Thank you for your interest in joining our community. The American School of Dubai offers an educational experience like no other—one where our students develop into adaptive learners prepared to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
We invite you to visit our campus and experience our unique learning environment first hand. Please contact us at +971 04 395 0005 or admissionsteam@asdubai.org.
The American School of Dubai admits students of any nationality. The school follows a standards-based US curricular program designed to prepare students for post-secondary education. ASD has a learning support program that enables the enrollment of a managed number of students needing additional learning support at each grade level.
In the admissions process, decisions are made with care to ensure all students offered admission to ASD have the potential to be successful at our school, both in and out of the classroom. ASD is committed to equality and inclusion and accommodates diversity in terms of family status, race, religion, disability, creed, color, ethnic origin or ancestry, gender, and sexual orientation.
Admissibility
At ASD, we value an education that will prepare all students for a rapidly changing world. As a result, in addition to a history of academic success (grade reports and testing) that indicates the ability to succeed at ASD, we look for the desired skills and dispositions demonstrated through the Character Assessment, Teacher Recommendations, and the Introductory Video. Together, these items help us paint a picture of each applicant that is unique, and one that allows us to determine the admissibility of each prospective student through a comprehensive and mission-driven lens.
Age Requirements
Students applying to PreK, K1, and K2 must be 3 years old, 4 years old, and 5 years old, respectively, by December 31, of the year of enrollment per KHDA policy. Preference is given to those applicants who turn the indicated age above by September 1, of the year of enrollment.
For all subsequent years (grades 1-12) students will be placed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration, age, the number of years the school records show the student has been in school, the time of year of arrival, and academic and social/emotional needs of the applicant. For grade 9-12 applicants, the number of credits earned is also a factor in determining appropriate grade placement. Thus, all 9-12 applicants are required to submit official transcripts or reports prior to beginning at ASD so credits already earned can be transferred.
School Year and Grade Level
In the vast majority of cases, students coming from schools with vastly different calendars (i.e. Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, India) will continue in the same grade level.
English Requirements and Assessment
Students applying to enroll in PreK-grade 12, who are not yet fluent in English and/or have never previously studied in an English language school, are all required to participate in an English as an Additional Language (EAL) screening at ASD to determine appropriate support/placement. Students applying for grades 1-12 must undergo EAL testing in order to confirm that the student meets or exceeds ASD admissions standards in English before admission can be offered. ASD reserves the right to request any additional testing either at ASD or from a specialist outside of ASD in order to determine admissibility. Examples may include learning support screening, psycho-educational evaluation (cognitive and/or academic).
Full Disclosure
Full disclosure and open communication are critical in ensuring appropriate placement and support. ASD reserves the right to contact previous schools before making an admissions decision. Failure to disclose information related to an applicant’s learning, social/emotional, behavioral, or physical needs, whether in the past or present, may result in the withdrawal of an offer of admission.
Additional Documentation
Parents are required to submit the following at the time of application if they pertain to your child and are in your possession or the possession of your child’s school or their former school(s). Full disclosure is required so these should be volunteered as part of the initial application.
If your child is referred for evaluation or assessment or begins to receive academic, social-emotional or behavioral support at any point during the application or admissions process, please inform the admissions office as soon as possible.
To Apply to ASD, please complete the online application at the link below. Applications for the next enrolling school year usually begins on September 15. They are only accepted online and there is no application fee with the initial submission.
Application Items
The following documents will be required to complete your application for admission to be processed (excluding the Recommendation Forms):
Priority Admission Deadline
After the above dates, rolling admission will be in effect and spaces will be allocated until filled.
Current Availability
We are currently accepting applications for all grade levels for this school year.
Please contact us at admissionasd@asdubai.org or +971 4 395 0005 with additional questions.
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