Dubai school fees: KHDA rules on deposits, refunds and charges parents need to know

Dubai: With Dubai schools set to reopen on August 31, parents may be checking uniforms, school bags and fees. But before the new academic year begins, it is worth knowing exactly what schools can charge and when you can get your money back.

The recently issued Policy for Private Schools in Dubai by Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) sets out the rules  governing school fees, registration deposits and refunds.

Application fees: maximum Dh500

Schools can charge a maximum Dh500 application fee.

The fee must be refunded if:

• Your child is not offered a place after the assessment.

• The school did not tell you there was no place or that your child would be placed on a waiting list before you paid.

• It is not refundable if you are offered a place but choose not to accept it.

An application fee that is not refunded cannot be deducted from tuition fees.

Registration deposit: up to 10% of annual fees

A school can charge a registration deposit of up to 10% of annual tuition fees.

This is not an additional charge. The amount must be deducted from your child's tuition fees once they start school.

Parents can only be asked to pay the registration deposit after receiving and accepting a formal offer.

The deposit is also refundable if the parent gives the required notice under the 60-day rule.

Re-registration deposit: maximum 5% or Dh500

For an existing student, schools can charge a re-registration deposit of up to 5% of tuition fees or Dh500, whichever is lower.

This is the only payment that can be used to secure a place for the following academic year and must be deducted from the next year's tuition fees.

For schools starting in September, it can only be collected after the spring break and no earlier than May 1. For April-start schools, it cannot be collected before February 1.

If parents miss the deadline, the child's place is not guaranteed. However, if a school fails to request the deposit within the permitted period, it cannot ask parents to pay it later.

Key deadlines for parents

Parents should keep two deadlines in mind:

60 days: Written notice must be given at least 60 calendar days before the child's start date to receive the registration deposit in full. The same rule applies to re-registration deposits, with notice required 60 days before the next academic year.

10 days: If a KHDA-approved fee increase is announced after you have paid, you have 10 calendar days to withdraw your child and qualify for a full refund of applicable deposits or fees.

How school fee refunds are calculated

The refund is based on the date the school receives your formal written withdrawal request – not the child's last day of attendance. Requests cannot be backdated.

Simply stopping attendance does not stop fees while the child remains enrolled.

If the school year has already started, the amount retained depends on how long the child has attended:

• Two weeks or less: One month's fees may be charged.

• More than two weeks but up to one month: Two months' fees may be charged.

• More than one month: No refund is due and the full term's fees are charged.

If a child withdraws before the academic year begins, fees are generally refundable, although the deposit may be retained if the required 60 days' notice was not provided.

What happens if a school closes?

If a school cannot provide education because of a school suspension or government-mandated closure, parents must be compensated for the period when the service was unavailable.

This can be provided through a credit note, valid for six months, a credit that can be transferred to a sibling at the same school, or a full refund.

However, fees remain payable when education continues to be provided, including through KHDA-approved distance learning or an alternative approved arrangement. Choosing not to use the available service does not, by itself, qualify parents for a fee reduction.

What about books, transport and other services?

Mandatory service fees paid before the academic year begins are refundable.

Optional services such as school transport, activities and trips are governed by the terms agreed in writing when the service was enrolled for.

Book fees are refundable only if the child leaves before the school year begins.