Is schooling at home legal in the UAE?
For non-Emirati residents, yes, and no KHDA approval is required. Compulsory schooling law in the UAE applies to Emirati citizens rather than to expatriate residents, so an expatriate family may enrol with an accredited international school based outside the country and sit examinations locally as a private candidate.
Emirati families follow a different route. Education is compulsory from age 6. The Ministry of Education runs a home education stream for Grades 7 to 12, and in Dubai the KHDA's Rahhal programme allows a child registered at a participating school to attend in person part of the time. Emirati nationals should confirm the applicable route with the Ministry of Education or the KHDA before enrolling.
Is CambriLearn KHDA accredited?
No, and it does not need to be. The KHDA regulates private schools that physically operate within Dubai. CambriLearn is an accredited online school based outside the UAE, which places it outside the KHDA's regulatory scope. Our accreditation comes through Cognia, and we are an approved Pearson Edexcel examination centre. The Dubai Hybrid Hub operates as a private learning support facility rather than as a regulated school, and qualifications are issued by the examination boards.
What does a year cost for my child's level?
Tuition is charged per subject and per level, and teaching support is chosen per subject, so the total follows the subjects your child takes rather than a single year price. The US pathway is charged per course across three teaching formats. Your fee is tuition plus new-student registration plus any other applicable fees; textbooks, devices and external examination-centre fees are excluded. The fee calculator holds every published rate and gives your child's exact total in ZAR, USD, GBP, AED or EUR. The International British, Pearson Edexcel and US K-12 pathways are charged in US dollars, payment is processed in ZAR or USD, and other currencies are indicative. Subject availability, eligibility and the final fee are confirmed at enrolment.
What is the difference between online school and the Hybrid Hub?
Where your child sits, not what they study. Online school is available anywhere in the Emirates and starts from $735 a year at Early Years A. The Hybrid Hub adds a supervised learning space in Al Barsha South, Dubai, open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm, with an on-site facilitator and small groups, for one to five days a week. The hub fee is in addition to tuition and starts from $12,500 a year for one day a week, rising with the days attended and the level. Both formats use the same curricula, the same teachers and the same qualifications.
Which curricula are available at the Dubai hub?
All three. Hub students follow the International British curriculum from Early Years to A Level, Pearson Edexcel at International GCSE, AS and A Level, or the US curriculum. The pathway is the same as online school, because the lessons are the same lessons.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes. Choose the instalment plan to pay the full course fee in ten equal instalments. On most pathways paying up front costs less, and the calculator shows the difference in both cash and percentage terms. On the US pathway the two plans come to the same total. Enrol or re-enrol and pay by 30 November 2026 to hold 2026 course fees for 2027 on eligible courses.
When do live lessons run in Gulf Standard Time?
Each grade and level has its own published weekly timetable, and your consultant confirms the exact slots for your child's level before you enrol so you can plan training, travel and family commitments around them. Attendance is expected, because a timetable is how a teacher notices a problem early. Lessons are recorded where published, so a missed lesson can be caught up. Download the timetables by grade.
Where do students sit their exams in the UAE?
At British Council examination centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as a private candidate. You register your child directly with the centre. Entries for the May and June series typically close in February, and the October and November series earlier still, so contact the centre four to five months ahead. US curriculum students write their assessments online as part of the Cognia accredited programme. See verified UAE exam centres.
Will universities accept these qualifications?
Students earn International GCSE and International A Level certificates issued by Pearson Edexcel, or a Cognia accredited US high school diploma. These are the same qualifications a student earns at a school teaching the same boards, and the certificate carries no indication of how the student studied. Entry requirements are set by each university, so check the specific institution, including for KHDA accredited universities in Dubai and ADEK accredited institutions in Abu Dhabi.
Can my child switch from a UAE private school mid-year?
Several pathways allow a start during the year. Academic calendars, examination deadlines and subject availability vary, so speak to a consultant to confirm a suitable start date. Our admissions team places students by readiness rather than by birthday, and most are set up and learning within 48 hours of completing enrolment. If your child is part-way through International GCSE or A Level courses, tell the consultant which board and which subjects so the entries carry across cleanly.
Can my child move between online and the hub?
Yes. Families can start online and add hub days later, or reduce hub days if circumstances change. The academic side does not change either way, because the lessons and teachers are the same. Speak to your admissions consultant about adjusting the package.
What about making friends?
CambriCommunity runs clubs, activities and real-world meetups so students work with each other rather than only with a teacher. Online community access is for ages 12 and over, and events and activities welcome all ages. Students at the Dubai hub also see their peers in person every day they attend.
