Topic · 3 pieces · Updated October 2026
Ages, year groups and starting school in Dubai
Dubai counts a child's age on one fixed day, a rule of the UAE Ministry of Education applied in Dubai by KHDA. From 2026–27 that day is 31 December for most schools, so the birth date, not the age on the first day, decides the year group.
The calculator answers it for one child; the guides explain the cut-off, the April-start schools and the first two years of school, FS1 and FS2, with what schools charged for them in 2026–27.
Start here
Guide · October 2026
Which year group in September 2027? The 31 December cut-off
Born in 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024: the year group a child joins in September 2027 on the 31 December cut-off, April-start schools, and what ended with 2026–27.
Everything in this topic
Guide · October 2026
FS1 and FS2 in Dubai: ages, fees and which schools start at FS1
FS1 at three, FS2 at four, on the 31 December cut-off. How the two years map to Pre-KG and KG1, what schools charged for them in 2026–27, and why not every school opens at FS1.
Tool · September 2026
Which year group will your child join in Dubai?
Dubai counts a child's age on one fixed day. From 2026–27 that day is 31 December for most schools — so the birthday decides the year group, not the age.
Nothing of this kind in this topic yet.