Cities / Dubai / Universal American School Dubai (UAS)
Universal American School Dubai (UAS)
Founded in 2005 as part of the Al Futtaim Education Foundation, UAS operates from a 70,000 square meter campus in Dubai Festival City serving students from Pre K through Grade 12.
In brief
Universal American School has held a KHDA Very Good rating since the late 2010s in Dubai Festival City, teaching around 1,500 pupils aged 3–18 on an IB pathway with CIS accreditation. Founded in 2005, it doubled its IB cohort to 44 in 2025 under Kevin Loft, averaging 33 points; 37 per cent earned bilingual diplomas through Arabic and English, rare at this scale among Dubai's American schools.
Parents and students describe a grounded, community-minded school where children don't have to fit a single mould; KHDA rates the parent community Outstanding and flags inclusion support for the 167 pupils with additional needs as a strength.
Sports and performing arts sit below the strongest peers, and survey scores for communication fall below UAE averages; annual fees run AED 40,377–82,925, and roughly one in five parents disagree they represent good value. Staff turnover ran above the Dubai norm during the leadership transition, though parents say it has steadied. Local opinion places UAS a tier below Dubai's two consulate-anchored American schools, a credible alternative for families who find those too pressured or too far.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-KG | 3 | AED 40,377 |
| KG1 | 3 | AED 43,745 |
| KG2 | 4 | AED 49,602 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | AED 63,077 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | AED 63,077 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | AED 66,113 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | AED 66,113 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | AED 73,419 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | AED 73,419 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | AED 73,419 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | AED 73,419 |
| Grade 9 | 14 | AED 82,925 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | AED 82,925 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | AED 82,925 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | AED 82,925 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | AED 525 |
Reviews
A warm, community-minded campus in Dubai Festival City that parents reach for when ASD and DAA feel too pressured or too far. The KHDA Very Good rating has held since the late 2010s, the IB cohort has roughly doubled year on year under Kevin Loft, and the bilingual Arabic-English provision is a genuine point of difference. The frequent caveats are the same ones that come up in the parent survey results and on local boards: sports and performing arts sit below the strongest peers, communication is uneven, and the school does not carry the prestige weight of the two consulate-anchored Americans.
Positives
- Community feel. Inclusion and belonging come up consistently. Parents and students describe it as a grounded school where kids don't have to fit a single mould, and KHDA rates the parent community Outstanding.
- Academic results. The IB cohort doubled to 44 in 2025 with an average of 33 points and a top score of 43, above global averages. AP entries hit a record 92 students sitting 194 exams. The 2024 average was 34 from a small cohort of 22.
- Bilingual provision. 37% of the 2025 IBDP cohort earned bilingual diplomas through Arabic and English A Language and Literature plus a School-Supported Self-Taught route for other mother tongues. Rare at this scale in Dubai's American schools.
- Pastoral and SEN. Counsellors are described as approachable, bullying reports are low, and KHDA flags inclusion support for the 167 students identified with additional needs as a strength.
Considerations
- Sports and arts. Sports and performing arts are not where the school competes. Parents flag the sports department in survey responses and rank UAS below the strongest peers for co-curricular depth.
- Communication and value. Parent survey scores for communication and fees value run below UAE averages. Roughly one in five parents disagree that the fees, AED 40,377 to 81,834 across the grade range, represent good value.
- Staff retention. Turnover has run above the Dubai norm during the leadership transition. Parents have pointed to the knock-on for maths, history, and middle-years delivery, while saying the situation has steadied.
- Reputation versus the top tier. Local opinion routinely places ASD and Dubai American Academy first for American curriculum families, with UAS a tier below. For families who don't get those seats, or who don't want the pressure, UAS reads as a credible alternative rather than a clear destination choice.
Leadership
Mr. Kevin Loft
Kevin Loft has worked in the international education sector for over 20 years in public and private sectors across New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East, primarily in leadership roles.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
Academic results
- IB Diploma 2024 average 34 points
- AP exams taken 95
- Percentage of students scoring 3 and above in AP exams 52.54%