Future Leaders International Private School – Baniyas vs Summit International School
Future Leaders International Private School – Baniyas and Summit International School are both in Abu Dhabi, about 36 km apart. Both schools offer American programmes, and Future Leaders International Private School – Baniyas also offers Bespoke. Published annual fees are close, at AED 25,800 - 39,800 for Future Leaders International Private School – Baniyas and AED 23,000 - 38,126 for Summit International School. Future Leaders International Private School – Baniyas takes pupils from 4 to 17, and Summit International School from 4 to 18. Future Leaders International Private School – Baniyas is the larger school, with around 2,500 pupils to Summit International School's 1,740.
Sector-4, Street 19 in the Madinat Al Zayed Gold Souk & Post Office area, Abu Dhabi. The school sits in a central area of Abu Dhabi City. It comprises four buildings and includes a swimming pool, segregated play areas, a multi-use gymnasium and theater.
Stages
Stages
KG1 to Grade 12
Stages
KG1 to Grade 12. KG1 and KG2 follow an Early Childhood 'learn through play' approach. From KG1-12 the curriculum is aligned with the California Common Core; Grades K-4 are co-educational and Grades 5-12 are gender-separated.
School type
School type
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School type
American-curriculum international school. It is co-educational in K-4 and gender-separated in grades 5-12.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
The student body includes 1,740 students representing 51 countries. The school describes a diverse mix of Middle Eastern, Asian, Pacific Rim, and Slavic expatriates.
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Inclusive education with a social support framework; A Social Worker/Section Supervisor assists with social and emotional concerns and supports students.
Additional learning support
The Learning Support Department uses a whole-school approach to identify, plan for, implement, and monitor plans to meet the independent needs for specific learning difficulties or disabilities. It provides learning strategies to access the curriculum and collaborates with families to provide home strategies.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
United States – the school uses an American curriculum aligned with California Common Core.
The school day typically starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends around 2:30 p.m. on most weekdays; Friday hours vary and may be shorter (some listings show a half-day or different times). The campus has a canteen where students can buy lunch.
Bus service details
Bus service details
Bus service is available; bus fees listed as 5,000 AED per year.
Bus service details
The school provides a bus service via a contract with Seven Stars Transportation Company, delivering air-conditioned transport to various parts of Abu Dhabi. Registration is through sevenstarsschoolbus.com. The Bus Coordinator is Ms. Ariane Joy (sis@sevenstars.ae) and the main contact number is +971 2 671 3131 ext. 201-207-206.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application & Registration Fees
- Registration / assessment fee: AED 1,000 payable after the admissions assessment; this amount is deducted from the school's annual tuition. - Re‑enrolment / re‑registration fee for existing students (to confirm placement for the next academic year, KG2 to Grade 11): AED 1,000; this amount is deducted from the school's annual tuition. - The registration fee is non‑refundable and is paid following the admissions test.
Tuition fees by year group (annual amounts) and additional per‑student charges
- KG 1: Tuition AED 25,800; Tuition after discount AED 19,350; Books AED 535; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - KG 2: Tuition AED 25,800; Tuition after discount AED 19,350; Books AED 1,715; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 1: Tuition AED 29,500; Tuition after discount AED 25,075; Books AED 1,810; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 2: Tuition AED 29,500; Tuition after discount AED 25,075; Books AED 1,280; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 3: Tuition AED 29,500; Tuition after discount AED 25,075; Books AED 1,455; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 4: Tuition AED 29,500; Tuition after discount AED 25,075; Books AED 1,190; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 5: Tuition AED 29,500; Tuition after discount AED 25,075; Books AED 1,845; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 6: Tuition AED 35,100; Tuition after discount AED 29,835; Books AED 2,740; Uniform AED 430; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 7: Tuition AED 35,100; Tuition after discount AED 29,835; Books AED 2,840; Uniform AED 490; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 8: Tuition AED 35,100; Tuition after discount AED 29,835; Books AED 2,840; Uniform AED 490; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 9: Tuition AED 35,100; Tuition after discount AED 29,835; Books AED 3,720; Uniform AED 490; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 10: Tuition AED 39,800; Tuition after discount AED 33,830; Books AED 3,720; Uniform AED 590; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 11: Tuition AED 39,800; Tuition after discount AED 33,830; Books AED 3,720; Uniform AED 590; Bus AED 5,000. - Grade 12: Tuition AED 39,800; Tuition after discount AED 33,830; Books AED 3,720; Uniform AED 590; Bus AED 5,000.
Per‑term tuition (installment calculation)
- Tuition is payable in three instalments due on the dates listed in the billing schedule. Therefore, the per‑term tuition amount can be calculated as one‑third of the annual tuition and one‑third of the discounted annual tuition where the discounted figure applies. Example per‑term amounts (annual ÷ 3): - KG 1 / KG 2: AED 8,600.00 per term (full tuition) / AED 6,450.00 per term (after discount). - Grade 1–5: AED 9,833.33 per term (full tuition AED 29,500) / AED 8,358.33 per term (after discount AED 25,075). - Grade 6–9: AED 11,700.00 per term (full tuition AED 35,100) / AED 9,945.00 per term (after discount AED 29,835). - Grade 10–12: AED 13,266.67 per term (full tuition AED 39,800) / AED 11,276.67 per term (after discount AED 33,830). - Books and uniform charges are payable with Term 1 fees and are not eligible for instalment conversion.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition is payable in three instalments with the following due dates for the 2026/2027 academic year: 1st instalment — 1 August 2026; 2nd instalment — 1 December 2026; 3rd instalment — 1 March 2027. - Books and uniform fees must be paid together with the first term payment; they cannot be deferred into subsequent instalments. - Bus service is a two‑way service only; availability is subject to seat availability and route feasibility. Bus charges are listed as an annual fee per student.
Boarding
- Boarding is not offered; the school provides a two‑way bus service only.
Other costs and one‑off charges
- Books: grade‑specific book charges are listed above and are payable with Term 1. - Uniform: grade‑specific uniform charges are listed above and are payable with Term 1. - Bus: annual bus fee is shown per grade above; bus service is two‑way and is subject to route feasibility and seat availability.
Refund information
- A part of fees may be refunded in accordance with ADEK regulations if a student transfers from the school or discontinues bus services; refunds are handled according to ADEK's Private Schools Policy and Guidance Manual (Policy 39). - The registration fee (AED 1,000) is non‑refundable.
Fee payment options and bank details
- Accepted payment methods: Cash, Cheque, Card and Bank Transfer. Payments can be accepted in person during school office hours (07:30–16:00). - Bank transfer details (account for fee payments): - Account Name: Future Leaders International Private School. - Bank: First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB). - Account No: 4031005620463001. - IBAN: AE590354031005620463001. - SWIFT: NBADAEAAXXX. - Email a scanned copy of the remittance advice to accounts@futureleaders.sch.ae to enable tracing of payments.
Notes
- All amounts are shown in AED (United Arab Emirates Dirham).
Fee details
Application / registration fee
- Registration fee (per student): AED 1,000.
Tuition fees by year group (per term and annual totals, Academic Year 2025–26 — amounts in AED)
Note: the published fee schedule presents per-term instalments and the corresponding annual totals. Two columns of per-term figures are shown in the school's term schedule (the second set shows the reduced instalment amounts that appear alongside the standard instalments in the published table). The figures below list the primary per-term instalments (left-hand set in the term schedule) and the computed annual tuition (sum of the three term instalments). Registration fee (AED 1,000) is stated separately above.
- KG1: Term 1 AED 7,400; Term 2 AED 7,300; Term 3 AED 7,300. Annual tuition (sum of terms) AED 22,000; total including registration AED 23,000. Books AED 0; uniform AED 680; school bus (annual) AED 5,000.
- KG2: Term 1 AED 7,800; Term 2 AED 7,600; Term 3 AED 7,600. Annual tuition AED 23,000; total including registration AED 24,000. Books AED 0; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 1: Term 1 AED 8,895; Term 2 AED 8,965; Term 3 AED 8,965. Annual tuition AED 26,825; total including registration AED 27,825. Books AED 1,200; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 2: Term 1 AED 8,895; Term 2 AED 8,965; Term 3 AED 8,965. Annual tuition AED 26,825; total including registration AED 27,825. Books AED 1,200; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 3: Term 1 AED 9,634; Term 2 AED 9,707; Term 3 AED 9,707. Annual tuition AED 29,048; total including registration AED 30,048. Books AED 1,400; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 4: Term 1 AED 9,634; Term 2 AED 9,707; Term 3 AED 9,707. Annual tuition AED 29,048; total including registration AED 30,048. Books AED 1,400; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 5: Term 1 AED 10,549; Term 2 AED 10,617; Term 3 AED 10,617. Annual tuition AED 31,783; total including registration AED 32,783. Books AED 1,600; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 6: Term 1 AED 10,549; Term 2 AED 10,617; Term 3 AED 10,617. Annual tuition AED 31,783; total including registration AED 32,783. Books AED 1,600; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 7: Term 1 AED 10,549; Term 2 AED 10,617; Term 3 AED 10,617. Annual tuition AED 31,783; total including registration AED 32,783. Books AED 1,800; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 8: Term 1 AED 10,549; Term 2 AED 10,617; Term 3 AED 10,617. Annual tuition AED 31,783; total including registration AED 32,783. Books AED 1,800; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 9: Term 1 AED 11,090; Term 2 AED 11,160; Term 3 AED 11,160. Annual tuition AED 33,410; total including registration AED 34,410. Books AED 2,000; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 10: Term 1 AED 11,592; Term 2 AED 11,667; Term 3 AED 11,667. Annual tuition AED 34,926; total including registration AED 35,926. Books AED 2,000; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 11: Term 1 AED 11,592; Term 2 AED 11,667; Term 3 AED 11,667. Annual tuition AED 34,926; total including registration AED 35,926. Books AED 2,200; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
- Grade 12: Term 1 AED 11,592; Term 2 AED 11,667; Term 3 AED 11,667. Annual tuition AED 34,926; total including registration AED 35,926. Books AED 2,200; uniform AED 680; bus AED 5,000.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition is scheduled to be payable in three instalments (payments at the beginning of each term). Bus fees are required at the beginning of the school year. The published fee notes state the three-term billing arrangement and that bus fees should be paid at the start of the year.
- Discount policy: Grade 1 and above: a one‑student discount is applied (published schedule shows a 7% discount category) and a siblings' discount is published (11%); an additional 2% discount is noted for a single full-year one‑time payment. Kindergarten students are subject to a special kindergarten discount as indicated in the published notes.
Boarding fees
- Boarding is not offered at the school; boarding fees are not applicable. Summit International School operates KG–Grade 12 as a day school (no dormitory/boarding provision is published).
Other costs and routine extras
- Books / resources: grade-dependent book/resource fees are published alongside the fee schedule (examples: Books range from AED 0 for KG to AED 2,200 for Grades 11–12). Uniform: AED 680 (published as the uniform amount in the schedule). School bus: AED 5,000 (annual, published). External exam and standardized test fees are listed separately (IELTS, SAT, ACT, AP etc. — individual exam charges apply as published).
Refund information
- The published fee schedule and parent handbook set out billing instalments and registration requirements but do not present a separate universal tuition‑refund table in the fee schedule itself; fee refunds and related arrangements are subject to the school's policies and ADEK (Abu Dhabi education authority) regulations as applicable. The school's policy documents reference registration and enrolment procedures and ADEK approval of the fee schedule. Parents should note that discounts and timing (e.g., the additional 2% for one‑time payment) are explicitly set out in the published fee documentation.
Fee payment options (typical channels and context)
- The school's published fee documents show the amounts, billing schedule and ADEK approval. Common payment channels used by schools in Abu Dhabi include bank transfer (IBAN), debit/credit card, cash and cheques; these payment channels are widely used across UAE schools and are the typical mechanisms applied by school finance offices. The school's fee documents do not list a detailed, itemised list of payment methods in the public fee schedule; payments are administered by the school accounts/finance office.
External examinations and standardized test fees
- External exam fees (published separately) include standard charges for IELTS, SAT, ACT, AP and related optional/add‑on fees; the school's external‑exam fee overview lists those exam core fees and common add‑ons. Example entries from the school's published external exam list: IELTS (approx AED 1,470), SAT and ACT international fees and AP exam fees — see the external exam schedule for the full list of tests and charges.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
American curriculum reinforced by NGSS and AP Standards; adheres to the Virginia State Standards of Learning and the UAE MOE National Curriculum.
Curriculum details
Summit International School Abu Dhabi offers a North American curriculum aligned with the California Common Core from kindergarten through high school, delivered via a blended learning approach that uses online platforms and individualized learning paths supported by adaptive software and Chromebooks. Elementary School (Grades 1–5) follows California Common Core for English, Mathematics, English Social Studies, Health and Physical Education, Visual Arts, Music, and ICT; Science is guided by Next Generation Science Standards, while Moral Education, Arabic, Islamic Studies and Arabic Social Studies align with MOE guidelines under ADEK oversight, with alignment to UAE MOE Cycle 1 and adaptive software to meet grade-level progress. Middle School Curriculum follows California Common Core and is aligned with UAE MOE Cycle 2 requirements to prepare students for High School, with emphasis on English, Arabic, Islamic, Mathematics, Science, Technology, and Humanities; after three years of individualized learning, students complete Middle School. High School Curriculum follows California Common Core with four years of individualized learning; graduates meet California graduation requirements and UAE MOE graduation requirements, and are prepared for exams and postsecondary tests such as PISA, PSAT, AP, ACT, and SAT, with emphasis on Mathematics, Science, Entrepreneurship, Technology and Humanities. The school operates with co-educational classes in KG-4 and gender-separated classes in grades 5-12, and employs a blended learning ecosystem across all stages.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Prepares students for college and beyond.
Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
An experienced admissions team supports applicants to ensure that admission applications meet ADEK documentation requirements. The school reserves the right to refuse admission based on seat availability and other non‑academic issues such as missing documents. To apply, complete the Student Application Form and provide all required documents. The applicant and their parent or guardian will meet with the registrar within 2–3 business days after submission to discuss admission requirements, followed by an interview with the section head to assess character, skills, and commitment to a successful academic and personal life. After these steps, the applicant sits for aptitude tests in English, Arabic, and Mathematics, which also assess higher‑order skills such as writing, critical thinking, and problem solving to help establish a personalized education portfolio. Parents are informed of the results within 2–3 business days of the test date via email, with an academic support plan if needed. ADEK directives require the following ages for admission to each grade: KG1 four years, KG2 five, Grade 1 six, Grade 2 seven, Grade 3 eight, Grade 4 nine, Grade 5 ten, Grade 6 eleven, Grade 7 twelve, Grade 8 thirteen, Grade 9 fourteen, Grade 10 fifteen, Grade 11 sixteen, Grade 12 seventeen. Admissions are open for 2025–2026 in Abu Dhabi for the Baniyas and Madinat Zayed campuses, and applications can be made online.
Admissions
1. Prospective parents and students are encouraged to tour Summit International School, and an appointment must be made.
2. During the tour, a school representative will show facilities and discuss documents required, year/age requirements, fee structure, and school policies.
3. Priority is given to students who have a sibling at the school.
4. The school is located in Abu Dhabi at Sector-4, Street 19 in the Madinat Al Zayed Gold Souk & Post Office area.
Scholarships
Scholarships
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Scholarships
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Waitlist
Waitlist
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Waitlist
A waitlist exists, when a space becomes available from the waitlist, the admissions team will contact families to arrange an assessment/interview.