Sama International School vs Yasmina American School

	S Sama International School Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	Y Yasmina American School Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year AED 30,065 - 53,380	Fees / year AED 32,000 - 48,000
Age range	Age range 4 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 11 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme), American Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 425
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 28
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2025
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location —	Location The school is located in Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The campus sits on Al Mireef Street in Khalifa City, within Al Raha Gardens near the Khalifa City area. It occupies the former Yasmina British Academy site and serves families in the Khalifa City and Al Raha Gardens communities. The area is residential and family-friendly, with convenient access from major road networks.
Stages	Stages —	Stages Yasmina American School will open in August 2025 for Pre-KG to Grade 5, with plans to grow through Grade 12 in the future. The current program structure focuses on early childhood and elementary grades, building toward higher grades over time.
School type	School type —	School type The school is a private educational institution that is part of the Aldar Academies network. It offers an American curriculum and operates within Aldar Education's portfolio.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix Not disclosed.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support Not specified. There is no public listing of Additional Learning Needs (SEN) provisions on the current materials.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation Not specified.
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure The school day runs from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday to Thursday, with a shorter day on Friday from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details A bus service is available to all students and is charged as a fixed fee per student per academic year. The Admissions Team will confirm the fee for each school and the routes they follow.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details —	Fee details Application & Registration Fees - Registration fee (new students): 5% of the yearly tuition fee, payable after an offer is accepted and deductible from the final tuition installment (Term 3). The seat is reserved only once the registration fee is received and confirmed by school finance. The registration fee is refundable for new students if written notification is provided at least two weeks prior to the start of the new academic year. - Re‑registration fee (returning students): 5% of the yearly tuition fee, payable at time of re‑enrolment and deductible from the final tuition installment. Schools may collect re‑registration fees up to 4 months before the start of the academic year. The re‑registration fee is refundable if written notification is provided on or before 30 June; the re‑registration fee is non‑transferable to another child. Tuition fees by year group (annual and term breakdown) — Academic Year 2025/2026 - FS 1: ADEK Approved Fee AED 40,000; Founding Discount AED 8,000; Tuition Fee AED 32,000. Term 1 AED 12,800; Term 2 AED 9,600; Term 3 AED 9,600. - FS 2: ADEK Approved Fee AED 40,000; Founding Discount AED 8,000; Tuition Fee AED 32,000. Term 1 AED 12,800; Term 2 AED 9,600; Term 3 AED 9,600. - Y 1: ADEK Approved Fee AED 40,000; Founding Discount AED 8,000; Tuition Fee AED 32,000. Term 1 AED 12,800; Term 2 AED 9,600; Term 3 AED 9,600. - Y 2: ADEK Approved Fee AED 44,000; Founding Discount AED 8,800; Tuition Fee AED 35,200. Term 1 AED 14,080; Term 2 AED 10,560; Term 3 AED 10,560. - Y 3: ADEK Approved Fee AED 44,000; Founding Discount AED 8,800; Tuition Fee AED 35,200. Term 1 AED 14,080; Term 2 AED 10,560; Term 3 AED 10,560. - Y 4: ADEK Approved Fee AED 44,000; Founding Discount AED 8,800; Tuition Fee AED 35,200. Term 1 AED 14,080; Term 2 AED 10,560; Term 3 AED 10,560. - Y 5: ADEK Approved Fee AED 44,000; Founding Discount AED 8,800; Tuition Fee AED 35,200. Term 1 AED 14,080; Term 2 AED 10,560; Term 3 AED 10,560. - Y 6: ADEK Approved Fee AED 44,000; Founding Discount AED 8,800; Tuition Fee AED 35,200. Term 1 AED 14,080; Term 2 AED 10,560; Term 3 AED 10,560. - Y 7: ADEK Approved Fee AED 46,000; Founding Discount AED 9,200; Tuition Fee AED 36,800. Term 1 AED 14,720; Term 2 AED 11,040; Term 3 AED 11,040. - Y 8: ADEK Approved Fee AED 46,000; Founding Discount AED 9,200; Tuition Fee AED 36,800. Term 1 AED 14,720; Term 2 AED 11,040; Term 3 AED 11,040. - Y 9: ADEK Approved Fee AED 46,000; Founding Discount AED 9,200; Tuition Fee AED 36,800. Term 1 AED 14,720; Term 2 AED 11,040; Term 3 AED 11,040. - Y 10: ADEK Approved Fee AED 48,000; Founding Discount AED 9,600; Tuition Fee AED 38,400. Term 1 AED 15,360; Term 2 AED 11,520; Term 3 AED 11,520. - Y 11: ADEK Approved Fee AED 48,000; Founding Discount AED 9,600; Tuition Fee AED 38,400. Term 1 AED 15,360; Term 2 AED 11,520; Term 3 AED 11,520. - Y 12: ADEK Approved Fee AED 48,000; Founding Discount AED 9,600; Tuition Fee AED 38,400. Term 1 AED 15,360; Term 2 AED 11,520; Term 3 AED 11,520. - Y 13: ADEK Approved Fee AED 48,000; Founding Discount AED 9,600; Tuition Fee AED 38,400. Term 1 AED 15,360; Term 2 AED 11,520; Term 3 AED 11,520. Billing schedule and payment terms - Academic year tuition is invoiced in three instalments (termly). Term 1 covers Sep–Dec (4 months); Term 2 covers Jan–Mar (3 months); Term 3 covers Apr–Jun (3 months). Term due dates are: Term 1 — 1 August; Term 2 — 1 December; Term 3 — 1 March. Parents may request a full‑year invoice with a single due date of 1 August. - Registration fee due timing: registration payment is required within seven days upon offer acceptance. Re‑registration fee due date is set in the fee policy calendar (example due dates shown for the 2025/2026 cycle). Full‑year invoice option has a due date of 1 August for that cycle. - Late payment / non‑payment consequences: the school issues three consecutive warning notices (each at least one week apart) for late/non‑payment. The school is authorized to suspend a student for up to three days in response to late/non‑payment (after issuing the three warnings) and may withhold examination report cards, transfer certificates or block transfer on eSIS, and may withhold re‑enrolment until outstanding fees are settled. Schools will inform parents in writing at least three months before the end of the academic year if outstanding fees place re‑enrolment at risk. Boarding fees - Boarding is not listed as part of the fee schedule; no boarding fees are included in the published fee policy. (Fees and inclusions/exclusions specify tuition does not include items such as uniform, food services, transport, examination fees or extra‑curricular activities.) Other costs and exclusions - Uniforms: not included in tuition; uniform costs are charged separately. Tuition explicitly excludes uniform costs. - Food services / school meals: not included in tuition; meal plans or catering are separate charges. - Transport (school bus): transport is not included in tuition. Bus service is available at a fixed annual fee per student; the bus fee amount varies by route. - Examination fees and extra‑curricular activities outside school hours: these are not included in tuition and may incur additional charges. Refund information (withdrawal and refund rules) - Registration fee refund (new students): refundable if written notification is provided at least two weeks prior to the start of the academic year. Re‑registration fee refundable if written notification is provided on or before 30 June. - Early withdrawal / prorated retention: if a student attends up to part of the first week of a term and then discontinues without sufficient written notice, the school may retain up to 5% of the annual tuition (equivalent to the registration/re‑registration fee). If a student attends between one week and three weeks in a term, the school retains the value of one full month of tuition. If attendance is over three weeks and up to six weeks in a term, the school retains the value of two full months of tuition. If attendance exceeds six weeks in a term, the school may retain the full term fee plus registration/re‑registration fee.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details —	Curriculum details The Yasmina American School offers a rigorous American curriculum from Pre-KG through Grade 5, aligned with the U.S. CCSS for English Language Arts and Mathematics and NGSS for Science; the early years (Pre-KG and Kindergarten) follow the U.S. Early Learning Standards in a play-based, inquiry-driven program. The Elementary program (Grades 1–5) covers core subjects—English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies—supplemented by Art, Music, Physical Education, and STEAM, with project-based learning and a focus on 21st-century skills. Instruction is differentiated to meet diverse learners and uses an integrated STEAM approach to develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving through inquiry. The school plans to expand to Middle & High School with Advanced Placement (AP) courses to offer college credit opportunities in the future; currently, the curriculum covers Pre-KG to Grade 5. The program emphasizes personal growth and development, fostering confident, compassionate learners in a joyful, inquiry-based environment.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions —	Admissions 01. Submit your enquiry online; a Parent Relations Executive will get back to you within 2 working days to assist you. Enquiries are accepted for the 2025-2026 academic year. This initial contact begins the admissions process. 02. Schedule a tour or a meeting with our Senior Leadership team to learn more about Yasmina American School. Tours and meetings can be arranged via the provided links. The visit helps you understand the school's programs, facilities, and overall environment. 03. Submit your completed application; the Admissions Team will be in touch within 2 working days after submission. The application is processed through the admissions system linked on the site. This step advances your candidacy toward assessment. 04. Within 2 working days of a successful assessment, you will receive an offer of a place at our School. Once this is accepted and the registration fee is paid, enrollment is completed.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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