UAE Schools Experience Surge in Global Diversity Alongside Strong British Demand

Schools in the UAE are seeing growing demand from families arriving from a wider range of countries, as the country's international population continues to expand. British and Indian families are still among the largest sources of applications, but school heads told The National they were also seeing increased interest from countries including Turkey, Spain, Singapore, Russia and the US.

“What is evolving is the breadth of the UAE's appeal. We are increasingly serving a genuinely global population,” said Dino Varkey, chief executive of Gems Education. He noted that while the demographic profile across Gems Education schools remained broadly consistent, there was growing interest from newer markets including Singapore and Turkey.

Luz Barrios, head of admissions at The Arbor School in Dubai, reported a similar shift. “British and Indian families continue to represent the majority of our applications, but this year we have also seen an increase in admissions from families from Spain, the United States, Russia and Turkey,” she said.

Despite this global diversification, British families remain an important source of demand for schools, particularly in Dubai. Ms Barrios stated that this trend is supported by families relocating to the emirate for work, with an estimated 240,000 British nationals living in Dubai and research from Al Habtoor Research Centre showing a sharp rise in UK interest in relocating to the emirate.

This growth in demand has coincided with the arrival of several well-known British schools in the UAE. Queen Elizabeth's School opened in Dubai Sports City at the start of the new academic year, becoming the first branch of a UK state school to open in the Emirates. The institution traces its roots to a grammar school founded by royal charter in 1573 in Barnet, north London.

Additionally, Harrow International School Dubai opened this academic year in Jumeirah Village Circle with 400 founding pupils. Operated by Taaleem, the campus is the first Harrow school in the Middle East and will eventually accommodate up to 2,000 pupils.

Carole Lecointre, head of marketing and admissions at Taaleem, said British families continue to form an important part of their communities while schools remain highly diverse. She noted that families are increasingly viewing the UAE as a long-term home and demonstrating considerable confidence in the region.

Harrow International School Dubai’s founding community includes families from about 45 nationalities, with British pupils accounting for 53 per cent of enrolment. Nine of Taaleem’s 15 private schools are currently at full capacity.

School leaders also reported that enquiries have rebounded after some families delayed relocation plans during the regional uncertainty involving the Iran conflict earlier this year. More than 1.27 million pupils returned to over 1,180 public and private schools across the UAE at the start of the 2026-2027 academic year, with Gems Education achieving nearly 99 per cent of its new sales target.

Beyond academics, parents are considering a wider range of factors when choosing schools, focusing on the whole experience, community, and relocation support. Meanwhile, the UAE's education sector has recorded significant achievements, ranking first among Arab countries in reading, maths, and science in PISA 2025, with Dubai private schools placing sixth globally in reading and eighth in both maths and science.