In this guide
Applying to an international school in Abu Dhabi is more straightforward than many newly arriving families expect, but it runs on its own sequence and its own regulator. Every private and international school in the emirate is licensed by ADEK, the Department of Education and Knowledge, and no child can be enrolled until the place is registered with ADEK. This guide walks through the application from first shortlist to confirmed place, step by step, so you know what each stage asks of you. Start by building a shortlist on our international schools in Abu Dhabi directory, which lists schools by curriculum, stage and area.
Step 1: shortlist and visit
Before you fill in a single form, narrow the field. Decide on the curriculum that fits your child's past schooling and likely next move, whether British, American, IB, Indian or another, then filter by the stage you need and by a realistic daily journey from where you will live. With a shortlist of four or five, arrange to see each school. Tours and open houses are free, and a visit tells you far more than a prospectus. Our guide to international school open days in Abu Dhabi explains how to book and what to look for on the day.
Step 2: submit the application
Each school takes applications through its own admissions portal. You complete an online form with your child's details and schooling history, upload the supporting documents, and pay a small, usually non-refundable application or assessment fee, often a few hundred dirhams, which is separate from tuition. Apply to more than one school at the same time, since popular year groups fill quickly and you want options. Keep digital copies of everything you submit, as schools sometimes ask for the same paperwork again at the registration stage.
Step 3: gather the documents
The document list is similar across schools. Expect to provide the child's passport and Emirates ID or residence visa, recent school reports covering the last year or two, a transfer certificate from the previous school where the system requires one, and immunisation records. If your child has additional learning needs, include any psychological or educational reports, as these help the school confirm it can support the child rather than being a barrier to entry. Missing or late paperwork is the most common cause of delay, so assemble the file early.
Step 4: assessment and offer
For most year groups from around Year 3, the school assesses the applicant, typically with English and maths tasks and a cognitive test such as CAT4; younger children usually attend a play-based observation session instead. The assessment helps the school place the child at the right level. If the outcome is positive and a place exists, the school issues an offer with a contract and fee schedule. Read the fee schedule carefully against our guide to international school fees in Abu Dhabi before you accept, so there are no surprises on deposits or term billing.
Step 5: ADEK registration and enrolment
Accepting the offer is not the final step. The school then begins ADEK registration, verifying your documents and obtaining the child's unique student number, without which enrolment cannot be completed. If you are moving from another emirate or from abroad, this is where the residence visa and Emirates ID matter, because registration depends on them, so coordinate the school timeline with your visa timeline. Once the ADEK record is in place and any deposit is paid, the place is confirmed and your child can start. For the calendar around all of this, see when applications open in Abu Dhabi.
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Start the school finderFrequently asked questions
Shortlist schools by curriculum, stage and location, visit or tour the ones you like, then submit an online application to each with the required documents and a small assessment fee. Older children sit an assessment, the school makes an offer, and the place is finalised through ADEK registration before your child can enrol.
Schools typically ask for the child's passport and Emirates ID or visa, recent school reports, a transfer certificate from the previous school where required, and immunisation records, plus any educational reports if your child has additional needs. Requirements vary, so check each school's list before you apply.
From around Year 3 upward, most schools assess applicants, often through English and maths tasks and a cognitive test such as CAT4, while younger children usually attend an informal observation session. The assessment helps the school place the child correctly rather than acting as a pass or fail in every case.
Yes, and you should. Popular year groups fill and assessment outcomes are not guaranteed, so applying to two or three schools at once is normal practice in Abu Dhabi. Each application is separate, with its own form, documents and assessment fee.
ADEK is the Abu Dhabi regulator that licenses every private and international school. Once a school makes an offer it begins ADEK registration, which verifies your documents and assigns the child a unique student number. A school cannot legally enrol a child without that ADEK record.