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UAE back-to-school deals: Up to Dh200,000 in scholarships, 80% off essentials
As families get ready for the new school year, businesses across the UAE are stepping in with offers, promotions and activities to make the back-to-school season easier
- PUBLISHED: Sun 23 Aug 2026, 6:00 AM
With the new school year approaching, residents in the UAE are entering the final stretch of back-to-school shopping, picking up everything from backpacks and shoes to lunch boxes, stationery, clothes and electronics.
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Retailers in the UAE are responding with many offers this year, including discounts of up to 80 per cent, free gifts, scholarship draws, and children’s activities to turn school shopping into a family outing.
Among the retailers rolling out back-to-school deals is Noon, which is offering discounts of up to 80 per cent across school essentials. The sale includes stationery, backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, fashion, electronics and grocery items and is running until September 2.
Use the Khaleej Times calculator to check your family's back-to-school costs
Amazon.ae is also running its Back-to-School sale, with discounts of up to 50 per cent across selected products until August 23. Selected school clothing and other categories are also being offered at deeper discounts.
At Union Coop, families can find discounts of up to 50 per cent across more than 1,000 products, including stationery, school bags, lunch boxes, bottles, food and electronics. The campaign continues until September 13.
Parents shopping for study furniture can find offers at Ikea UAE, where Ikea Family members can get between 25 and 50 per cent off selected desks and organisers until September 6.
Fashion and electronics retailers are also joining the rush. Max Fashion is offering 40 per cent off backpacks until the end of August, while Jumbo Electronics has advertised discounts of up to 35 per cent on selected laptops and tablets.
Sharaf DG is also targeting students and teachers during the school season, with an additional five per cent benefit on selected purchases as part of its Back-to-School campaign.
For residents looking for clear starting prices rather than percentage discounts, Redtag has launched a GCC-wide school collection covering backpacks, trolley bags, lunch boxes, bottles, stationery, shoes and clothing.
Its 5-in-1 school sets are priced at Dh99, backpacks start from Dh59, footwear from Dh55 and water bottles from Dh29. Dresses start from Dh29 in the UAE.
Free products and scholarships
Some retailers are going beyond price cuts by offering free products with school purchases.
Asics is offering a free CamelBak bottle with selected children’s shoe purchases, while New Balance customers spending Dh300 can receive a free pouch.
Scholarship draws are also becoming part of the Back-to-School season. At Arabian Center in Dubai, shoppers spending Dh200 or more can enter a draw for a share of Dh200,000 in Modesh Scholarships. Ten winners will each receive Dh20,000 under the campaign, which runs until August 29.
Malls are also trying to make the annual shopping trip more entertaining for children. Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in Abu Dhabi is running its 'Big Dreams Take Flight' Back-to-School experience from August 21 to 30, between 4pm and 10pm.
The programme features a giant hot-air-balloon installation along with games including “Hop to the Top”, “Adventure Chase”, “Catch Your Dream” and “Sky Runner”. A dedicated arts and crafts area is also available for children.
The mall said families can combine the activities with school shopping across more than 350 local and international brands covering stationery, electronics, fashion, footwear and accessories.
Several other retailers, including Nesto, Day To Day, Ansar Mall, Night to Night, Miniso and Mumuso, are also running school-season collections or promotional catalogues during August and early September.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.