Edited by Aziza Francienne · B2C Marketing Manager
Abu Dhabi has 52 schools in the affordable category, providing families with focused options.
Compare 52 Affordable international schools in Abu dhabi, United arab emirates. Filter by curriculum, fees (average AED 33,023), location, and more to find the right international school now.
Sama International School, located in the Al Shamkha community of Abu Dhabi, provides education from Kindergarten through Grade 12. The school implements the American curriculum, aligning its English Language Arts and Mathematics with the California Common Core State Standards, alongside the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for its science courses. Students also take Arabic language, Islamic studies, and social studies to satisfy United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education requirements. Campus facilities include science laboratories, computer rooms, an indoor gymnasium, an outdoor playing field, and a dedicated library. A signature offering at the school is its intensive focus on English and Arabic dual-literacy development from the early kindergarten stages, ensuring students build strong communication skills in both languages. The school operates as a co-educational day school, providing daily bus transportation options for families living across the Abu Dhabi region.
GEMS Founders School - Masdar City (GFA) offers the National Curriculum for England for students from FS1 to Year 10. Located in Abu Dhabi’s eco-friendly urban community, the campus integrates environmental responsibility directly into the student experience. A standout feature is the "Sustainnovation" program, which blends sustainability and innovation, teaching students to apply eco-conscious practices through hands-on projects and cross-curricular learning. The school operates with renewable energy sources and incorporates green spaces throughout. Students benefit from dedicated science laboratories, music rooms, and expansive outdoor play areas. Beyond core subjects, GFA provides an extracurricular program featuring robotics, coding, design challenges, and philanthropic activities. Leadership development is actively encouraged through roles like House Captains and the student council. By combining British educational standards with a unique focus on environmental stewardship, the school prepares students to be informed, earth-conscious citizens.
Al Nahda National Schools is a private English-medium day school in Abu Dhabi with separate Boys' and Girls' campuses for ages 4–18. Established in 1983, ANNS offers British and American Curricula, including Cambridge IGCSE and Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, plus Advanced Placement. The British Program and American Program cover languages, mathematics, sciences, humanities, information technology, Islamic studies, physical education, music, drama and art. The school is licensed by ADEK and the UAE Ministry of Education and accredited by NEASC, CIS, ECIS, Cambridge International Examinations, Pearson-Edexcel, and the SAT Center. Examinations include IGCSEs, GCSEs and A-levels, alongside the BTEC suite. The SAT Center supports university admissions testing. With nearly 5,800 students, the school focuses on high-quality learning and global citizenship, while maintaining its two-campus, gender-segregated model. Extracurriculars feature sports, robotics, and debating, and the school's arts program integrates music, drama and art alongside National Day and Cultural Evenings. National Day celebrations foster cultural awareness.
Abu Dhabi International School (AIS) operates across two campuses, the Abu Dhabi Campus at 121 Hadfah St, Al Manhal, and the MBZ Campus in Mohamed Bin Zayed City. Catering to students aged 3 to 18, AIS delivers three curricula under one private, coeducational K-12 umbrella: the British Program (IGCSE and A Levels) at the Abu Dhabi Campus; the American Program with Advanced Placement (AP) at the MBZ Campus; and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) also at MBZ for grades 11–12. The American track aligns English and Math with the Common Core, Science with NGSS, and Arabic with UAE Ministry standards. The High School offers Engineering, Medicine & Health Sciences, Economics & Business, and Liberal Arts tracks. Facilities span two campuses with libraries, theatres, laboratories, and sports grounds, plus spaces for co-curricular activities. AIS fosters nationalities (about 60) and a spectrum of clubs in science, arts, sports, service, and sustainability.
Located in Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, Sama International School – formerly Italian International School – serves students aged 3 to 17. The campus is the founding site of Sama International Schools, part of expansion preserving its Italian identity. The school delivers an American Curriculum aligned with California/Common Core within the IB framework, taught in English and reinforced by a multilingual approach including Arabic and Italian. The Italian language department offers two pathways: Language A for mother-tongue Italian speakers and Language B for Italian learners; Language A enables Italian graduation through the IB Diploma Programme at higher or standard level. The IB continuum covers PYP and MYP, with the Career-related Programme as a candidate arriving 2026–2027, with final authorization planned for May 2026. Facilities include 100% smart classrooms and 21st-century learning spaces, plus culinary programs and sport academies. Extras include over 20 ECAs, such as Chess, Coding, Swimming, and Arts initiatives.
Yasmina American School, opening in August 2025 in Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, provides the American curriculum for students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5, with future expansion planned up to Grade 12. The school occupies the former Yasmina British Academy campus on Al Mireef Street, featuring age-appropriate classrooms, integrated technology, and designated outdoor play spaces. Students follow a structured program focusing on literacy, numeracy, science, and social studies, supplemented by dedicated STEAM, arts, and sports extracurricular activities. A distinctive feature of the school is its formalized Parental Engagement framework, which integrates families into the educational process through regular workshops and collaborative events. The campus provides a fixed-fee bus service and includes Arabic language instruction aligned with Ministry of Education standards. By maintaining specific class limits—up to 25 in early years and 30 in Grades 1-5—educators deliver targeted instruction tailored to individual student requirements.
The Cambridge High School in Abu Dhabi is a private international school for ages 4 to 18 and is part of the GEMS Education group. It follows the National Curriculum for England, offering EYFS, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels and BTEC qualifications. The Foundation Stage serves 4 to 5-year-olds, with a Primary and a Secondary programme up to Sixth Form. The campus in Mussafah provides a safe, nurturing environment with facilities, including an Early Years Playground, four ICT labs with high-speed Internet, dedicated science laboratories, a Music Studio, two Art Studios, a library, an air‑conditioned auditorium and a Multi‑purpose Court, plus a heated swimming pool. Arabic is compulsory for most students; Islamic Studies is offered; Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education is taught. ADEK has rated the school 'Very Good' since 2022. The school includes Sustainability and Innovative Initiatives as part of Education for Sustainable Development.
Abu Dhabi International School (AIS) operates across two campuses, the Abu Dhabi Campus at 121 Hadfah St, Al Manhal, and the MBZ Campus in Mohamed Bin Zayed City. Catering to students aged 3 to 18, AIS delivers three curricula under one private, coeducational K-12 umbrella: the British Program (IGCSE and A Levels) at the Abu Dhabi Campus; the American Program with Advanced Placement (AP) at the MBZ Campus; and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) also at MBZ for grades 11–12. The American track aligns English and Math with the Common Core, Science with NGSS, and Arabic with UAE Ministry standards. The High School offers Engineering, Medicine & Health Sciences, Economics & Business, and Liberal Arts tracks. Facilities span two campuses with libraries, theatres, laboratories, and sports grounds, plus spaces for co-curricular activities. AIS fosters nationalities (about 60) and a spectrum of clubs in science, arts, sports, service, and sustainability.
Noya British School, located in the Noya Community on Yas Island, offers the English National Curriculum for students from FS1 to Year 9. The campus accommodates up to 3,000 learners, featuring dedicated performing arts spaces and extensive sports grounds. Students follow a thematic learning approach that connects core subjects to real-world global issues. The school is deeply committed to environmental responsibility and operates as a sustainability-focused campus with initiatives tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, guided by a dedicated Sustainability coordinator. Families benefit from wrap-around care available from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm and an extra-curricular program delivered with Infinite Sports, featuring robotics, rugby, and ballet. High Performance Learning principles are integrated into daily lessons, developing cognitive characteristics like resilience. Core academics are complemented by specialist instruction in physical education, music, and drama, ensuring varied opportunities for student engagement and personal development.
Royal American School, formerly Al Maali International School, operates a campus in the Mohammed Bin Zayed City area of Abu Dhabi. The school delivers an American curriculum aligned with Oregon State Standards alongside the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education requirements for Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Social Studies. Serving students from Kindergarten 1 through Grade 12, the institution implements a distinctive structural transition where boys and girls are taught in mixed co-educational classrooms up to Grade 4, before transitioning into single-sex classes from Grade 5 through Grade 12. The campus is equipped with practical amenities to support student development, including specialized science laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, computer laboratories, a dedicated gymnasium, an indoor sports hall, and a swimming pool. Hands-on, project-based investigations are integrated into daily lessons to cultivate critical thinking and 21st-century skills while keeping learners deeply connected to their national identity.
Summit International School in Abu Dhabi delivers the American Curriculum, strictly aligned with California Common Core standards, for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. The downtown, four-building campus features a regulation football pitch, a multi-use gymnasium, a swimming pool, and a theater. Instruction replaces traditional textbooks with a 1:1 Chromebook learning model and utilizes Exact Path adaptive software to create individualized learning paths based on NWEA MAP assessment data. A unique hallmark of the school is its unified "Climber" identity. Students, parents, and staff are all referred to as Climbers ascending "Mount Summit," and daily interactions frequently incorporate the school’s signature call-and-response motto, "To the Top!" Students begin in co-educational classrooms until Grade 4, transitioning to gender-segregated instruction from Grade 5 onward. The school provides a technology-driven, data-informed environment focusing on individual student growth, robotics, and strong core subject foundations.
The International School of Choueifat Abu Dhabi sits on Yas Island; its campus was relocated in September 2023. The school serves students aged 4-18 in an English-medium, non-selective, co-educational, college-prep environment. As a member of the SABIS network, ISC Abu Dhabi welcomes 1,600 plus students from 58 nationalities. The curriculum combines a bespoke program with Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, and Advanced Placement pathways, preparing students for local and international qualifications. The 27,000 metre campus offers spacious classrooms fitted with Interactive Smart Boards, two science laboratories, four computer labs, a library, music and art spaces, and an auditorium with professional lighting. The SABIS Integrated Testing and Learning Hall supports exams and revision. Early years facilities include large KG playground, indoor pool, and dedicated classrooms. Sports facilities include two pools, a full-size soccer field, a gym, and a multipurpose hall, alongside a range of clubs and activities.
Al Nahda National Schools is a private English-medium day school in Abu Dhabi with separate Boys' and Girls' campuses for ages 4–18. Established in 1983, ANNS offers British and American Curricula, including Cambridge IGCSE and Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, plus Advanced Placement. The British Program and American Program cover languages, mathematics, sciences, humanities, information technology, Islamic studies, physical education, music, drama and art. The school is licensed by ADEK and the UAE Ministry of Education and accredited by NEASC, CIS, ECIS, Cambridge International Examinations, Pearson-Edexcel, and the SAT Center. Examinations include IGCSEs, GCSEs and A-levels, alongside the BTEC suite. The SAT Center supports university admissions testing. With nearly 5,800 students, the school focuses on high-quality learning and global citizenship, while maintaining its two-campus, gender-segregated model. Extracurriculars feature sports, robotics, and debating, and the school's arts program integrates music, drama and art alongside National Day and Cultural Evenings. National Day celebrations foster cultural awareness.
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