School Fees 2020-2021

Dubai College operates as an independent, non profit making Secondary School run on British principles under an Emiri Decree granted by His Highness the Ruler of Dubai, as published in the Official Gazette 18 of 1982.

Tuition Fee:

Years 7-11: AED 27,494 per term payable in advance.

Years 12-13: AED 31,133 per term payable in advance.

There are three terms in a year.

These are:

Autumn: Sept-Dec Spring: Jan-Mar Summer: Apr-Jul

1. Fees are payable promptly on the due date which will be detailed on the invoice.

2. The Governors reserve the right to refuse admission to any student in the event that fees are not paid.

3. A full term’s notice in writing is required before a student is withdrawn from the school; where such prior notice is not tendered, fees will be charged in lieu.

A Personal Debenture is required for all new students joining the school to the value of AED 25,000, which will be returned less any outstanding sums owing after the student leaves.

AED 200 for each School Medical, as required by the Dubai Health Authority.

Optional Extras:

Transport: AED 2,100 per term (if required)

Private Music: AED 2,310 per term (if required)

This fee will be for a minimum of 400 minutes of private teaching in ten 40 minute lessons per term. The fee is payable in advance with the tuition and transport charges.

A term’s notice in writing is required if a student is withdrawn from the transport or music lessons; where such notice is not given, one term’s charges will still be due.

Admissions Procedure

Admission to the school is by entrance assessment/interview for Year 7, 8, 9 and 10. The entrance assessment for Year 7 will be held in November 2020 for entry in September 2021.

Due to the current circumstances our Year 7 entrance process for September 2021 will take place entirely remotely (online) for candidates at school in the UAE.  Please see our Year 7 Frequently Asked Questions for full details of the process for entry in September 2021. 

For overseas applicants, assessment details will be sent to their present school, to administer them on our behalf. The receipt of an application by the College containing the name, address and e-mail of the current school is taken as parental approval to contact the school and make the arrangements.

Age of entry

All applicants should be in the school year group which corresponds to their age unless there are exceptional circumstances.

For entry into Year 7, the applicant should have reached the age of eleven years and should have completed Year 6 by 1st September.

Applicants younger than this, who have their eleventh birthday before the end of the calendar year, will, in exceptional circumstances, be considered. Applications from students younger than this will not be accepted.

For entry into Years 8, 9 and 10 the same conditions apply to the appropriate age group.

Application Requirements

Year 7

1) A completed on-line application including all required identification document copies: UAE Residency visa for current UAE residents, Emirates ID for current UAE residents, passport, birth certificate, passport photograph; plus the fee of AED 525 – made up of the application registration fee of AED 100 (+ AED 5 VAT) and the assessment fee of AED 400 (+ AED 20 VAT, non-refundable after assessment).   

2) The candidate’s end of Year 5 school report.

3) 2021 Admissions: for students who attended school in Dubai in Year 5: the candidate’s CAT4 report/scores provided by the school attended in Year 5.

Please see our CAT4 Guidance notes for more information.  Students who did not attend school in Dubai in Year 5 must contact the Registrar. 

4) Optional/as applicable: extra-curricular achievements (we strongly recommend that parents provide this optional document), information about SEND or medical conditions.

Years 8 to 10

The initial requirement is a completed on-line application including a copy of the most recent full school report; extra-curricular achievements and information about SEND or medical conditions should be submitted as applicable. If we anticipate that places will become available we will shortlist and invite a small number of candidates for assessment/interview.  

Assessment/interview for entry to Years 8, 9 and 10 takes place in the Spring and further guidance on the exact arrangements for Spring 2021 will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

The fee of AED 525 – made up of the application registration fee of AED 100 (+ AED 5 VAT) and the assessment fee of AED 400 (+ AED 20 VAT, non-refundable after assessment) -  is payable for shortlisted candidates only, on acceptance of our invitation to assessment/interview.

Year 12

The initial requirements are a completed on-line application including the three/four preferred A Level subjects; extra-curricular achievements, information about SEND or medical conditions should be submitted as applicable. We will contact the applicant’s current school directly to request a reference including predicted GCSE grades and CAT4 test report/scores if available. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for assessment/interview in January.

The fee of AED 525 – made up of the application registration fee of AED 100 (+ AED 5 VAT) and the assessment fee of AED 400 (+ AED 20 VAT, non-refundable after assessment) - is payable for shortlisted candidates only, on acceptance of our invitation to assessment/interview.

External applicants to the Sixth Form will be expected to show significant academic success at GCSE or its equivalent:

• A minimum of 6 subjects at grade 7 (A) would be expected including English and Mathematics. It would be assumed that a number of these grades would be at grade 8 (A*) level, and
• 7/8/9 (A/A*) grades would be expected in those subjects to be studied at A Level.

We would especially welcome applicants who are able to offer a range of additional skills above and beyond academic success (for example strong and sustained talent in one or more of the creative, sporting and philanthropic arenas). All students must be fluent in written and spoken English.

 

Admissions Policy

Dubai College is a selective entry school which embraces being inclusive. We cater to all nationalities and religions; this is reflected in the values and culture of the whole school community so that learners feel welcome, accepted, safe and valued whatever their background. On entry to the school, we also effectively identify students who have special educational needs and disabilities as well as those who are gifted and talented. Where needed, we modify our curriculum accordingly and measure the impact of any intervention and specific support mechanisms through the use of feedback from monitoring and assessment processes.

Entry for Years 7 to 10

1. Dubai College is a British curriculum school catering for academically able students from all communities and staffed predominantly by British trained and experienced teachers. The language of instruction is English therefore all students must be fluent in written and spoken English.
2. As we are a highly academic school we operate a selective entry policy whereby all prospective students for Year 7 (and selected students for Year 8-10 if places are available) are asked to sit an assessment in English and Mathematics plus a cognitive ability test.  Only students who have shown good levels of ability in all 3 aspects of the assessment will be admitted to the school.
3. We ask for previous reports from primary or other schools to help inform our selection process and will look favourably upon students who, in addition to being academically able, excel in the Creative Arts and Sports.
4. It is important to note that we look for potential in all prospective students and consider their suitability to the ethos of our school and its student body.  Therefore, we take into consideration students with an exemplary approach to learning including effort, behaviour and participation.   We also look for involvement in a range of activities including community service and student leadership.
5. In line with the KHDA-approved vision for inclusion at the school, “Dubai College encourages applications from all students who meet the admission criteria, but who may not be aware of the school’s very effective provision for students of determination”. As such, we actively welcome applications from students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who would be able to cope with the academic rigour of the whole curriculum. SEND students, whose academic profile fits with the selective entrance criteria, will be supported fully if successful. Full access arrangements are facilitated at the entrance examination stage that are already in place for any student within their Primary Schools. Where students have a medical condition admission will not be conditional upon the submission of a medical diagnosis as per Standard 1.1 of the Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework.
6. All students are required to have a valid UAE ID Card in order to attend school and parents need to ensure that the College has up-to-date copies of this ID.
7. We do not operate a sibling policy. However, as per Standard 2.2 of the Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework, students who experience SEND will receive “sibling priority” for admission. It is important to note that those siblings must be able to cope with the academic rigour of being in a selective entry school.

Entry to the Sixth Form

External applicants to the Sixth Form will be expected to show significant academic success at GCSE or its equivalent:

• A minimum of six grades of 7/8/9 would be expected including English and Mathematics.
• Grades 7/8/9 would be expected in those subjects to be studied at A Level.

We would especially welcome applicants who are able to offer a range of additional skills above and beyond academic success (for example strong and sustained talent in one or more of the creative, sporting and philanthropic arenas). All students must be fluent in written and spoken English. We will ask for references and our Head of Sixth Form will invite potential candidates to an interview.

We, again, actively welcome applications from students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who would be able to cope with the academic rigour of the whole curriculum. SEND students, whose academic profile fits with the selective entrance criteria, will be supported fully if successful. On entry, and where needs are assessed, full access arrangements for examinations are facilitated by the SENCO in order to support SEND students.

Dubai College is confident of the integrity of its admission process and would respectfully inform parents that our decisions regarding entry are final.

Year 7 Admissions in September 2021

1. What is the format of the entrance assessment?

We are often asked about the format and content of the Year 7 entrance assessment.   Given the current circumstances, the assessment for entry in September 2021 will comprise of two assessed elements for all candidates.  Both will take place remotely: applicants to Year 7 for September 2021 will not attend Dubai College in person for the entrance process this year.

a)     Remote assessment with online proctoring for candidates at school in the UAE – Saturday 7^th November 2020

This computer-based assessment will include English, Maths and reasoning.  The total duration will be approximately 1.5 – 2 hours including settling time and any comfort breaks.

Full details of the technical requirements will be provided to applicants separately.

and

b)    Online interview – Saturday 21^st November 2020

The interview will be a 1-to-1 online interview with the student conducted by one of the middle and senior leaders from our teaching staff.  It will last approximately 30 minutes.

The aim of the interview is to find out more about the student, their passions, their thoughts and opinions and similarly affords them an opportunity to ask questions of their interviewer.  No special preparation is required; we wish to get to know students as they really are. Rehearsed or coached responses are likely to hinder rather than advantage a student during their interview.

All interviews will be recorded for safeguarding and moderation purposes. 

Please note: to ensure fairness for all applicants, unfortunately we will be unable to respond to individual requests for further information on our admissions assessment and interview.  Details of the arrangements for the assessment and interview will be shared with parents of applicants ahead of each stage of the process. We would kindly request that staff members are not asked for more details.

2.     What else will be considered as part of the entrance process?

In addition to the remote assessment and interview, the following will be considered for 2021 entry:

2.1 Mandatory documents to be submitted with application:

a)      End of Year 5 school report – submitted as part of the student’s online application

b)     For students attending school in Dubai, standardised assessment results taken in line with the KHDA testing schedule.  Please see our separate ‘Standardised Testing Guidance Notes’ for further information about how to provide this.

2.2 Optional documents to be submitted as applicable:

c)      Extra-curricular profile – parents may submit one page of A4 as part of the student’s online application. We regret that due to the volume of applications received, any second or subsequent pages within the extra-curricular document will not be considered.  We strongly recommend that families take the opportunity to tell us about their child’s extra-curricular achievements and interests.

d)     Any SEND or medical information.

3. Do you issue past or sample assessment papers?

We do not issue sample or past papers.  Please attend one of our online ‘Audience with the Headmaster’ information sessions if you wish to learn more about our entrance process.

4.     What are the fees to apply?

For entry to Year 7 in September 2021, a total fee of AED 525 including VAT is payable.  This is made up of an application fee (AED 100 + VAT) and an assessment fee (AED 400 + VAT). 

5.     Tutoring

Dubai College does not endorse tutoring for our entrance assessment.  If you consider that your child requires tutoring to succeed at the entrance assessment, then you may wish to question whether this would be the right school for your child.

6. Learning Support/Special Educational Needs

Dubai College welcomes applicants from students of determination who would benefit from the academic rigour of our curriculum. Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), whose academic profile fits with the selective entrance criteria, will be supported fully if successful.

Please ensure that you tell us about any barriers to learning in your application. Please submit a recent Educational Psychologist report, and IEP or a letter from the SENCO at your child’s school if you would like to be considered for access arrangements to the remote assessment and/or interview. No extra time will be provided for the remote assessment.

Please contact Cindy Penney, Head of Student Services and SENCO if you have any questions about SEND at Dubai College.

7.      Key Dates

Applications open - Tuesday 22nd September 2020

Virtual Open Week - visit our dedicated webpage to visit us virtually and learn more about our departments and life at DC! -  4^th to 8^th October 2020

Meet the Headmaster – join us for an online 'Audience with the Headmaster' presentation by Mr Lambert. 

• Tuesday 13^th October 2020 – 5pm
• Wednesday 14^th October  2020 – 5pm

Closing Date for applications to Year 7 for September 2021

• Sunday 25th October 2020 at 12 noon UAE time (GMT +4 hours)

Entrance Assessment for candidates at school in UAE

The assessment will take place remotely with online proctoring

• Saturday 7th November 2020

Exact timings will be confirmed to applicants prior to the assessment.

Entrance interview. The interview will take place online.

 Saturday 21st November 2020

Parents will be advised of their child’s individual online appointment time.

All interviews will take place on Saturday 21^st November and all students will be allocated a time-slot.  Please note that unfortunately we will not be able to accommodate requests for particular time slots on the day.

Results

• First half of January 2021

8.      How many applications do you receive for entry to Year 7?

Dubai College is heavily over-subscribed and in recent years we have received around three applications per place. 

9.     How many places are available in Year 7 at Dubai College?

There will be 160 places available for entry to Year 7 in September 2021; there will be 8 forms with 2o students in each form.

10.     What are the school fees at Dubai College?

Please refer to the Admissions Page of our website for details of the school fees for the academic year 2020-2021. 

All new students also require a Personal Debenture to the value of AED 25,000.   For students offered places in Year 7 in September 2021 following our entrance process, a non-refundable deposit of 10% of the annual tuition fees will be payable by mid-February 2021 to secure your child’s place.

11.     My child applied for entry to Year 7 but was not successful.  Can I re-apply for entry to Year 7 next year?

No.  Candidates may appear only once for the Year 7 entrance assessment.  Parents are welcome to re-apply for entry to Year 8, 9, 10 or 12 at the appropriate time.

Year 12 Admissions in September 2021

1. What are the requirements to apply to join Dubai College in Year 12?

External applicants to the Sixth Form will be expected to show significant academic success at GCSE or its equivalent:

·         A minimum of 6 x 7/8/9 (A/A*) grades will be expected including English and Mathematics.

·         7/8/9 (A/A*) grades would be expected in those subjects to be studied at A Level.

We would especially welcome applicants who are able to offer a range of additional skills above and beyond academic success (for example strong and sustained talent in one or more of the creative, sporting and philanthropic arenas).   All students must be fluent in written and spoken English.

2. How do you assess candidates for entry to Year 12?

On receipt of an application for Year 12, we will contact the applicant’s current school to request a reference, to include predicted GCSE grades (or equivalent). For 2021 entry, we will also ask schools to provide CAT4 cognitive ability test results if available. Each applicant’s academic and extra-curricular profile will then be considered and we will shortlist applicants for interview.   Following the interview process, we will make conditional offers to our successful candidates, based upon meeting our required GCSE grades.

3.     Learning Support/Special Educational Needs

Dubai College welcomes applicants from students of determination who would benefit from the academic rigour of our curriculum. Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), whose academic profile fits with the selective entrance criteria, will be supported fully if successful.

Please ensure that you tell us about any barriers to learning in your application. Please submit a recent Educational Psychologist report, and IEP or a letter from the SENCO at your child’s school if you would like to be considered for access arrangements for interview.

Please contact Cindy Penney, Head of Student Services and SENCO if you have any questions about SEND at Dubai College.

4.     What are the fees to apply?

There are no fees in order to submit an application to Year 12.  For shortlisted applicants, a total fee of AED 525 including VAT is payable in order to accept our invitation to interview.  This is made up of an application fee (AED 100 + VAT) and an assessment fee (AED 400 + VAT). 

5.     Applicants from outside Dubai - does my child need to travel to Dubai for the entrance process?

No. Short-listed candidates based overseas will be interviewed by online video call and we will also ask their current school to administer a CAT4 cognitive ability test on our behalf if these results are not already available. Cognitive ability testing enables us to assess the students’ reasoning ability in a standardised test.  The total duration of the cognitive ability testing is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours including scheduled breaks.

6. Key Dates

Applications open

• Tuesday 22nd September 2020

Sixth Form Virtual Open Afternoon visit our dedicated webpage to visit us virtually and learn more about our departments and life at DC!

Meet the Headmaster join us for an online 'Audience with the Headmaster' presentation by Mr Lambert.

Tuesday 13^th October at 5pm

Wednesday 14^th October at 5pm

Closing Date for applications to Year 12 for September 2021

Sunday 22nd November 2020 at 12 noon UAE time (GMT + 4 hours)

Parents advised of results of short-listing - Early January 2021

Interviews (likely to be conducted by video conference online for local as well as overseas candidates)

• By appointment during January 2021

Offers

Our first round of offers will be made in early February.  We would also expect to place a limited number of candidates on our waiting list at this stage.

7.      How many applications do you receive for entry to Year 12?

Dubai College is heavily over-subscribed and in recent years we have received about four to five applications per place.

8.     What are the school fees at Dubai College?

Please refer to the Admissions Page of our website for details of the school fees for the academic year 2020-21. 

All new students also require a Personal Debenture to the value of AED 25,000.   For students offered places in Year 12 in September 2021 following our entrance process, a non-refundable deposit of 10% of the annual tuition fees will be payable by mid-February 2021 to secure your child’s place and subject options.

Year 12 Options – Admission in September 2021

• Arabic
• Art & Design
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Design & Technology
• Drama & Theatre Studies
• Economics
• English Literature
• French
• Further Mathematics (may only be studied in addition to Mathematics A Level, not as an alternative)
• Geography
• History
• Latin
• Mathematics
• Music
• Physical Education
• Physics
• Politics
• Psychology
• Spanish

Please refer to the Curriculum pages of our website for more details on the subject courses.

We reserve the right to withdraw particular subjects if there is insufficient demand