Citizens School is one of the newer entrants to the Dubai international schools market, opened in 2022 near City Walk in the Al Satwa and Jumeira district. It teaches a British curriculum built around what the school calls a future ready framework, layering coding, design thinking and enterprise onto the National Curriculum for England. At its first full KHDA inspection in 2025 it was rated Good, an encouraging start for a school still building out its year groups.
This profile sets out the curriculum and its distinctive framework, the fee band, the admissions calendar and the community around the school. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed.
Citizens School at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | National Curriculum for England, with a future ready framework; GCSE pathway as cohorts mature |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Foundation Stage upward, growing year by year (currently to lower secondary) |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Regulator and rating | KHDA rated Good (first full inspection, 2025) |
| Fee band | Mid to upper mid tier (see Dubai fees guide) |
| Campus area | Al Satwa, near City Walk and Jumeira |
Curriculum and academics
Citizens School teaches the National Curriculum for England, the same English key stage structure used across Dubai's British schools, but wraps it in a future ready framework that gives a larger place to technology, design and enterprise from the early years. The school presents this as preparing pupils for a changing workplace rather than replacing the academic core, and as its cohorts move up it will carry pupils towards GCSE and beyond in the usual English sequence.
Because the model is a British curriculum with an enrichment overlay, families who know the English system will find the foundations familiar. Our guide to the British curriculum schools in Dubai explains the key stages, GCSEs and sixth form pathway and provides the reference point against which Citizens' future ready additions can be judged.
Comparing Citizens School with other new Dubai schools?
Use our free compare tool to put Citizens School side by side with up to two other Dubai schools on curriculum, fees, rating and location.
Citizens School fees
| Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| FS1 (list) | AED 45,000 |
| Year 9 (list) | AED 80,000 |
Source: Citizens School (citizens.me). KHDA-approved list prices, ages 3 to 14 (FS1 to Year 9). The school is offering 5 to 10 percent discounts for 2025/26. Fees are the most recent published figures and exclude one-off costs such as registration, deposits and capital levies. Always confirm current fees directly with the school.
Citizens School sits in the mid to upper mid part of the Dubai market. Its KHDA approved tuition runs from around AED 45,000 in the first Foundation Stage year up to roughly AED 80,000 in the lower secondary grades, which places it below the premium British and IB schools but above the value tier, as mapped in our Dubai school fees guide. As a newer school it sets fees by year group as each cohort is added, so confirm the current figure for your child's stage.
Plan for the usual extras alongside tuition: a registration charge on acceptance, a refundable deposit, books and uniform, and optional transport. Newer schools sometimes offer founding family incentives in their early years, so it is worth asking the admissions team what applies when you enquire.
Admissions and intake
Citizens School runs an August academic year and, as a growing school, actively recruits across its current year groups rather than only at the Foundation Stage. That makes it a realistic option for families relocating mid year who find the established schools full. Admission follows the standard Dubai pattern: an age appropriate assessment, a look at prior reports for older applicants and the KHDA transfer paperwork.
Applicants should prepare recent report cards, passport and visa documents and a transfer certificate where required. Because the school is still adding senior year groups, the highest grades available shift each year, so check the current ceiling with admissions before applying for an older child.
Location and who goes there
The campus sits in Al Satwa, directly opposite the City Walk lifestyle district and within easy reach of Jumeira, Downtown Dubai and the wider central belt. It is an unusually central location for a Dubai school, which suits professional families living in Jumeira, Al Wasl, Downtown and the surrounding inner neighbourhoods who want to avoid the long commutes that schools on the city's edges can involve.
For the wider context of how the British sector and the newer schools sit alongside the established names across the emirate, see the Dubai schools hub.
Citizens School reviews
No verified parent reviews of Citizens School have been submitted to GlobalSchoolGuide yet. As a school that opened in 2022, it is still building its track record, and we do not publish a star rating until we have enough verified first hand accounts to be fair. We never invent ratings. If your family attends Citizens School, please share your experience through our school reviews page.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Citizens School fees?
Citizens School's KHDA approved tuition runs from around AED 45,000 in the first Foundation Stage year to roughly AED 80,000 in the lower secondary grades, placing it in Dubai's mid to upper mid fee tier.
What curriculum does Citizens School follow?
Citizens School follows the National Curriculum for England, wrapped in a future ready framework that adds technology, design and enterprise from the early years.
Is Citizens School a good school?
At its first full KHDA inspection in 2025, Citizens School was rated Good. As a school that opened in 2022 it is still maturing, so parents should weigh the rating alongside its short track record.
When did Citizens School open?
Citizens School opened in 2022 near City Walk in Dubai and has been adding year groups each year since.
When do Citizens School applications open?
Citizens School runs an August year and recruits across its current year groups, which makes mid year entry realistic. Confirm the highest grade currently available with admissions before applying for an older child.
