United Arab Emirates, Dubai
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· Reviewed by Aziza Francienne · B2C Marketing Manager
Deira International School has 1,930 pupils, typical class sizes of 9, instruction in English.
The Deira International School campus is situated in Dubai Festival City, Al Badia, Dubai Festival City, United Arab Emirates. The postal address is P.O. Box 79043, Al Badia, Dubai Festival City. It is located near Al Badia Golf Resort and Al Badia Residence, about 3 kilometres from Dubai International Airport and a short drive from areas such as Mirdif and Al Warqa, with access via the Business Bay Crossing.
DIS serves students from Foundation Stage (FS1–FS2) through Key Stage 4 and into the IB pathways (IBDP or IBCP) in the final years, covering ages roughly 3 to 18.
DIS is a co-educational day school. It operates within a British-curriculum framework and offers IGCSEs in Year 11 and IB pathways in Years 12–13; the school does not indicate boarding facilities.
The school reports representation of over 90 nationalities among its students. The exact local-to-international ratio is not published by the school; independent listings note a diverse mix with Arab nationalities appearing prominently in some datasets.
DIS provides personalised learning and SEND support through a dedicated Pastoral and Personalised Learning Support Team, with early identification and targeted intervention. The school also supports learners whose first language is not English and offers Arabic as a First Language, AFL and Islamic Studies as part of its language and curriculum provisions.
The school follows the English National Curriculum and functions as a British international school, with formal affiliations to British-based organisations including British Schools in the Middle East (BSME), COBIS and British Schools Overseas (BSO).
DIS has no formal religious affiliation. Islamic Studies is offered to Muslim students as part of the curriculum where appropriate.
School day timings are: Foundation Stage 7:50–13:00, Primary 7:50–14:30, and Secondary 7:50–15:30 on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; Tuesday 7:50–14:30 for all; Friday 7:50–12:00 for all students.
The school's transportation is provided by Maverick. Maverick employs certified drivers and bus assistants, with safety protocols and real-time tracking; contact details for routes are provided by the school. In 2024–2025, two-way route charges were listed as AED 4,700–9,300 depending on the route, with Maverick handling registrations and operations.
Annual tuition at Deira International School ranges from AED 44,616 to AED 89,889 for 2026/27.
Deira International School teaches British Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 3 to 18.
Deira International School delivers a British-inspired curriculum built on the National Curriculum for England and Wales, and is a Cambridge IGCSE centre while offering IB pathways (IBDP, IBCP, and IB Courses) for post-16 study. In Primary (Year 1–6), the curriculum is adapted from England's National Curriculum, designed to be cross-curricular and contextually relevant, with Year 1–2, Year 3–4 and Year 5–6 curriculum booklets; core subjects include English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and Arabic B. In Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11), students study at least seven IGCSE/GCSE subjects, including English Language and English Literature, Mathematics (two pathways) and Science (two pathways), plus Core PE, National Studies (Social Studies and Moral Education), Islamic Education or Integrated Studies, and Arabic A or B, with a range of option subjects such as Spanish, French, Drama, Computer Science, Economics, Business Studies and Art/Design, and opportunities for Triple Science. In Key Stage 5 (Years 12–13), students may pursue the IB Diploma Programme, the IB Career-Related Programme or IB Courses; the IBDP comprises six subject groups across Languages, Humanities, Sciences, Mathematics and the Arts, with three core elements (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) and a maximum of 45 points. The language of instruction is English, with Arabic (First Language and Foreign Language) and French offered; the school is accredited for Cambridge IGCSE and the IB programmes.
Step 1 – Entry requirements and placement. Foundation Stage places are offered on application, and children attend a short play-based assessment. For Year 1 to Year 10, admission is confirmed after a review of the child's most recent school report. A CAT4 assessment is required from Year 4 to Year 10, while Year 1 to Year 3 use paper-based assessments. External IB Diploma Programme applicants are guided by recommended criteria and all applications are considered. Entry age guidelines apply to each class from Foundation Stage through IB.
Scholarships are offered by the Al-Futtaim Education Foundation at Deira International School in three categories: Emirati students (academic excellence) up to 100%; Talent and Sports up to 50%; and IBDP Academic Excellence up to 50%. IBDP scholarships are valid for two years; Emirati scholarships are valid for the duration of enrolment subject to performance and conduct; Sports and Talent scholarships require an annual portfolio and representation where applicable. Scholarship applications for the 2025–2026 academic year have now closed. Emirati scholarships may require a CAT4 test arranged through Admissions.
Waitlist. Most Primary Year Groups operate on a waitlist; Foundation Stage has limited availability.
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