Universal American School

Universal American School is located in Dubai Festival City, Al Badia, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The campus sits within the Dubai Festival City area with convenient access from major roads and nearby transport links. The postal address is P.O. Box 79133.

The school serves students from Pre-K through Grade 12, covering both the early years and the primary/secondary cycles. The curriculum structure mirrors a PK–12 model with elementary and secondary divisions aligned to IB and US standards.

The school operates as a co-educational day school. It does not offer boarding facilities.

The student body represents 83 different nationalities. The community is described as highly diverse, with families from many countries contributing to a broad international mix. The school notes that its enrollment includes a large international presence; no single national majority is publicly disclosed.

Learning Support Services provide inclusive education through the Inclusion Department, developing individualized education plans and offering accommodations and modifications to support students with diverse learning needs and language abilities.

There is no formal country affiliation stated; the school offers an American curriculum alongside the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme.

No religious affiliation is indicated in school materials; UAS presents itself as a secular, internationally minded institution.

School days typically begin at 7:45 am. PreK and KG1 finish at 12:45 pm (with an extended day option to 3:15 pm); KG2–Grade 5 end at 3:15 pm; Grades 6–12 end at 3:20 pm.

The school uses Maverick as its premier transport provider. Maverick offers safe, reliable bus services with driver training, real-time tracking, and bus attendants to support students, focusing on punctuality and safety.

Elementary School (Grades 1–5) offers an IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) aligned with New York State Standards and UAE MOE standards, with Arabic introduced from PreK and specialist classes in Music, PE, and Art. Middle School (Grades 6–8) is NYSS-based with emphasis on higher-order thinking and inquiry-driven instruction, and it offers elective classes in languages and the arts, including a Week Without Walls learning program. High School (Grades 9–12) is aligned to NYSS and provides two university pathways: the IB Diploma Programme or the AP/NYSS pathway, both leading to an American high school diploma. IB Diploma Pathway requires six courses over two years with external examinations; the University Pathway uses AP courses with externally examined exams that can earn college credit. Instruction is primarily in English; Arabic is taught from PreK, and French and Spanish are offered from Grade 5; UAS is KHDA-accredited for IB PYP and IBDP and is also accredited by MSA and ECIS.

UAS supports Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through its Learning Support Services and Inclusion programs. The Learning Support Services provide equitable opportunities for students with diverse learning needs and language abilities to reach their full learning potential. The Inclusion Department reduces barriers to learning and provides access to the general education curriculum by developing individualized education plans (IEPs) and delivering differentiated instruction, accommodations, and modifications. The English Language Learning (ELL) department supports English language acquisition while encouraging maintenance of mother tongue languages and culture, with focus on speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Counseling services are provided across elementary and secondary divisions to address academic, social/emotional, and behavioral development, complemented by an Advisory curriculum to equip students with tools for well-being and respectful global citizenship. The school emphasizes collaboration with families and the broader community to promote wellbeing and positive social growth.

UAS provides Learning Support Services to support students with diverse learning needs and language abilities, with the aim of equitable opportunities to reach learning potential. The Inclusion Department reduces barriers to learning and provides access to the general education curriculum by developing individualized education plans (IEPs) and offering intensive instruction, differentiation, accommodations, and modifications. The Inclusion Department maximizes inclusion opportunities for SEND students in general education through collaboration with teachers and stakeholders and emphasizes ongoing professional development to apply best practices. The English Language Learning (ELL) department supports language acquisition while encouraging maintenance of mother tongue languages and culture, with services covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing, and collaboration with teachers to support ELL students in general education. Gifted and Talented (G&T) provision develops individualized plans to extend learning and maximize opportunities for students with exceptional abilities. UAS presents inclusive education within the general curriculum rather than advertising itself as a separate specialist SEN institution.

English is the main language of instruction at UAS. Arabic is taught from Pre-K, and French and Spanish are offered from Grade 5. English Language Learning (ELL) support helps students acquire English across speaking, listening, reading, and writing, while encouraging maintenance of mother tongue languages and culture as part of students' development. ELL services emphasize daily practice and building academic and social vocabulary, and they work with general education teachers to support ELL students in regular classes. ELL staff participate in ongoing professional development to implement current best practices for language learners.

UAS provides a wellbeing program addressing physical, mental, emotional, and social needs. The Wellbeing vision is to create a happy, safe, and caring environment with services addressing mental health and emotional well-being through counseling, support groups, and referrals to community resources as needed. The program includes education to prevent bullying and harassment, backed by a zero-tolerance policy for such behaviours. Elementary and Secondary counseling teams advocate for students and deliver academic, social/emotional, and behavioral support, complemented by an Advisory curriculum to promote healthy development. The school emphasizes community involvement and collaboration among parents, staff, and students to foster resilience and inclusive wellbeing.

UAS publishes a Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy (updated January 2025) that outlines procedures to keep students safe, including screening of employees, a Professional Code of Conduct for adults and volunteers, supervision of private providers, thorough investigation of complaints, and reporting to authorities such as the police and KHDA as required by Wadeema's Law. The policy designates a Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Safeguarding Leads, with clear quick-reference contacts and a stepped process for handling concerns or disclosures, including use of CPOMS and time-bound actions. It emphasizes our staff's duty of care, multi-agency collaboration, and an ethos of “if you see something, say something.” Early Help and liaison with KHDA/Community Development Authority are described as part of safeguarding practice.

1. Complete the online application form. An acknowledgement is sent containing the next steps of the registration process. A member of the admissions team will contact you to take you through the next steps. Applications must be submitted online, and a 525 AED application fee (one-time nonrefundable) is payable prior to the assessment. 2. If a place is offered, a letter of acceptance will be issued along with joining information. To secure the place, a non-refundable deposit of 3,000 AED should be paid within 3 days of receiving the acceptance, and this amount will be deducted from the first semester's tuition fees. 3. Documents to submit with the application: Student's Passport; Parents' Passports; Student's Recent Report Card (past 2 years, in English); Recent Standardized Test Scores (e.g. 4. Special note: Once all required documents have been submitted, the application will be processed within one to two working days; the admission file review is completed by the divisional principal to ensure proper grade level placement. 5. Documents to submit upon acceptance include: Birth Certificate; Emirates IDs (student and parents); Digital photos; Final report card (current academic year); Vaccination records; Health form; Transportation form (if applicable); Mandatory Transfer Certificate (electronically via KHDA for Dubai transfers; for transfers from outside Dubai, the original Transfer Certificate must be translated and attested as required); for certain regions attestation requirements may apply; if residency visas and Emirates IDs are not available at acceptance, they can be submitted later.

Scholarships are offered by the Al-Futtaim Education Foundation. Categories include Emirati students (academic excellence) with up to 100% scholarships, Talent and Sports with up to 50% discounts, and IBDP Academic Excellence with up to 50% discounts. Scholarships are annual and subject to terms; the 2025-2026 scholarship applications have closed. The scholarships are valid for applicable years as specified (e.g., Emirati and IBDP awards for Grade 11–12).