Dubai American Academy
About Dubai American Academy
GEMS Dubai American Academy (DAA) is a private school in Al Barsha, Dubai, teaching an American curriculum with the International Baccalaureate from KG1 to Grade 12. It is for families looking for an American/IB school in Dubai; the school says it is the only American-curriculum school rated “Outstanding” by KHDA since 2011.
Tuition fees 2026–2027
| Grade | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| KG1 and KG2 | AED 66,185 |
| Grade 1 to Grade 12 | AED 93,300 |
According to the fees page, fees include loaned books, an iPad in Elementary and Middle School, and internal after-school activities. They do not include uniforms, transport, lunch or external activities, and Middle and High School students bring their own laptop. Other charges listed:
- Application fee: AED 525 (AED 500 + VAT).
- Registration deposit after accepting a place: 10% of the annual fee, non-refundable but deducted from the fees.
- English Language Learner Program (KG2–Grade 12, where needed): AED 10,000 a year on top of fees.
- Sibling discount: 15% for the fourth child and 25% for the fifth child and above.
How to apply
- Submit an enquiry through the school’s online registration page and keep the enquiry number you receive.
- Pay the application fee (cheque, cash, card or bank transfer) and upload the documents.
- Documents: sponsor’s Emirates ID, visa and passport; the child’s photo, passport, visa and immunisation record; and recent school or nursery reports (two years if available).
- Before the first day, bring a Transfer Certificate: a system-generated one from a Dubai school, or an original hard copy from a school outside Dubai.
Age for entry
Following the KHDA rule for new KG–Grade 1 students from September 2026, a child must be 4 by 31 December to join KG1, 5 for KG2 and 6 for Grade 1.
Good to know
- The school is at the meeting of Sheikh Zayed Road and Hessa Street in Al Barsha.
- Main phone +971 4 704 9777; fees office +971 4 704 9740/741.
- The fees page and the admissions page describe the application fee’s refund rules differently; ask the school before paying.
- Students with unpaid fees or missing ministry documents cannot re-enrol for the next year.
Description written from official sources, checked 24 October 2026: gemsaa-dubai.com. Confirm details with the business before you go.
Useful before you go
Location and address data from OpenStreetMap — under the ODbL licence
Is this your business? Send us a photograph.
Something here out of date?
Hours and prices move. If you have been recently and know better, tell us — we check, then we correct.
Closest places
Measured from this address, not picked by category.
