United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
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The British International School Abu Dhabi has 2,000 pupils, typical class sizes of 22, instruction in English.
The British International School Abu Dhabi is located on the Abu Dhabi mainland, behind Abu Dhabi University. The postal address is PO Box 60968, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and the physical address is Behind Abu Dhabi University. The school is about 30 minutes from the city centre and 15 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Early Years (ages 3-5); Primary (ages 5-11); Secondary (ages 11-16); Senior School (ages 16-18).
The school is co-educational and internationally focused, serving Nursery through Senior School. It operates as a day school (boarding facilities are DAY).
The BIS Abu Dhabi community represents more than 95 nationalities; total student body is around 2,500. The most common nationality is not publicly published, and the school emphasizes a diverse international population with families from over 90 countries.
The school provides English as an Additional Language (EAL) support and an Additional Educational Needs (AEN) team that creates tailored learning programmes for students who need extra support. Assessment during admissions may identify learning needs, and some ALN support may incur additional costs.
United Kingdom; The school follows the English National Curriculum alongside Cambridge IGCSE, IBDP, and the BTEC programmes.
No formal religious affiliation is stated.
The school day commonly runs from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays. The school office hours are 7:40 am to 3:00 pm, Monday to Thursday, and 7:40 am to 12:30 pm on Fridays; students finish at 3:00 pm Monday to Thursday and at 12:00 pm on Fridays.
BIS Abu Dhabi runs a bus service covering the main residential areas of Abu Dhabi. The annual bus fee is 8,000 AED; Autumn Term 3,200 AED; Spring Term 2,400 AED; Summer Term 2,400 AED. One-way journeys are 6,300 AED annually, with term costs of 2,520 AED (Autumn), 1,890 AED (Spring), and 1,890 AED (Summer).
Annual tuition at The British International School Abu Dhabi ranges from AED 54,204 to AED 76,952 for 2026/27.
The British International School Abu Dhabi teaches British Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 3 to 18.
The British International School Abu Dhabi delivers a British and international curriculum across Early Years to Senior School, with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for ages 3–5. From ages 5–11 (Primary), pupils follow the English National Curriculum. In Secondary (11–16), students study towards Cambridge IGCSEs as part of the English National Curriculum. In Years 12–13 (Senior School), students progress to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) or the BTEC International Level 3 Extended Diploma. The BISAD Diploma is a school-wide program for Years 1–11 with Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards across categories such as Service, Leadership, Academics, and STEAM. All lessons are taught in English, with English as an Additional Language (EAL) support available as needed.
1. Assessment and language review: Every applicant sits an assessment as part of admissions. Assessments and interviews vary by age and may include class observations, English speaking, writing, and cognitive ability tests. The assessment ensures BIS Abu Dhabi can meet individual learning needs and offer the right blend of challenge and support. English language fluency is important because all lessons are taught in English, and the EAL team provides targeted support. 2. Language of instruction and development: All lessons are taught in English. The EAL team provides support for students who need extra language help. The Modern Foreign Languages program starts in Primary with French from Year 2, and from Year 5 German or Spanish can be added. In Secondary, Year 7 begins with at least one foreign language, with options to continue through IGCSE and into the IB Diploma Programme; in the IB, a Group 2 language is required, pursued at Ab Initio or continuing from IGCSE, reaching the appropriate proficiency levels.
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