Sharjah has 136 private schools on this site, and fees here are often lower than in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. 20 schools are rated Very good or better by SPEA. This guide walks you through choosing one, step by step, using SPEA's own data.
1. Start with the curriculum
The curriculum decides the exams your child will take, how easily they can move schools or countries later, and often the fees. If you may move back home in a few years, staying in your home system usually makes the move easier. If you expect to keep moving, the IB is built to travel well.
Here is how the curricula compare in Sharjah, using SPEA's latest ratings and published fees:
| Curriculum | Schools | Very good or better | Typical starting fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| British | 27 | 5 of 27 | AED 13,715 |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | 1 | Not rated yet | AED 50,000 |
| Indian (CBSE / ICSE) | 27 | 6 of 23 | AED 8,350 |
| American | 32 | 4 of 29 | AED 17,950 |
| French | 1 | 1 of 1 | AED 27,500 |
| UAE Ministry of Education | 32 | 0 of 30 | AED 5,716 |
"Typical starting fee" is the middle value of each school's lowest published yearly fee, so half the schools start below it and half above. Schools offering more than one curriculum are counted in each.
Use these numbers to narrow your search, not to rule a curriculum out. One well-run school that suits your child matters more than an average.
2. Check the age rules
From the 2026-27 school year, children joining Pre-KG, KG1, KG2 or Grade 1 for the first time are placed by their age on 31 December of the school year, for schools that start in August or September. Schools that start in April, which includes many Indian and Pakistani curriculum schools, use 31 March. Children already enrolled are not affected.
Year group names differ by curriculum (FS2, KG1 and Pre-KG can all mean the same age). Our year groups guide has a table for every curriculum, and the age rules are the same across the UAE.
3. Shortlist by area and commute
Most private schools are in Sharjah city, especially Al Azra and Muwaileh, which together have about 50 schools. There are a few on the east coast in Khor Fakkan and Kalba, and inland in Al Dhaid. Many families who work in Dubai live in Sharjah, so think about the morning traffic on the routes between the two before you commit.
These areas have the most schools rated Very good or better:
You can also see schools on our map (Sharjah locations are coming soon) or browse all Sharjah schools by area.
4. Read the SPEA rating properly
SPEA reviews private schools against the UAE School Inspection Framework, the same framework used in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and rates them on the same six-level scale. That means a Good school in Sharjah has been judged against the same standard as a Good school in Dubai.
In Sharjah, 20 schools are rated Very good or better. The only school rated Outstanding is GEMS Millennium Private School.
- SPEA does not show the review year. Its directory lists each school's current overall rating, but not when it was given. Ask the school when it was last reviewed and what the report said.
- Ratings affect fees. In Sharjah, how much a school may raise its fees depends on its rating, so the rating matters to your budget as well as to quality (see step 5).
- 11 schools have no rating listed. These are usually newer schools. Visit, ask about results and look at how long the leadership team has been in place.
How school ratings work across the UAE →
5. Plan your budget
130 of the 136 Sharjah schools on this site have published fees. Here is what schools at each rating typically start from:
| Rating | Schools with fees | Lowest starting fee | Typical starting fee | Highest starting fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good | 19 | AED 8,350 | AED 20,500 | AED 38,077 |
| Good | 73 | AED 3,940 | AED 11,085 | AED 30,000 |
| Acceptable | 28 | AED 2,700 | AED 5,154 | AED 41,000 |
Starting fee is the lowest yearly tuition fee each school publishes, usually for its youngest year group. Fees for older year groups are higher.
A higher rating does not always mean higher fees. 67 schools rated Good or better start at AED 20,000 a year or less. Some of the best value schools rated Very good or better:
- GEMS Our Own English High School Sharjah (Girls): Very good, from AED 8,350 a year (Industrial Area 6)
- GEMS Our Own English High School Sharjah (Boys): Very good, from AED 8,440 a year (Juwaiza)
- Ambassador School: Very good, from AED 8,819 a year (Muwaileh)
- Rosary School: Very good, from AED 11,295 a year (Al Abar)
- Delhi Private School Sharjah: Very good, from AED 12,540 a year (Muwaileh)
You can sort Sharjah schools by fees or search with a budget, for example "British school under 40k".
Fee rules worth knowing
- Increases are linked to ratings. When SPEA last approved fee rises, the maximum was 5% for Outstanding schools, 3.75% for Very good, 2.5% for Good and 1.25% for Acceptable. Schools rated Weak or Very weak could not raise fees at all.
- Not every year. Eligible schools can apply to raise fees once every two academic years, through SPEA.
- Your child stays in class. SPEA does not allow schools to expel students or stop them sitting exams because of late or unpaid fees. Talk to the school early if you need a payment plan.
- Ask for the full fee sheet. Our school pages show yearly tuition from SPEA's directory. Ask each school about registration, books, uniform, transport and activity costs on top.
6. Visit and ask the right questions
Ratings and fees get you to a shortlist. A visit tells you whether the school feels right for your child. Try to visit during a normal school day, and ask:
- What did the latest inspection say the school needs to improve, and what has changed since?
- How long have the principal and senior leaders been in post? How many teachers left last year?
- How big are classes, and is there a teaching assistant in the early years?
- How do you support children who need extra help, and those who need more challenge? Are there extra costs?
- What is included in the fees, and what costs extra (books, uniform, transport, trips, activities)?
- How and when do you report progress to parents?
Save the schools you like to your shortlist to compare ratings, fees and grades side by side.
7. Quick checklist
- Choose one or two curricula that fit your plans.
- Confirm the right year group for your child's age.
- List the areas within a reasonable commute.
- Shortlist five to eight schools using the SPEA rating and fees.
- Read the latest inspection report and the full fee sheet.
- Visit your top three and talk to other parents.
- Apply early, with passports, Emirates IDs, birth certificates and recent school reports ready.
Ready to build your shortlist?
Browse all 136 Sharjah private schools by area, curriculum, fees and SPEA rating.
Sources
- School ratings, curricula, grades and fees: SPEA school directory, checked 23 October 2026.
- Rating-linked fee increases and unpaid fee rules: Khaleej Times, March 2023.
- 2026-27 school calendar: Gulf News, August 2026.
- Age cut-off dates from 2026-27: Khaleej Times, August 2026.
This guide is general information to help with your research. Always confirm details with SPEA and the schools you are considering.