Admissions Guidelines and Overview

A Brief Introduction

GEMS World Academy – Dubai is a co-educational international academy providing world-class programmes and facilities to a culturally diverse student community aged 2 to 18 years old.

GEMS World Academy – Dubai is an International Baccalaureate World Academy offering the continuum of IB programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the primary school (including our Early Childhood department includes the Pre-K to KG2) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP) Career-related (CP) and Diploma Programme (DP) in the secondary school. 

Arabic Language Requirements

All students from Grade 1-9 are required to learn Arabic as per the UAE Ministry of Education by-laws. Classes are differentiated for native and non-native speakers and the programmes incorporate the Ministry of Education syllabus within the curriculum. GEMS World Academy - Dubai believes that an early start in Arabic is beneficial and therefore begins its Arabic instruction a year early in KG2.

As an additional requirement, students who are registered with a passport from one of the Arab countries listed below are required by law to attend Arabic A for native speakers until the end of Grade 12. Students who are not fluent in Arabic and are from an identified Arabic country may take Arabic B after KHDA approval.

UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Oman, Mauritania, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Union of the Comoros.

Islamic Education Requirement

In accordance with the UAE Ministry of Education by-laws, students who are Muslim (as identified on their passport or during the admissions process via the “religion” option) must take Islamic Education from Grade 1 to the end of Grade 12. Students may take Islamic A (in Arabic) or Islamic B (in English) regardless of their nationality based on their Arabic language proficiency. The Islamic A and B courses incorporate the Ministry of Education syllabus for Islamic Education within the curriculum.