Universal American School

Universal American School is located in Dubai Festival City, Al Badia, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The campus sits within the Dubai Festival City area with convenient access from major roads and nearby transport links. The postal address is P.O. Box 79133.

The school serves students from Pre-K through Grade 12, covering both the early years and the primary/secondary cycles. The curriculum structure mirrors a PK–12 model with elementary and secondary divisions aligned to IB and US standards.

The school operates as a co-educational day school. It does not offer boarding facilities.

The student body represents 83 different nationalities. The community is described as highly diverse, with families from many countries contributing to a broad international mix. The school notes that its enrollment includes a large international presence; no single national majority is publicly disclosed.

Learning Support Services provide inclusive education through the Inclusion Department, developing individualized education plans and offering accommodations and modifications to support students with diverse learning needs and language abilities.

There is no formal country affiliation stated; the school offers an American curriculum alongside the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme.

No religious affiliation is indicated in school materials; UAS presents itself as a secular, internationally minded institution.

School days typically begin at 7:45 am. PreK and KG1 finish at 12:45 pm (with an extended day option to 3:15 pm); KG2–Grade 5 end at 3:15 pm; Grades 6–12 end at 3:20 pm.

The school uses Maverick as its premier transport provider. Maverick offers safe, reliable bus services with driver training, real-time tracking, and bus attendants to support students, focusing on punctuality and safety.

Elementary School (Grades 1–5) offers an IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) aligned with New York State Standards and UAE MOE standards, with Arabic introduced from PreK and specialist classes in Music, PE, and Art. Middle School (Grades 6–8) is NYSS-based with emphasis on higher-order thinking and inquiry-driven instruction, and it offers elective classes in languages and the arts, including a Week Without Walls learning program. High School (Grades 9–12) is aligned to NYSS and provides two university pathways: the IB Diploma Programme or the AP/NYSS pathway, both leading to an American high school diploma. IB Diploma Pathway requires six courses over two years with external examinations; the University Pathway uses AP courses with externally examined exams that can earn college credit. Instruction is primarily in English; Arabic is taught from PreK, and French and Spanish are offered from Grade 5; UAS is KHDA-accredited for IB PYP and IBDP and is also accredited by MSA and ECIS.

1. Complete the online application form. An acknowledgement is sent containing the next steps of the registration process. A member of the admissions team will contact you to take you through the next steps. Applications must be submitted online, and a 525 AED application fee (one-time nonrefundable) is payable prior to the assessment. 2. If a place is offered, a letter of acceptance will be issued along with joining information. To secure the place, a non-refundable deposit of 3,000 AED should be paid within 3 days of receiving the acceptance, and this amount will be deducted from the first semester's tuition fees. 3. Documents to submit with the application: Student's Passport; Parents' Passports; Student's Recent Report Card (past 2 years, in English); Recent Standardized Test Scores (e.g. 4. Special note: Once all required documents have been submitted, the application will be processed within one to two working days; the admission file review is completed by the divisional principal to ensure proper grade level placement. 5. Documents to submit upon acceptance include: Birth Certificate; Emirates IDs (student and parents); Digital photos; Final report card (current academic year); Vaccination records; Health form; Transportation form (if applicable); Mandatory Transfer Certificate (electronically via KHDA for Dubai transfers; for transfers from outside Dubai, the original Transfer Certificate must be translated and attested as required); for certain regions attestation requirements may apply; if residency visas and Emirates IDs are not available at acceptance, they can be submitted later.

Scholarships are offered by the Al-Futtaim Education Foundation. Categories include Emirati students (academic excellence) with up to 100% scholarships, Talent and Sports with up to 50% discounts, and IBDP Academic Excellence with up to 50% discounts. Scholarships are annual and subject to terms; the 2025-2026 scholarship applications have closed. The scholarships are valid for applicable years as specified (e.g., Emirati and IBDP awards for Grade 11–12).