A new ultra-luxury school is set to open in Dubai, where parents may face tuition fees of up to $56,000 annually. GEMS Education, one of the world’s largest private school providers, is behind this $100 million campus development.
The school will feature high-end facilities, including a 600-seat auditorium, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a football field large enough for helicopter landings. Students will also have the opportunity to work with robots and build go-karts that can be tested on a custom track.
“The rapid rise of Dubai and the UAE is unmistakable,” said Dino Varkey, CEO of GEMS Education. “As a result, the market has matured enough for us to set a new benchmark for educational excellence.”
When it opens in August, the school will initially cater to younger children, similar to nursery and elementary school levels in the United States. Annual tuition fees will range from $32,000 to $41,000, depending on the child’s age. As older students are introduced in later years, fees will rise to $56,000, aligning with the tuition costs of some prestigious private schools in the U.S., such as Phillips Academy in Andover.
This new institution will become the most expensive school in Dubai, a city already known for its elite educational options. Since children of foreign workers typically cannot attend public schools in Dubai, private schools like GEMS are the primary choice for their education.
GEMS Education, which began as a family-run business 60 years ago, has grown into one of the largest private school networks globally. Last year, the company secured a $2 billion investment from a group led by Brookfield Asset Management, marking one of the region’s largest business transactions.
“When compared to some of the world’s priciest day schools, our fees will still be highly competitive,” Varkey stated.
Varkey also noted the growing trend of wealthy families relocating to Dubai, especially following the pandemic. People from Russia, India, and the West are flocking to the city for its favorable climate, safety, and tax advantages. Many of these families, involved in finance or cryptocurrency, are willing to pay premium prices for high-quality education.
Despite the rapid expansion of private schools in the city—now hosting 387,441 students across 227 schools—the high tuition fees present a significant burden for many local families. In fact, 80% of families in the UAE, including Dubai, spend over a third of their monthly income on school fees.
