Admissions Policy and Procedures

Dubai Arabian American Private School opened its doors in 2006. DAAPS is serving a community of over 700 students offering an American Curriculum. The school follows a standards-based US curricular program (California and MOE/KHDA standards) from KG1 to Grade 12 designed to prepare students for post-secondary education. The school is in a strong community that values education infused with traditional Arabic culture and values. We seek to provide opportunities for students to have a voice in their educational processes and understand their role in supporting society both in the present and future.  

 

DAAPS is an inclusive school offering a learning support program, which enables the admissions of a managed number of students requiring learning support at each grade level. As an inclusive school, all students are considered for admission.:  

 

Admissions Procedures

 

Step 1

For questions regarding admissions please contact DAAPS’s Registrar:

Visit in person Registrar’s Office between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm

Email Registrar at: naglaa.zakaria@daaschool.com

Phone 04 288 2222 or mobile 050 418 5928

 

Step 2  

 

Complete the DAAPS Online Application on our website www.daaschool.com and remit the Application (Assessment) fee of AED 350 (inclusive of VAT). This fee is non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-deductible and is due at the time of application along with the following documents (a refund may be granted if the school is not able to offer a seat to the applicant):

(3) Recent colored passport-size photographs

Copy of student’s birth certificate

Copy of student’s vaccination card

Copy of student’s passport with valid residence visa (for non-UAE citizens only)

Copy of student’s UAE I.D. card

Copy of parent’s UAE I.D. card

Family Book (Kholasat Al Qayd)

Copy of School reports for the last 2 years to include the most current report

Copy of recent Standardized Assessment if available (MAP, CAT4, etc.)

Reports of any previously identified special education needs including Individual Education Plans (IEP/LP’s), educational psychologist or other therapist reports

Transfer Certificate from the previous school

Transfer Certificates: The Transfer Certificate (TC) is a document required by KHDA to register a student in any school in Dubai. See Sample Transfer Certificate Click Here

 

Transfer from a school in Dubai  

 

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) requires a system-generated Transfer Certificate to register students at a new school in Dubai. If you have not done so already, please inform your current school of your intentions to withdraw. For those joining DAAPS from another school within Dubai, please obtain a TC from your child’s current school in order to complete the registration process at DAAPS. Please bring the Transfer Certificate to School along with the parent and child(ren’s) EIDs before the first day of school. In the absence of a transfer certificate, we are unable to properly register your child.

 

Transfer from a school outside of Dubai.  

 

Students transferring from the USA, Canada, Western Europe or New Zealand require a Transfer Certificate with Stamp from the current and Principal signature (see a sample of TC).

Students transferring from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries require a Transfer Certificate Stamp from the School, a Principal signature, and a stamp from the Ministry of Education of the GCC country.

Children transferring within the UAE Emirates must have their original certificates attested only by the Education Authority of the origin.

Students transferring from all other countries require a Transfer Certificate with a School Stamp, Principal Signature, and Stamps from the country’s Ministry of Education and Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy in that country.

 

Step 3  

 

An Assessment/Entrance Interview will be scheduled upon completion of the Application.

KG1 and KG2 students will undergo an interview with our Early Childhood team to determine eligibility. They will be observed in a play environment to demonstrate developmental skills appropriate for school. Observations and informal assessments seek information on language, cognitive, social, physical, and emotional development.

Grade 1 to Grade 12 students will be given a CAT4 assessment The Academic Leadership Team reserves the right to interview the applicant if more information is needed or to follow up with academic history. The purpose of the interview is to better inform the school of the best learning environment for each individual scholar.

The purpose of the assessment is to determine the student’s readiness to attend Dubai Arabian American Private School and to determine additional Learning Support if required by the student.

Step 4  

 

Once the assessment has been completed, the student’s file will be sent to our Admissions Committee for review and a communication will be communicated to the parents within 48 hours.

Students who wish to accept the seat will be required to submit a New Student Registration Fee (10% of the annual tuition fee) to secure their seat. The New Student Registration fee is deductible from the annual tuition and not refundable except for special circumstances such as family relocating out of the country/Emirate or other unforeseen circumstances.

Once all documents are submitted and accepted, the student will be formally enrolled in DAAPS. All parents are required to sign the KHDA Parent Contract for DAAPS.

 

Age Requirement and Grade Placement.  

 

Dubai Arabian American Private School will place students in age-appropriate grade levels in accordance with the Ministry of Education/KHDA regulations. Please note, that regardless of birth date, students currently attending another school in Grades 1 to 12 will normally be admitted into the Grade level immediately following the Grade they are completing or have completed.

Age as of August 31st	DAAPS /12 Grade school	British Curriculum Schools/ 13 Year School
4	KG1	FS2 Reception
5	KG2	1
6	1	2
7	2	3
8	3	4
9	4	5
10	5	6
11	6	7
12	7	8
13	8	9
14	9	10
15	10	11
16	11	12
17	12	13

 

Student Withdrawal  

 

Students withdrawing from the school must submit written notification of their withdrawal to the Admissions Office. A 30-day notification period is required to ensure all necessary existing documents are ready at departure (Please see School Financial Policies related to Parents for Withdrawal refunds).

For those students moving to another school in Dubai, KHDA guidelines require all students moving to another school within the UAE to obtain a Transfer Certificate from their current school to complete the registration at their new school. Students will be required to remit an AED 120 administrative fee (this fee is collected on behalf of KHDA) to obtain the Transfer Certificate.