Only a few days remain until the start of the 2026–2027 academic year, and this year families in Dubai are facing several important changes in school regulations, enrollment, tuition fees, and the academic calendar.

The new academic year will begin on Monday, August 31, 2026, and one of the most important news for families in Dubai is that the tuition fees for private schools will remain unchanged. According to KHDA, private schools in Dubai are not allowed to increase tuition fees for the 2026–2027 academic year.

In the enrollment section, clearer regulations have been established for application fees, deposits, and refunds. Among them, the application fee for enrollment in private schools is set at a maximum of 500 AED, and the deposit amount for enrollment is capped at 10% of the annual tuition fee.

Another important change this year relates to the age of entry into kindergarten and Grade 1. For schools whose academic year starts in August or September, from the new academic year, December 31 will be the cutoff date for calculating a child's age. Thus, for example, a child applying for Grade 1 must be six years old by December 31 of the admission year.

At the level of the UAE education system, the Ministry of Education has also announced that for lower primary students, from Kindergarten to Grade 2, traditional homework will be eliminated, and there will be a greater emphasis on learning in school and daily study at home. The implementation of this policy may vary depending on the type of school and its educational authority.