Dubai to Open Seven New Private Schools for the 2026–27 Academic Year

Dubai is expanding its private education network with seven new schools opening for the 2026–27 academic year, adding 16,846 school places as the city continues to grow as a destination for families and long-term residents.

Dubai continues to expand its education infrastructure in line with the city’s population growth and long-term development. According to the Government of Dubai Media Office, 26 new private education institutions are set to open during the 2026–27 academic year, including seven schools, 17 early childhood centres and two international higher education institutions.

The seven new private schools alone will add 16,846 places across Dubai. Four will follow the UK curriculum and three will offer the International Baccalaureate, further expanding the range of international education available to families in the emirate.
Among the new arrivals are several established British education names, including Harrow International School Dubai, Queen Elizabeth’s School Dubai Sports City and Rugby School Dubai.

Dubai’s Education Infrastructure Continues to Expand

The latest openings are part of a broader expansion of Dubai’s private education sector. Over the past three years, 21 new private schools have opened across the emirate, while the wider private education sector has recorded average annual growth of 4.6%.
The expansion supports Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy, which aims to broaden access to high-quality education, attract internationally recognised institutions and strengthen the city’s position as a global destination for education and long-term living.

For a city experiencing continued residential development, the growth of education infrastructure is particularly significant. New schools are increasingly becoming part of the wider ecosystem developing around Dubai’s established and emerging residential communities.

Why New Schools Matter for Dubai’s Residential Market

For families choosing where to live in Dubai, access to quality education can be an important factor alongside connectivity, lifestyle infrastructure and the overall quality of the residential environment.

This also gives new education infrastructure relevance for the property market. As Dubai expands, communities supported by established schools, transport links, retail, healthcare and leisure infrastructure can become increasingly attractive to long-term residents.

For property buyers, this means that evaluating a community requires looking beyond the individual residence. The surrounding infrastructure — both existing and planned — can influence how desirable an area becomes for families and how residential demand develops over time.

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Insight by A StandArt Real Estate

The opening of seven new private schools reflects a broader structural trend in Dubai: residential growth is increasingly being supported by the infrastructure required for long-term family living.

From a real estate perspective, this matters. The presence of reputable schools can strengthen the appeal of surrounding communities, particularly among families planning to remain in Dubai for several years. This, in turn, can support a deeper pool of potential residents and tenants.

However, proximity to a new school alone does not make a property a strong investment. At A StandArt Real Estate, we consider education infrastructure alongside future supply, connectivity, community development, rental demand and the fundamentals of the individual property before assessing its long-term potential.

If you are considering buying or investing in Dubai real estate, our team can help you identify communities and properties aligned with your objectives and long-term strategy.