Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) approved, on Friday, an Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.35 per cent for for-profit private schools in the emirate for academic year 2025-2026.
The decision is based on the annual review of audited financial statements submitted by Dubai private schools, in collaboration with the Digital Dubai Authority.
KHDA, Dubai's education regulator, noted “the ECI takes into account the operational costs of running a school to offer a high quality of education, including staff wages, support services, and rental expenses.”
In Dubai, for-profit schools can increase their fees based on their individual school grade as per the results of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB), and the ECI which is calculated on a regular basis. Any fee increase can only be implemented for a particular academic year and cannot be carried forward to the upcoming academic years.
The ECI is based on the annual audited financial statements of private schools in Dubai, which outline the operational cost of running a private school to offer a high-quality education. The ECI used for the current school year (2024-2025) was 2.6 per cent.
“The ECI for fee adjustments is based on a robust and transparent methodology that supports schools in Dubai to manage their resources while maintaining a high quality of education in line with the needs of students and parents,” noted Shamma Al Mansouri, director of licensing and education services at KHDA.
“This sustainable approach to regulating school fees reflects Dubai Government’s commitment to transparency and efficiency in the education sector. It ensures that Dubai remains a leading destination for high quality education in line with the goals of the Education 33 Strategy,” she added.
KHDA said they have informed all private schools in Dubai about the requirements for submitting fee adjustment requests for the next academic year.
“Eligible for-profit schools may apply for an increase up to, but not exceeding, the approved ECI. Private schools that have been operating in Dubai for less than three years are not eligible for a fee adjustment. All applications will be reviewed by KHDA to ensure they meet the criteria for fee increases,” KHDA underscored.
Dubai currently has 227 private schools serving 387,441 students from 185 nationalities. The sector recorded an unprecedented 12 per cent increase in student enrollment in the 2023-24 academic year.
According to KHDA, enrollment grew by a further 6 per cent during the 2024-25 academic year. Fifteen new private schools have opened in Dubai in the last two academic years, and KHDA is currently reviewing more than 20 applications for new schools set to open in the next two years.
The opening of new schools and steady enrolment growth in Dubai’s private education sector support the objectives of the Education Strategy 33, which aims to open at least 100 new private schools by 2033.
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