UAE clarifies school entry age rules for 2026–27: What parents need to know

Dubai: The UAE’s Ministry of Education has announced the official age eligibility criteria for students enrolling in government schools for the 2026–2027 academic year, outlining the requirements for kindergarten one (KG1), kindergarten two (KG2) and Grade 1.

The clarification, the ministry said, is intended to organise registration procedures and ensure that children are developmentally ready for each stage of schooling, while providing parents with early certainty as enrolment periods approach.

Under the approved guidelines, according to Al Bayan newspaper, admission to KG1 requires that a child has completed four years of age by 31 December of the year of admission. Entry to KG2 is limited to children who have completed five years of age by the same date.

For Grade 1, the ministry said, enrolment is restricted to students who have completed six years of age by 31 Decemberof the relevant academic year. The policy aligns with national standards designed to maintain appropriate age progression between educational stages.

In an explanatory note to parents, the ministry added that children born between 1 September and 31 December 2021may, at the discretion of their guardian, be registered in either KG1 or KG2. The flexibility, officials said, takes into account individual differences in children’s cognitive and developmental readiness.

The announcement is part of ongoing efforts to standardise admission criteria across government schools, reduce uncertainty for families, and support early planning of students’ educational pathways.

Parents have been urged to adhere to the approved age requirements and to follow the ministry’s official channels for updates related to registration procedures or required documentation. 

The ministry stressed that the criteria are designed to safeguard students’ educational and psychological wellbeing, and to support stability and positive adjustment in the school environment from the earliest years.