Which year group in September 2027? The 31 December cut-off

Until 2025–26, Dubai's September-start schools counted age on 31 August, so a December child was among the oldest. From 2026–27 the date is 31 December, so the same child is now the youngest. Families from systems with a summer cut-off may find their child one year group higher in Dubai than at home.

For a first registration in September 2027, your child's age on 31 December 2027 is 2027 minus the birth year. The whole calendar year goes into one year group; the month does not matter. British schools call the first two years FS1 and FS2 (Foundation Stage); American schools call them Pre-KG and KG1. The table at the top of this page covers every birth year from 2024 to 2010.

Grade 1 in an American or Indian school, Year 2 in a British school and CP in a French school are the same step, taken at six. Not every American-curriculum school opens a Pre-KG class. IB schools name their years differently; check the school's admissions page.

From Year 2 / Grade 1 upwards, a child who is already at school is placed mainly by the last grade completed; see «Moving to Dubai with a child who is already at school».

Born in 2023 → FS2 / KG1

Born September–December 2023? Same year group as a January 2023 birthday; your child is simply the youngest in it. If your child was born at any point in 2023, they are four on 31 December 2027 and join FS2 in a British school or KG1 in an American one. In 2026–27 there was a choice for children born in September–December 2022; that choice belonged to the transition year and does not carry into September 2027.

Born in 2022 → Year 1 / KG2

If your child was born in 2022, they are five on 31 December 2027 and join Year 1 or KG2, even if they turn six on 2 January 2028. Only the age on 31 December counts. KHDA's own example is the same: a child who turns six on 1 January in a September-start school goes into KG2 / Year 1.

Schools that start the year in April keep 31 March as the cut-off. In Dubai these are the Indian-curriculum, Pakistani and Japanese schools. The ages are the same (three for Pre-KG, four for KG1, five for KG2, six for Grade 1); only the date is different.

So one child can have two answers. A child born in June 2022 is four on 31 March 2027, so KG1 in an April-start school from April 2027, and five on 31 December 2027, so Year 1 / KG2 in a September-start school from September 2027.

CBSE schools often say Class 1 for Grade 1, and Nursery, LKG and UKG for Pre-KG, KG1 and KG2. The names vary from school to school; the age does not.

Indian-curriculum schools on this site. Terms such as FS2, KG1 and year group are explained in the glossary.

The 2026–27 year was the only transition year. KHDA allowed children born between 1 September and 31 December 2022 to enter either FS1 or FS2, and the Ministry allowed children born between 1 September and 31 December 2021 to enter either KG1 or KG2. For September 2027 there is no such choice: the birth year sets the year group.

The new date does not reach back. A child enrolled before 2026–27 keeps the year group and cohort the 31 August date gave, and moves up with it each year; the 31 December rule applies only to a child's first registration in the KHDA system.

So two children born in the same month can be in different year groups at the same school: one placed under the old date, one under the new. Both follow the rules: the old date for the earlier registration, the new date for the later one.

From Grade 1 / Year 2 upwards, the main reference for placement is the transfer certificate: the last grade the child successfully completed at the previous school, including a school abroad. The age table is read beside it.

Under the Ministry's guide, a child who has never been registered at any school and is six by 31 December goes into Grade 1 / Year 2, even if that means joining older than the rest of the class.

The rule does not bend downwards. If your child is below the age for a year group on the cut-off, they cannot be placed in it, even by a few days and even after studying that level elsewhere; they become eligible the following academic year.

For UK-curriculum schools there is a narrow exception at FS1 entry, where a school has formally assessed and documented a child's readiness. It is the only flexibility named in the documents this guide draws on, and it rests with the school.

The age rule fixes which year group your child may join. It does not promise a place: each school confirms the placement itself, checks the documents, assesses readiness where its curriculum allows, and offers a place only where it has one. Ask the school's admissions team early and keep the answer in writing.

For a child already at school, have the transfer certificate from the last school ready; from Grade 1 / Year 2 it is the main reference for placement. The school's admissions page says when its application window opens.

To see what the year group costs, open the fee page for it from the table: FS1, FS2, Year 2 / Grade 1, and all year groups. For the whole route from this year group to the final year, use the cost planner. Then open the School Finder to see which schools teach it near where you will live.