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German International School Abu Dhabi has 400 pupils, typical class sizes of 16, instruction in German.
Location
GISAD is located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The official mailing address is P.O. Box 4150, Abu Dhabi. The campus is in central Abu Dhabi with bus routes serving multiple city zones, including Abu Dhabi City, Al Reem Island, Saadiyat Island, Mangrove Village, and surrounding areas.
Stages
GISAD offers education from Kindergarten through Upper Secondary. It includes Primary School and Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary levels, culminating in the German Abitur. Instruction includes a bilingual German-English program starting in kindergarten, with Abitur preparation in Upper Secondary.
Type
GISAD is a co-educational day school with an extensive afternoon program.
Pupil Nationality Mix
GISAD has a multinational student body. In 2025/2026 the school enrolled 544 students. About 80 Emirati students participate in the ADEK scholarship program, representing roughly 15% of the student body. Public reporting notes the school hosts students from around 17 nationalities.
Additional learning support
GISAD provides inclusive education with language integration for non-German-speaking students (DaF), an integration pathway, school social work, bilingual counseling, and private tutoring; there is a nurse on site.
Country affiliation
GISAD is affiliated with Germany as a German international school abroad; it is part of the German Schools Abroad network and awards the German Language Diploma (DSD) and Abitur.
Religious affiliation
No religious affiliation is indicated.
School day structure
Timetables are published via the UNTIS timetable app; schedules may vary by grade and are updated as needed.
Bus service
GISAD operates a school bus transport with 11 buses. Buses run in the morning and after school at 13:45 and 15:45. Pickups are at designated stops or at home, with routes adjusted at the start of each school year. Enrollment and changes are via an online portal; Zone-based annual fees apply (Zone 1: 5,500 AED; Zone 2: 6,000 AED; Zone 3: 7,000 AED; Zone 4: 8,000 AED).
Fees
Annual tuition at German International School Abu Dhabi ranges from AED 37,570 to AED 56,600 for 2026/27.
Application / Admission Fees
- Admission deposit on enrolment: AED 1,000 per child (payable at school entry).
Annual tuition fees by year group (per child)
- Kindergarten: AED 36,610 per school year. A reduction of AED 2,000 is applied for early pickup where applicable. - Primary School (Grundschule, Grades 1–4): AED 43,630 per school year. - Secondary I (Sekundarstufe I, Grades 5–10): AED 49,270 per school year. - Secondary II (Sekundarstufe II, Grades 11–12): AED 55,150 per school year.
Per-term / per half‑year indication (calculated)
- The school publishes annual tuition figures. For budgeting by semester/half‑year, divide the annual tuition by 2 to obtain an approximate half‑year amount (example: Kindergarten AED 36,610 ≈ AED 18,305 per half‑year). This is a straightforward division of the published annual fee to give a per‑half‑year figure.
Transport (school bus) fees
- Bus fees are charged annually by zone: - Zone 1: AED 5,500 per year. - Zone 2: AED 6,000 per year. - Zone 3: AED 7,000 per year. - Zone 4: AED 8,000 per year.
Language support and supplementary academic packages (annual)
- Kindergarten language support: - Deutsch als Fremdsprache (DaF), 4 h/week: AED 5,000 per year. - English Intensive Programme (EIP), 2 h/week: AED 3,000 per year. - Primary (Grundschule): - DaF (3 h/week): AED 5,000 per year. - Deutsch Intensiv (DIP, 4 h/week): AED 5,000 per year. - English Intensive (EIP, 3 h/week): AED 5,000 per year. - Combined full‑day language package (school fees including DaF 3h & DIP 4h plus full‑day care & activities): AED 54,500 per year. - Secondary (Sekundarstufe): - DaF (3 h/week) for Grades 5 & 6: AED 5,000 per year. - DaF + DIP package (Grades 5 & 6): AED 8,000 per year. - DIP (4 h/week) from Grade 7 onward: AED 7,000 per year. - French intensive (from Grade 7): AED 7,000 per year. - DaF summer/winter course rates (by level): - For kindergarten/primary: AED 150 per day / AED 700 per week. - For secondary: AED 160 per day / AED 800 per week.
Full‑day and after‑school care options (charges shown per half‑year where indicated)
- Full‑day package (Ganztagespaket): AED 4,270 per half‑year. - Supervision (Betreuung) per half‑year: - 1 day/week: AED 990 per half‑year. - 2 days/week: AED 1,980 per half‑year. - 3 days/week: AED 2,970 per half‑year. - 4 days/week: AED 3,960 per half‑year. - Single extracurricular group (AG) price per half‑year: from AED 650 (varies by offering). Single day care: AED 70 per day. Ferienkurse and externally provided ECA are charged according to the provider's offer.
Other mandatory or one‑off fees
- Book deposit (Bücherkaution): AED 5,000 per child. - Advance payment on school fees for the coming school year: 5% of the annual tuition per child. - Returned (dishonoured) cheque fee: AED 150 per cheque. - Issuance of a school certificate: AED 35 per certificate. Issuance of a certified copy of a transcript from the original: AED 60 per transcript.
Payment terms and billing schedule
- The school requires an admission deposit at enrolment and a separate advance payment corresponding to 5% of the next year's annual tuition (as noted above). The published fee information specifies surcharge rates for payment by instalments rather than a single payment: - Instalment surcharge for 4–6 instalments: 2% of the billed amount. - Instalment surcharge for 7–10 instalments: 3% of the billed amount. - Where the school lists per‑half‑year charges (for some services), those amounts indicate a billing cadence that includes half‑year (semester) billing for those specific services; instalment plan options are published for tuition as noted above.
VAT / taxes
- All published fees are stated to include value‑added tax.
Uniforms, meals and school shop
- The school shop supplies required materials and embroidered uniform items (T‑shirts, polo shirts with the GISAD logo). Cash payments are not accepted at the shop; the published information indicates use of the Skiply app for shop payments. Costs for uniforms, materials and school meals vary by item/option and are charged separately.
Refunds and cancellations
- The published fee table lists deposits (admission deposit and book deposit) and other fees, but it does not include a detailed public refund schedule in the fee table document itself. Refunds, partial reimbursements and the specific handling of deposits on withdrawal or early leaving are governed by the school's fee policy and formal school fee guidelines. The fee table notes the book deposit and admission deposit amounts explicitly.
Other routine charges
- Single extracurricular activities, externally provided ECA and holiday course charges are set according to the specific offering and provider; the fee table lists baseline starting prices for school‑run AGs and daily care fees as above.
Accepted payment channels (published references)
- For school shop purchases the published material states that cash is not accepted and the Skiply app is to be used for payments. Instalment billing options for tuition are published (see instalment surcharges above). The fee table does not list an exhaustive set of tuition payment channels (bank transfer, card, etc.) in the fee table PDF; instalment plans and surcharges are explicitly published.
Notes
- The numerical amounts above are the school's published fees for the school year 2025/26 and the fee table is labelled with a publication/stand date. Where amounts are published as annual fees, a simple division by two can be used to estimate a half‑year (per term/semester) figure for budgeting; the school also publishes explicit per‑half‑year charges for several services (for example the full‑day package and supervision options).
Academics
German International School Abu Dhabi teaches German Curriculum for students aged 4 to 18.
Curriculum
GISAD offers education from kindergarten through the German International Abitur, with the Abitur as the school's highest qualification for university study. From kindergarten, instruction is bilingual (German and English); from Grade 1 most main classes are taught in German, with Arabic available for native speakers in kindergarten and taught as a foreign language from Grade 1, and an English Intensive Program (EIP) supports English development and Cambridge qualifications. Starting in Grade 5, students are assessed on future educational paths and may pursue Realschule or Gymnasium/Abitur tracks. The Upper Secondary curriculum follows a Thuringian-based internal scheme, aligning with Abitur exam requirements, with Grade 11 offering choices such as Chemistry or French and German, English, and Mathematics at advanced level while other subjects are at basic level. GISAD also awards the German Language Diploma (DSD KMK) and provides English-language qualification pathways via EIP and related language programs.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
GISAD offers a School Social Work service with bilingual German/English counseling, including individual and group sessions and confidential support to address personal, social, and emotional challenges; it also runs anti-bullying initiatives.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
GISAD provides School Social Work and a language integration program for diverse backgrounds, but there is no publicly listed dedicated SEN department or specialist SEN staff.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
English as an Additional Language support is provided via the English Intensive Program (EIP) for newcomers and students with limited English proficiency, and English is promoted from kindergarten within a bilingual German–English framework.
Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is supported through the School Social Work service and ongoing anti-bullying initiatives.
Safeguarding
The school does not publicly disclose information regarding safeguarding policies.
Admissions
Admissions
1. Determine the entry level and submit the appropriate admission application. Kindergarten Admission Application is used for the Kindergarten track, while School Admission Application is used for primary and secondary levels. The admission forms are available in the Downloads section under Registrations. A Kindergarten Tour can be booked as part of the admissions process to visit GISAD. 2. Prepare and submit the required documents and pay related fees. The Downloads include documents such as Medical Record and School Regulations; the admissions process requires the Registration Fee (AED 1,000) and a Deposit for books (AED 5,000), with a Re-registration fee of 5% of the yearly school fee. Fees for tuition and transport are published in the GISAD Fees Table. 3. Review tuition, transport, and language supports and plan accordingly. Tuition is published per year by level (Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary) and bus transport fees vary by zone (AED 5,500–AED 8,000 per year). Language support options are available (e.g., German as a foreign language, English intensive) as part of the overall language packages. A Kindergarten Tour can assist families in assessing fit before finalizing enrollment. 4. Explore scholarships if eligible. The H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Scholarship for the GISAD Kindergarten is available for Emirati children born in 2023, with an application deadline of March 15, 2026. There is also a Scholarship for Emirati Students offered by GISAD. These scholarships reflect GISAD's participation in the German Schools Abroad network and its commitment to Emirati eligibility programs.
Scholarships
GISAD offers scholarships including the H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Scholarship for GISAD Kindergarten, available to Emirati children born in 2023 with the application deadline of March 15, 2026. There is also a Scholarship for Emirati Students at GISAD. These programs illustrate GISAD's support for Emirati families and its participation in international education programs. The school is part of the German Schools Abroad network and maintains strong ties with Emirati education initiatives.
FAQs
What curriculum does German International School Abu Dhabi follow?
German national curriculum leading to the Abitur, with bilingual German-English instruction...
What age range does German International School Abu Dhabi serve?
The school serves students from age 4 to 18.
What are the tuition fees?
**Application / Admission Fees**
- Admission deposit on enrolment: AED 1,000 per child (payable at school entry).
**Annual tuition fees by year group (per child)**
- Kindergarten: AED 36,610 per sc...
What type of school is German International School Abu Dhabi?
German International School Abu Dhabi is a co-educational, day school school.
Where is German International School Abu Dhabi located?
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates...
Does the school offer a bus service?
GISAD operates a school bus transport with 11 buses. Buses run in the morning and after school at 13:45 and 15:45. Pickups are at designated stops or at home, with routes adjusted at the start of each...
Is the school religiously affiliated?
Non-denominational
What accreditations does the school hold?
Rated 'sehr gut' (very good) by Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK)
Part of the German International Schools Network...
Does the school provide learning support?
GISAD provides School Social Work and a language integration program for diverse backgrounds, but there is no publicly listed dedicated SEN department or specialist SEN staff.
What languages are taught?
German is the core language of instruction and English is taught from the very beginning. French and Arabic are offered as foreign languages. DaF (German as a Foreign Language) is provided to support ...
How many students attend the school?
German International School Abu Dhabi has approximately 400 students.
When was the school established?
German International School Abu Dhabi was established in 1976.
What is the admissions process?
1) Determine the entry level and submit the appropriate admission application. Kindergarten Admission Application is used for the Kindergarten track, while School Admission Application is used for pri...
Does the school offer scholarships?
H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Scholarship is available for kindergarten students.
