International Schools in Abu Dhabi

Ages 3-18 · British · Saadiyat Island · ~1,300 students

If ADEK Outstanding, BSO Outstanding, and genuinely small classes matter to your family, Cranleigh is hard to beat on Saadiyat Island - though fees at AED 106K for sixth form put it at the premium end of the Abu Dhabi market.

Ages 4-18 · American, IB · Saadiyat Island · ~1,315 students

If your child is heading to a US university and you want an American curriculum with IB and AP options, ACS is Abu Dhabi's clearest choice - the new Saadiyat campus makes a significant difference, though parent satisfaction is still recovering from years of transition.

Ages 3-18 · British · Al Reem Island · ~1,000 students

A new school. It opened in 2023 and is still building out — Year 13 only arrives in 2026. So no graduating cohort yet, no exam results to look at.

Ages 3-18 · British · Bloom Gardens & Khalifa City · ~1,850 students

Brighton College Abu Dhabi sits in an unusual position: BSO Outstanding in all categories but ADEK Very Good - a gap worth understanding before you commit at these fee levels.

Ages 3-18 · IB, British · Al Manaseer · ~1,030 students

If you want IB all the way through - PYP, then GCSE, then Diploma or Career-related Programme - in central Abu Dhabi at fees below the Saadiyat tier, Bateen World Academy is the only school in the city that runs that exact combination.

Ages 3-18 · British, IB · Mohammed Bin Zayed City · ~2,200 students

BIS Abu Dhabi's double Outstanding from ADEK - including National Identity, which no other international school in Abu Dhabi holds - is a real credential, and the Nord Anglia network adds MIT and Juilliard partnerships that matter at sixth form level; the main trade-off is the MBZ City location, which adds commute time for families on the island.

Ages 3-18 · IB · Al Reem Island · ~1,000 students

GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi is the only full IB Continuum school on Al Reem Island, and the new campus is genuinely impressive - if you are IB-committed and island-based, it is worth a visit; just go in aware that the school is still growing its secondary cohort and the 3.6/5 parent rating reflects a school still finding its stride at secondary level.

Ages 3-18 · British · Al Mushrif · ~2,000 students

BSAK is the default choice for British curriculum families in Abu Dhabi who want strong exam results, deep roots, and fees that sit well below Cranleigh - its not-for-profit status means money stays in the school rather than returning to shareholders.

Ages 3-18 · American, IB · Khalifa City · ~1,800 students

The short version: GAA is a safe, well-resourced bet for an American/IB pathway. Most families are happy. Most of the noise is about the GEMS-corporate side of things, not the classrooms.

Ages 3-7 · British · Al Reem Island · ~500 students

Repton Rose Campus is the right first school if you are committed to the Repton pathway through to A-Levels on the same island campus - the transition to Fry Campus at Year 2 is well managed and the Outstanding ratings at both campuses give it strong regulatory backing; at AED 62,601-69,436 it is the most expensive early-years entry point on Al Reem Island, which is worth factoring against the alternatives.

Ages 2-18 · British · Khalifa City · ~3,600 students

A solid third-tier British option in Abu Dhabi if Cranleigh, BSAK, and Brighton are full or out of budget - fees are mid-market for the Outstanding rating, though the 50% Emirati intake and mixed parent satisfaction signal it's worth visiting in person before committing.

Ages 3-13 · British · Saadiyat Island · ~935 students

Muna is the right choice if you want a small-school feel on a world-class campus without paying Cranleigh prices - the Saadiyat Lagoons location and Pearl 5 facilities are genuinely impressive, but go in with your eyes open: secondary only goes to Year 7 right now, so if your child is older than 12 you will need to plan a move.

Ages 3-18 · IB · Khalifa City · ~2,200 students

Raha Gardens is Abu Dhabi's original full IB Continuum school and remains the strongest case for accessible premium IB in the city - fees run 30-40% below the Saadiyat schools, and the 2024 Diploma results are the school's best on record.

Ages 3-18 · IB · Khalifa City · ~1,200 students

The newer of the two Raha campuses. Opened 2020. Purpose-built and modern - parents talk about wide light-filled corridors, an 8-lane competition pool, double gym. If you've heard people rave about "Raha Gardens," this is the sleek younger sibling about 7 minutes away.

Ages 3-18 · American · Yas Island · ~1,500 students

US curriculum school on Yas Island, run by Aldar. Opened 2016. ADEK rated it Good with Very Good features in 2024-25.

Ages 3-18 · American, IB · MBZ City · ~2,500 students

ENS MBZ is the original Emirates National Schools campus, opened in 2002 in Zone 3 of Mohamed Bin Zayed City. It is large — roughly 4,000+ students — and the cohort is overwhelmingly Emirati (90%+). If your child wants a school full of expat peers, this is not it. If you want them embedded in local culture, it is one of the best ways in.

Ages 4-18 · Canadian · Mohammed Bin Zayed City · ~500 students

If you want a small, tight-knit school with genuinely affordable fees and an ADEK Outstanding rating, CIS is one of Abu Dhabi's most overlooked options - it's worth a visit if the Canadian curriculum makes sense for your family's onward plans.