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GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi

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· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees AED 57,850 - 80,610
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1846
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), American Curriculum
Typical class size 12

16th Street, Madinat Khalifa A, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi has 1,846 pupils, typical class sizes of 12, instruction in English.

Location
GEMS American Academy is located in Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, at the corner of 16th and 3rd Street, next to SEHA - Abu Dhabi Health Services. The campus sits in a residential area of Khalifa City A and is accessible by road. For directions, call +971 2 2019 555.

Stages
Kindergarten; Elementary School (Grades 1–5); Secondary School (Grades 6–12).

Type
Co-educational day school.

Pupil Nationality Mix
The school represents about 80 nationalities. There are 1,846 students in total, of whom 1,047 are Emirati, making Emirati the largest single nationality group. The international student total is about 799, giving a local-to-international ratio of roughly 1.3:1. 80 nationalities are represented in the student body.

Additional learning support
GAA provides inclusion and learning support through its KG–12 team, including Instructional Coaches for ELL Support and Learning Support; GAA describes itself as an inclusive school and has an Inclusion Policy for 2024–2025.

Country affiliation
The school follows an American curriculum orientation with US Common Core Standards in the secondary years and offers IB Diploma Programme or AP options; there is no formal country affiliation stated.

Religious affiliation
No formal religious affiliation is stated. Arabic, Islamic Studies and UAE Social Studies are taught in line with UAE ADEK requirements.

School day structure
The school day starts at 7:45am for most grades. On Fridays, all students finish at 11:30am. Mon–Thu timings: PreK, KG1–KG2 7:45am–2:45pm; Grades 1–5 7:45am–2:45pm; Grades 6–8 7:45am–2:55pm; Grades 9–12 7:45am–3:00pm. Morning supervision begins at 7:30am.

Bus service
A school bus network is available. Transportation is operated by Bright Bus Transport (BBT). Details on pick‑up/drop‑off and arrangements are provided by the school, and inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
Diving Deeper
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Fees

Annual tuition at GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi ranges from AED 57,850 to AED 80,610 for 2026/27.

Application and Registration Fees

- New admissions: a fee equivalent to 5% of the annual tuition is due upon acceptance of the Offer Letter and confirmation of enrolment. This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable but is adjustable against the first term tuition once the student joins. The 5% fee is refundable only if written notice of withdrawal is given before the beginning of the academic year, in line with ADEK policy.

- Re-enrolment: to secure a place for the next academic year, a non-refundable re-enrolment fee of 5% of the annual tuition is required; this fee is adjustable against the first term fees. Students with outstanding fee balances or missing documentation may be prevented from re-enrolling.

Tuition fees by year group (per term and annual amounts; AED)

- Pre-K (age 3): Term 1 AED 23,140; Term 2 AED 17,355; Term 3 AED 17,355; Annual tuition AED 57,850.

- KG1 (age 4): Term 1 AED 23,140; Term 2 AED 17,355; Term 3 AED 17,355; Annual tuition AED 57,850.

- KG2 (age 5): Term 1 AED 23,140; Term 2 AED 17,355; Term 3 AED 17,355; Annual tuition AED 57,850.

- Grade 1 (age 6): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 2 (age 7): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 3 (age 8): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 4 (age 9): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 5 (age 10): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 6 (age 11): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 7 (age 12): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 8 (age 13): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 9 (age 14): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 10 (age 15): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 11 (age 16): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

- Grade 12 (age 17): Term 1 AED 32,240; Term 2 AED 24,185; Term 3 AED 24,185; Annual tuition AED 80,610.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Tuition is invoiced prior to attendance and is payable in advance of attendance at the start of each term. Payment of the first term's fees is due on or before the first day of the academic year. Tuition will be invoiced from the time of admission to ensure payments are processed before the start of term.

Boarding fees

- Boarding: Not applicable. The school does not list boarding provision or boarding fees.

Other costs and fees

- Uniforms: uniforms are not included in tuition; parents are responsible for uniform costs.

- Lunches: school lunches are not included in tuition and are charged separately.

- Transport: school bus service operates on a fee-for-service basis and is charged in addition to tuition. Contact the school accounts/administration for bus route and fee details.

- Examinations: Grade 11–12 AP exams and Grade 12 IB exams incur additional charges per exam taken.

- Inclusive items: tuition includes textbooks (on loan), supplementary books (on loan), and materials including school supplies in Elementary years.

- Sibling discount: sibling discounts are offered starting from the third child; details and eligibility are managed by the Accounts office.

Refund information and withdrawal rules

- Notice: a written notice of withdrawal and application for a tuition refund must be made in writing to the Principal or Registrar at least thirty (30) days in advance.

- Refunds prior to the start of the academic year:
- If the parent/guardian initiates the withdrawal, the balance of the first term fee paid will be refunded except the Registration/Re-enrolment Fee.

- Refunds during the term (term-paying students) — amounts the school may retain:
- If a student attends any part of week one of the term (or fails to show without sufficient written notice), the school may retain the registration or re-enrolment fee.
- If a student attends from one week and up to three weeks in a term, the school may retain the value of one full month of tuition fees.
- If a student attends over three weeks and up to six weeks in a term, the school may retain the value of two full months of tuition fees.
- If a student attends over six weeks in a term, the school may retain the full term fee.

- Refund approvals are administered by the Accounts Officer and require School Support Center approval and original receipt production.

Fee payment options

- Accepted methods of payment: cash; current-dated cheque (made payable to GEMS American Academy, Abu Dhabi); credit card; wire transfer (bank details available from the accounts department). Payment timing: first term payment due on or before the first day of the academic year; subsequent term payments are due in advance at the start of each term.
Academics

GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), American Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi offers a blended American curriculum and International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, enabling graduates to obtain both a US high school diploma and an IB Diploma. The Early Years program (Pre-K to KG2) is play-based, with KG2 aligning with American Common Core standards in literacy and mathematics. In Elementary School, core subjects include English, Mathematics and NGSS-aligned Science, with a strong emphasis on literacy; Arabic, Islamic and UAE Social Studies standards are adopted from the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Education. In Secondary School, students have access to IB Diploma Programme coursework alongside the American curriculum, providing the option to graduate with the IB Diploma. The school serves students from Pre-K through Grade 12 with English as the language of instruction.
Wellbeing
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Parent Experience
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Facilities
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Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
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Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
Step 1. Begin by registering online through the GEMS Online Student Registration site and submitting the online enquiry. After submission you receive an enquiry number; print the receipt or note the number for future correspondence. Review the list of required documents and the ADEK attestation needed to register the child with ADEK. Admission for the 2026-27 school year is open with limited seats.

Step 2. Kindergarten admissions. The online application is completed and families meet with the GAA admissions team to schedule a familiarization session. Children ready for pre-K, KG1, or KG2 are expected to be age-appropriate for the requested grade, able to manage bathroom independence, engage in activities, follow directions, and show age-appropriate motor skills and communication. The language of instruction is English and families use the familiarization to understand the environment. A familiarization visit helps families understand the school setting.

Step 3. Grade 1 admissions. All Grade 1 applicants are assessed in basic literacy and numeracy with the school counselor. Social-emotional and behavioral development are evaluated to determine readiness for Grade 1. The admissions team uses these assessments to inform placement decisions.

Step 4. Grades 2–6 admissions. All applicants are assessed in literacy and numeracy as part of the admissions process using the MAP test. Based on the results, a counselor meeting may be requested to determine the student's ability to benefit from the curriculum; English language proficiency and learning skills may be assessed if recommended.

Step 5. Grades 7–12 admissions. All applicants are assessed in literacy and numeracy using MAP, with Math and Writing assessments required. A review of student transcripts determines eligibility to participate in GAA's curricular pathways, including American Diploma, IB Diploma, IB courses, and AP.

Step 6. Student support and language. GAA provides limited special education resources; students must have English language proficiency. English Language Learner (ELL) support is available subject to space. Grades 6–10 require basic English proficiency, and Grades 11–12 require full English proficiency as ELL support is not available in those grades.

Step 7. Previous schooling and documentation. All new students must provide official documentation of previous schooling, including transcripts, reports, and test scores, and documents must be in English. GAA may request translation certification where needed. ADEK enrollment requirements apply and must be submitted within 30 days of the start of the school.

Step 8. Documentation for processing and enrollment. Prepare 1 copy of the applicant's passport, 1 recent passport photo, two years of school reports (in English), any learning support documents, the Confidential School Recommendation Form, standardized test results (if available), nursery reports (if applicable), 1 copy of birth certificate (English or Arabic), Emirates ID cards, residency visa, and Transfer Certificate (for Grades 1+), plus official transcripts (Grades 10–12). The UAE residence visa, Emirates ID, Transfer Certificate and official transcript are required for enrollment but not necessary at application processing; these must be submitted within 30 days of enrollment. For questions, contact the Registrar, Ms. Asma El Derby, at [email protected].

Step 9. Tours and ongoing next steps. Tours of the school are conducted Monday through Friday; book a tour via the provided link. The Admissions team and the Registrar can provide further information as needed.
School Events
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