No hike in private schools fee this year: Dubai administration

DUBAI: Dubai’s private school fees will stay the same for the 2026–27 academic year, as per directives from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

This move looks like it’s meant to help families and keep things stable inside the emirate’s private education sector while economic reforms are still underway.

The announcement also lands with the approval of Dubai’s second set of economic incentives, worth Dh1.5 billion, so the total for the latest support efforts becomes Dh2.5 billion.

That package includes 33 initiatives to be rolled out over the next three to 12 months, and education is one of the main sectors covered, just to be clear.

As part of the measures, KHDA-regulated private schools will be able to either defer or pay licence renewal fees in instalments, plus deferred fines.

Early childhood centres will get an exemption from licence renewal fees, fines, and Dubai Municipality market fees entirely. Meanwhile, the Knowledge Fund Establishment will provide partial rent relief, along with longer rent-free periods for centres that are still being developed.

More support comes as partial or full exemptions from guarantee insurance obligations, suspension of contractual penalties, a pause on rent increases during renewal periods, and deferred rental payments.

Officials said the steps are there to help ensure smooth operations across the sector, while still balancing the interests of schools, investors, and families, at the same time, not dragging anyone down.

Dubai’s private education scene keeps expanding. More than 95% of students attend classes in person, and schools offer 17 curricula.

KHDA said around 9,000 new affordable school seats were added this year, bringing enrolment to nearly 230,000 students. Another 7,500 seats are planned for the next two years, so the numbers should keep moving.