When you decide to move to Dubai, one of the first questions that comes to mind is: "Which school will I send my child to?"
And the question that follows almost immediately: "Is there a Turkish school in Dubai?"
I've heard this from hundreds of Turkish families. I was surprised myself when I first learned the answer. Because Dubai has Indian schools, Pakistani schools, French schools. But there isn't a single school teaching the Turkish curriculum.
In this post, I'll walk you through this reality — and more importantly, what to do about it.
When we moved to Dubai, I had to face this reality head on. Everything I learned through that process, I'm sharing with you now — so you're not caught off guard.
Yes, There Is No Turkish School in Dubai
I want to be clear: as of now, there is no school in Dubai teaching the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB) curriculum. There are Turkish schools in Qatar, Kuwait, and Azerbaijan — but not in Dubai.
What does this mean in practice? When your child starts school in Dubai, they won't receive Turkish-language education. Turkish history, Turkish literature, mathematics in Turkish — none of these will be part of the school curriculum.
Is this a disaster? No. But being caught unprepared creates unnecessary stress for both you and your child. I experienced that unpreparedness firsthand.
So What Is Available in Dubai?
Dubai has over 210 private schools offering a wide range of curricula. The three systems most commonly chosen by Turkish families are:
British Curriculum
This highly structured, academically rigorous system leads to GCSE and A-Level qualifications. It's a strong choice if there's any chance your child might study in the UK or Australia later. That said, exam pressure begins at a relatively young age.
American Curriculum
A more flexible, project-based approach that gives children more room to develop at their own pace. If the US or Canada is on your radar, this is the natural choice.
IB (International Baccalaureate)
The system that offers the greatest advantage for international transitions. If your family may move to another country in the coming years — as most expat families navigate — IB schools make it much easier for your child to adapt anywhere. Fees tend to be higher.
How Will You Preserve Your Child's Turkish?
This is the truly important question. And it's the one most families overlook.
In Dubai, your child will learn at school in English, speak English with friends, and live their social life in English. Without a conscious effort at home, Turkish weakens within 2–3 years. I've seen this with my own eyes.
Steps I recommend to families for preserving Turkish:
1. Set a home language rule
A rule to speak Turkish at home is simple but effective. Children resist at first — but it becomes routine.
2. Enrol in Dubai Turkish Hours
Weekend Turkish classes are held under the Turkish Consulate General in Dubai, taught by Turkish teachers. These sessions are a solid support for maintaining your child's Turkish reading and writing.
3. Build a Turkish content habit
Turkish books, Turkish series, Turkish podcasts. Language atrophies when it goes unused.
4. Keep the Turkey connection alive
Spending summer holidays in Turkey, regular video calls with grandparents — these keep the language alive not just on paper, but through emotional connection.
What Is KHDA and Why Does It Matter?
A term you will inevitably encounter when choosing a school: KHDA.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) inspects and rates every private school in Dubai annually. Schools are evaluated across five categories from "Weak" to "Outstanding".
Always check the KHDA report when evaluating a school. I recommend prioritising schools rated "Very Good" or "Outstanding". These reports are publicly available and free to access. You can also browse our guide to Dubai's best international schools.
For Families Who Say "My Child Doesn't Know English"
I hear this concern more than any other. And what I say immediately after is this: children learn far faster than adults.
My own son had no exposure to school-level English when we arrived in Dubai. He struggled for the first few months, yes. But within a year he was speaking fluently with his friends. Language acquisition in children is a biological superpower — you just need to provide the right environment.
That said, some schools are considerably better at language support than others. Always ask during school selection: "Do you have an English language support programme? How do you approach newly arrived students?"
If You Don't Know Where to Start
As a Turkish family about to relocate to Dubai — or one that has just arrived — the biggest challenge is trying to learn this entire system from scratch. Every school has a different curriculum, a different price, a different KHDA rating, and you're making this decision from thousands of kilometres away or while you're still finding your feet in a new city.
That's exactly why I founded Edualist. To share everything I've learned over the years — which school suits which Turkish child, how to read KHDA ratings, what to question in curriculum selection.
If you don't know where to start with school selection and enrolment in Dubai, reach out. Let's arrange a free consultation.
