On this page
The 2026 admissions timeline
Start with our international schools in Abu Dhabi directory to draw up a shortlist by curriculum and stage. The academic year begins in late August, and most families apply in the months before. The typical cycle for an August or September entry runs as below; treat these as indicative windows, since each school sets its own dates and many admit on a rolling basis while places remain.
| Stage of the cycle | Typical window |
|---|---|
| Open houses and school visits | October to December |
| Applications submitted | September to February (earlier for selective schools) |
| Assessments | November to April, clustered November to February |
| Offers and contracts | January to spring |
| ADEK registration and enrolment | On offer, through to the August start |
For the most competitive schools and year groups, families often apply 9 to 18 months before entry; for most schools, around six months ahead is realistic. Because the main intake fills first, applying early in the cycle gives the widest choice.
How ADEK registration works
ADEK licenses every private and international school in Abu Dhabi, approves curricula and reviews fee increases each year. Once a school makes an offer, it issues a contract and fee schedule and 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, so leave time for it between accepting an offer and the start of term. If you are moving from another emirate or from abroad, factor in the time to obtain a residence visa and Emirates ID, which the registration step requires.
Find schools that are still taking applications
Tell us your child's stage, curriculum and preferred area and the school finder returns a matched Abu Dhabi shortlist to apply to.
Start the school finderDocuments and fees
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. Most schools also charge a modest, usually non-refundable application or assessment fee, often a few hundred dirhams, which is separate from tuition. Tuition itself is reviewed annually by ADEK, so see our guide to international school fees in Abu Dhabi for current bands by school and stage before you commit.
Planning your application
Three practical points. First, apply to more than one school, since popular year groups fill and assessment outcomes are not guaranteed. Second, line up your documents early, especially reports and any transfer certificate, as missing paperwork is the most common cause of delay at the ADEK registration step. Third, if you are relocating, coordinate the school offer with your visa timeline so the unique student number can be issued before term starts. Families with younger children should also read our Abu Dhabi primary schools guide, which covers stage-specific entry points.
Abu Dhabi admissions 2026: FAQ
For an August or September start, most families apply between September and December of the preceding year. Open houses run from October, assessments cluster between November and February, and offers go out from January to spring. For the most competitive schools, apply 9 to 18 months ahead; for most schools around six months out is realistic.
Most international schools in Abu Dhabi use rolling admissions rather than a single hard deadline, accepting applications throughout the year while places remain. The main intake still fills first, so applying early in the cycle gives the best choice, especially for popular year groups and schools.
ADEK is the Abu Dhabi regulator that licenses every private and international school. Once a school makes an offer, it issues a contract and fee schedule and begins ADEK registration, which verifies documents and assigns the child a unique student number. A school cannot enrol a child without that ADEK record.
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 for additional needs. Requirements vary, so check each school's list before you apply.
Most schools charge a modest, usually non-refundable application or assessment fee, often in the region of a few hundred dirhams, separate from tuition. Confirm the current amount with each school, and see our international school fees in Abu Dhabi guide for the wider fee picture.