Common Core standards that emphasizes rapid skill mastery through daily assessments and ability-based streaming. With a KHDA Good rating achieved in 2024 (improved from Acceptable), the institution serves students from KG1 through Grade 12 with mandatory Arabic, Islamic Studies, and UAE social studies components meeting local requirements.
The school's fee structure positions it competitively in Dubai's mid-tier market, ranging from AED 28,000 for early years to AED 62,000 for senior grades, making it one of the more affordable American curriculum options. Recent 2024 graduates achieved impressive outcomes with 100% university progression and 78% acceptance to Top 200 QS-ranked institutions, including 12 placements at Ivy League-equivalent universities. The diverse student body represents 65 nationalities with strong representation from Indian (28%), Pakistani (15%), and Arab communities (20%), creating an authentically international environment within the structured Sabis framework.
Strengths
- Strong university placement record with 100% graduation progression and 78% to Top 200 universities
- Competitive fee structure making American curriculum accessible compared to premium Dubai schools
- Proven Sabis system with structured approach producing consistent academic results
- Diverse international community representing 65 nationalities
- Recent campus improvements including solar panels and expanded STEM facilities
- Average SAT scores of 1250 and 95% AP exam pass rates demonstrate solid academic preparation
Considerations
- Limited visibility in Dubai parent discussions compared to established international schools
- Highly structured Sabis system may not suit families preferring more flexible educational approaches
- Recent improvement from Acceptable to Good KHDA rating suggests previous performance concerns
- Proprietary curriculum system may create challenges for students transferring to non-Sabis schools
- Dubai Investments Park location may be less convenient than more central Dubai school options
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-KG | 3 | AED 26,000 |
| KG1 | 3 | AED 26,298 |
| KG2 | 4 | AED 28,100 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | AED 29,902 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | AED 30,261 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | AED 30,621 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | AED 33,144 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | AED 33,864 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | AED 35,304 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | AED 38,189 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | AED 39,628 |
| Grade 9 | 14 | AED 41,791 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | AED 45,032 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | AED 48,995 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | AED 50,077 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | AED 500 |
Reviews
A very large SABIS campus in Dubai Investments Park, around 3,000 pupils from KG1 through Grade 12, opened in 2012 to take overflow from the original Choueifat in Al Sufouh. KHDA rates it Acceptable, the grade it has held at every inspection since 2014. The shape of the place is the SABIS system applied at scale: highly structured, exam-heavy, IGCSE into AS and A-level with a popular US pathway of SAT and AP in the upper years. Academic preparation is the headline draw, especially in the high school. The trade-offs that come up are familiar to anyone who knows the network: a curriculum that leaves limited room for arts, creativity and student voice, and a governance model run from the centre with little parent representation locally.
Positives
- Academic rigour. High school pupils progress well in English, mathematics and science, and the structured SABIS pacing gets results parents value when transitions to overseas universities come round.
- All-through scale and stability. A 3,000-pupil campus running Pre-KG to Grade 12 in one place, with the SABIS Parent App keeping academic communication tidy and consistent.
- Fees in context. Fees run AED 26,000 in Pre-KG to AED 50,077 in Grade 12, mid-market for Dubai for a school of this size and academic load.
Considerations
- Workload and pace. Parents and former pupils talk about a relentless rhythm of daily testing, heavy memorisation and little breathing room. Kindergarten and early primary are described as gentler than the upper years.
- Arts, creativity and breadth. Inspectors flag a rigid curriculum that limits creativity, innovation and enterprise. Arts and broader personal development sit well behind the core academics.
- Teaching consistency and support for individual needs. Inspection findings point to too many lessons dominated by teacher talk, limited curriculum adaptation for students of determination, and gifted pupils not always sufficiently challenged.
- Arabic and Islamic Education. Progress in Arabic as an additional language is weak, and Islamic Education progress in elementary and middle phases lags the rest of the school.
- Parent voice and governance. Decisions sit with the SABIS network rather than a local board. Communication on personal and social development is thin, and parents have little structural representation in how the school is run.
Leadership
Suhair Ghandour
Mr. Patrick Affley is a long-term UAE resident who served 11 years as Founding Principal of Dove Green Private School in Dubai.
Accreditations
- Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools 01
- National Council for Private School Accreditation 02
Academic results
- Percentage of students who scored 7+ on IELTS 91%
- Percentage of students who graduated 87%