Transferring schools in Dubai follows a set KHDA process: secure a seat at the new school, give written notice to your current school, settle any outstanding fees and request the transfer certificate (TC), which your school issues through the KHDA system. The new school then completes your child’s KHDA registration. This guide covers each step, the documents you need, how fee refunds work when you withdraw, and when mid year moves and curriculum changes are possible in the 2026/27 academic year.
At a glance
- Confirm a seat at the new school before you give notice.
- Put your withdrawal in writing, because refunds are counted from that date.
- Clear all outstanding fees, or the TC cannot be released.
- FS1 to Year 2 places are based on age; from Year 3, placement follows the TC.
- Entry into Year 11 or Year 13 is rarely possible at British curriculum schools.
How to Transfer Schools in Dubai: 6 Steps
The order of the steps matters more than the paperwork. Seat availability is the biggest constraint, especially in popular year groups, so start there and only give notice once a place is confirmed.
- Secure a seat. Apply to the new school for the correct year group and complete any placement assessment.
- Give written notice. Inform your current school in writing and check the notice terms in your parent school contract.
- Settle outstanding fees. Schools release the TC only once tuition and any school property are cleared.
- Request the transfer certificate. Your current school generates it through the KHDA system.
- Submit documents to the new school. Passport and visa copies, Emirates ID, the latest report card, the TC and vaccination records.
- Complete KHDA registration. The new school registers your child with KHDA and you sign the parent school contract.
For more detail on the first step, read our guide to applying to a British school in Dubai.
KHDA Transfer Certificate (TC): What It Is and How to Get One
The transfer certificate is the official record that allows the new school to register your child. It confirms enrolment dates, the last year group completed, the curriculum followed and promotion status. Without it, the receiving school cannot complete KHDA registration for students in Year 3 and above.
How Schools Issue the TC and How Long It Takes
You request the TC from your current school, usually through the parent portal or a withdrawal form. The school generates it through the KHDA online system, and it carries a smart attestation in the form of a QR code that the new school scans to confirm it is genuine. Processing is usually quick once the withdrawal is recorded, and your school will confirm the timeline and any fee that applies.
The most common delay is money. Schools do not release a TC while fees are unpaid, and at Dubai Scholars, families with unpaid fees for the academic year do not receive end of year reports or a transfer certificate. You can review costs in advance on our 2026/27 fee schedule.
When a TC Is Not Needed (FS1 to Year 2)
In the early years, placement is based on your child’s age rather than school history. For the 2026/27 academic year at Dubai Scholars, children join the year group that matches their year of birth, and from Year 3 onwards the child is placed according to the TC from the previous school.
|
Year group (2026/27) |
Year of birth |
|---|---|
|
FS1 |
2023 |
|
FS2 |
2022 |
|
Year 1 |
2021 |
|
Year 2 |
2020 |
|
Year 3 and above |
Placed according to the TC |
Transferring From Outside the UAE: Attested Documents
Certificates issued abroad must be attested, first in the country of origin and then by the UAE authorities, and any document not in English or Arabic needs a certified translation. Attestation can take several weeks, so start well before your target start date. Dubai Scholars asks for the school leaving certificate from the previous school to be attested when a student transfers from outside the UAE.
Fee Refunds and Notice When You Change Schools
Refunds depend on the date of your written withdrawal request, not your child’s last day in class, and the request cannot be backdated. While your child is still enrolled, fees continue to apply even if they stop attending. The rules below follow the KHDA registration and refund policy for Dubai private schools.
|
Time enrolled in the term |
What happens to tuition |
|---|---|
|
Before the academic year starts |
Fees refunded in full; the deposit is kept if notice was under 60 days |
|
Two weeks or less |
One month’s fees deducted, balance refunded |
|
Between two weeks and one month |
Two months’ fees deducted, balance refunded |
|
More than one month |
The full term’s fees are due |
Registration deposits follow their own rule. At Dubai Scholars, the deposit is refundable if you notify the school at least 60 calendar days before your child’s start date. Ask your current school to confirm its terms in writing before you commit to a new one.
Plan for a short overlap, since the old school may deduct fees for part of the term while the new school charges from the month your child joins. Interest free installment plans can help spread the cost.
Changing Schools in Dubai Mid Year: Timing and Fees
Mid year transfers are possible whenever the new school has a seat in the right year group. The steps stay the same, but timing matters more: a move at a natural break is far easier on your child than one during assessment weeks.
In the 2026/27 calendar at Dubai Scholars, Term 1 assessments for Years 5 to 13 run from 16 November to 7 December 2026, the winter break runs from 14 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, and Term 2 starts on 4 January 2027. Term 3 begins on 12 April 2027 after the spring break. Check the full 2026/27 term dates before you choose a start date.
Most schools ask new students to sit a short placement assessment in core subjects, and tuition at the new school is usually charged from the month your child joins, so confirm both points before you set a start date.
Which Year Group Will My Child Join?
Students moving within the UAE are placed according to the year group recorded on their TC, which protects continuity and avoids gaps or repeated years. The receiving school may still use a placement assessment to plan support in core subjects.
Two stages need extra planning. Entry into Year 11 or Year 13 is rarely possible at British schools, because these are the second years of two year IGCSE courses and A Level courses. Year 10 and Year 12 are the natural entry points, which is why many families time a move for the start of Sixth Form at Dubai Scholars.
Switching Curriculum When You Transfer
Moving to a school with the same curriculum is simplest, because subjects, assessment styles and year groups line up and your child avoids gaps. If you are changing systems, a move at the start of the academic year gives the new school the cleanest point to place your child.
Moving Between British, American and IB Schools
Year groups do not always match across systems. The British curriculum runs in Key Stages leading to IGCSE and A Levels, the American system uses grades and a credit based diploma, and the IB has its own programmes. Before switching in the final secondary years, ask both schools how subjects and exam entries will carry across. Our comparisons of the British and American curricula and IB and British programmes set out the main differences.
UAE Academic Track Rules for 2026/27
In August 2026, the UAE Ministry of Education set new rules for students switching between the General and Advanced tracks in Grades 8 to 12. Switches are allowed only at the start of the school year and must be completed within the first two weeks. Moving from General to Advanced when entering Grade 9 or Grade 10 requires at least 80% in English, mathematics and science in the previous year, moves into Grades 11 and 12 are not eligible, and students can choose to move from Advanced to General.
These tracks belong to the Ministry of Education curriculum. British curriculum schools such as Dubai Scholars do not divide students into General and Advanced tracks, so the rules matter mainly to families moving between Ministry curriculum pathways.
Helping Your Child Settle Into a New School
The paperwork is only half of a transfer. Visit the campus before the first day so your child knows the corridors and a few faces, keep routines steady at home, and stay in touch with the class teacher during the first weeks. It also helps to ask whether the school pairs new students with a classmate for their first days.
Transferring to Dubai Scholars
Dubai Scholars Private School in Al Qusais teaches the National Curriculum for England from FS1 to Year 13, with IGCSE and A Level pathways. The transfer process runs in five stages:
- Check school bus availability for your area if you need transport, then apply online for the right year group.
- Pay the AED 500 application fee and the AED 750 onboarding and diagnostic assessment fee, then attend the assessment.
- Accept the offer within three working days by paying the registration deposit, which is deducted from your first term’s tuition.
- Upload passport copies, the visa page, Emirates ID, the latest report card, the school leaving certificate (attested if transferring from outside the UAE) and medical or vaccination records.
- Complete KHDA registration and sign the parent school contract when notified.
Full details are on the Dubai Scholars admissions procedure.
Transferring Schools in Dubai: FAQs
How do I transfer my child to another school in Dubai?
Secure a seat at the new school, give written notice to your current school, clear any outstanding fees, request the transfer certificate, submit your documents and complete KHDA registration at the new school.
What is a KHDA transfer certificate?
It is an official record issued by your child’s current school through the KHDA system. It confirms enrolment dates, the last year group completed and the curriculum, and carries a QR code the new school scans to verify it.
Will I get a refund if I move schools mid year?
It depends on the date of your written withdrawal. Fees are refunded in full before the year starts; after that, one month’s fees, two months’ fees or the full term is deducted depending on how long your child has been enrolled in the term.
Can I switch schools mid year in Dubai?
Yes, if the new school has a seat in the right year group. Term breaks, such as the winter break, are the easiest times to move, and your child will usually sit a short placement assessment.
Can my child change schools in Year 11 or Year 13?
Rarely. These are the second years of two year IGCSE and A Level courses, so most British schools do not accept new students into them. Year 10 and Year 12 are the usual entry points.
Does my child need a TC for FS1 to Year 2?
Placement from FS1 to Year 2 is based on your child’s age rather than a TC. From Year 3, schools place children according to the year group recorded on the TC.
What happens if I have unpaid fees?
Your current school will not release the transfer certificate until outstanding fees are settled, so clear your account before you request it.
Planning a move for the 2026/27 academic year? Book a school tour to see the campus, or speak to our admissions team on +971 4 706 9000 or at admissions@dubaischolars.com.
