GEMS Our Own English High School is one of the very largest Indian curriculum schools in the emirate, teaching the CBSE syllabus to well over ten thousand pupils on its Al Warqa campus. Founded in 1968, it is a mixed school running from the kindergarten years to Grade 12, and it sits within the value band of the Dubai international schools market. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the regulator that inspects every private school in the emirate, has rated the school Very Good across its recent published cycles.
For relocating Indian families who want a recognised national board education without the premium price of a British or American school, GEMS Our Own English High School is a long established and well resourced option. This profile sets out its curriculum, its fee band, the admissions calendar and where its families tend to live. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed.
GEMS Our Own English High School at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | Indian CBSE board to Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Kindergarten to Grade 12 (ages 4 to 18) |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Regulator and rating | KHDA rated Very Good (recent published cycles) |
| Fee band | Value tier, roughly AED 7,800 to 16,600 a year |
| Campus area | Al Warqa, Dubai |
Curriculum and academics
The school teaches the CBSE curriculum, the most widely followed of India's national boards, with pupils working towards the All India Senior School Certificate at Grade 12. From the early years the emphasis is on literacy and numeracy, broadening in the middle grades to a full academic programme, and narrowing again in Grades 11 and 12 into the Science, Commerce and Humanities streams that shape a pupil's university options.
English is the medium of instruction throughout, with Hindi and other subjects taught alongside the core academic timetable. The CBSE pathway suits families who expect to return to the Indian higher education system or who value a structured, examination focused programme. Parents weighing the national board against an international qualification can read our overview of the CBSE curriculum schools in Dubai to see how it compares.
Comparing GEMS Our Own English High School with other Dubai options?
Use our free compare tool to put this school side by side with up to two other Dubai schools on curriculum, fees and location.
GEMS Our Own English High School fees
GEMS Our Own English High School sits at the affordable end of the Dubai market. In the published KHDA approved schedules, annual tuition ran from about AED 7,828 in the kindergarten years to about AED 16,562 in the senior science grades, well below the AED 55,000 to 85,000 many expatriate families pay at the British and American schools set out in our Dubai school fees guide. Exact tuition by year group is approved by the KHDA each year, so confirm the current figure for your child's grade before you budget.
Beyond tuition, plan for the standard line items: a non refundable application charge, a registration deposit of around ten per cent of the annual fee payable on acceptance and set against tuition, plus books, uniform and optional transport. Families looking specifically at low cost options can also read our roundup of the cheapest international schools in Dubai, where value tier CBSE schools such as this one feature regularly.
Admissions and intake
The school runs an April to March academic year in line with the Indian calendar, and admissions open ahead of each new session. The kindergarten years are the main intake point, with places in other grades offered as expatriate families arrive and leave through the year. Assessment is age appropriate, ranging from an informal readiness check in the early years to a placement review of school reports and a short test for older applicants.
Parents should prepare the child's transfer certificate, recent report cards and passport and visa documents, all of which the KHDA requires for any school move within or into the UAE. Because a popular value tier school of this size fills its sought grades quickly, applying early in the admissions window improves the chance of a place at your preferred entry point.
Location and who goes there
The campus is in Al Warqa, a large residential district in eastern Dubai within easy reach of Mirdif, Al Qusais and the Sharjah road corridor. Many families live in these neighbourhoods to keep the commute short and the transport bill manageable, which matters at the value end of the market.
Families comparing options often look at GEMS Our Own Indian School and The Indian High School alongside this one. For a fuller view of how the Indian, British, American and IB sectors sit together across the emirate, the Dubai schools hub maps the whole market by curriculum, fee band and neighbourhood.
GEMS Our Own English High School reviews
No verified parent reviews of GEMS Our Own English High School have been submitted to GlobalSchoolGuide yet. We do not publish a star rating until we have collected enough verified accounts to be fair to the school and useful to parents, and we never invent ratings. If your family attends or has attended the school, you can help other relocating parents through our school reviews page.
Frequently asked questions
How much are GEMS Our Own English High School fees?
In the recent KHDA approved schedule, annual tuition ran from about AED 7,828 in the kindergarten years to about AED 16,562 in the senior science grades, which keeps the school in Dubai's value tier. Fees are approved yearly, so confirm the current figure for your child's grade with the school.
What curriculum does GEMS Our Own English High School follow?
The school follows the Indian CBSE board, with pupils working towards the All India Senior School Certificate at Grade 12. English is the medium of instruction throughout.
Is GEMS Our Own English High School a good school?
The KHDA, Dubai's school regulator, has rated the school Very Good across several published inspection cycles, with strong attainment reported in the secondary phase. Whether it suits your child depends on your preference for the Indian national board and the Al Warqa location.
Where is GEMS Our Own English High School in Dubai?
The school is in Al Warqa, a residential district in eastern Dubai within reach of Mirdif and Al Qusais, popular with Indian and South Asian families.
When do GEMS Our Own English High School applications open?
The school runs an April to March academic year and opens admissions ahead of each new session, with the kindergarten years the main intake point and other grades offered on a rolling basis subject to space.
