American Community School of Abu Dhabi

American Community School of Abu Dhabi is one of the oldest educational institutions in the capital. The school started operations in Al Bateen in 1972. In 2024, the school relocated to a new high-end facility in Saadiyat Island. It educates children from KG1 to Grade 12. The school follows the US curriculum and the IBDP programme for high school students. It is rated outstanding by the ADEK.

• Location: Saadiyat Island
• School fee: AED 54,449 - AED 97,850
• Curriculum: US and IB
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-education
• ADEK rating: Outstanding
• Years offered: KG1 - Grade 12

American Community School of Abu Dhabi is on Saadiyat Island - an idyllic island in Abu Dhabi with seven districts. This educational institute is surrounded by:

• Al Mina
• Al Reem Island
• Al Jubail Island

Al Mina, a part of the main Abu Dhabi Island, is a mixed-use development with residential properties and offices. Here, one can find apartments and villas as residential options. Al Reem Island is another nearby area from the school. The community is known for apartments and water-front villas. American Community School of Abu Dhabi is an excellent educational option for families living in Al Jubail Island - an eco-friendly secluded residential community.

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The American Community School of Abu Dhabi campus was relocated to Saadiyat Island in January 2024.

The new campus is sustainable, technologically advanced and has resources to support students’ academic and non-academic needs. It is 400 metres away from the New York University Abu Dhabi and can accommodate 1,500 students. 

The Saadiyat Island campus has a 650-seat theatre, science wing, medical and wellness centre and an art gallery. On-site sports facilities include two swimming pools, running tracks, a full-sized football field and five indoor basketball courts.

American Community School of Abu Dhabi is opposite Baytoon Gourmet Bakery in Al Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.

American Community School of Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island shares a rich history of educating generations in Abu Dhabi. With over 50 years of experience, it offers a robust US curriculum and IBDP programme for high school students. More importantly, this school is a top-rated educational facility for those outside the city’s centre. All this makes it an incredible option for families living in Al Jubail Island.

American Community School Abu Dhabi is a K-12 school that educates children aged 4 to 18 years old. The school is split into the following phases of education:

The American School of Abu Dhabi curriculum is based on the Common Core State Standard (CCSS). It is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA). The US-based curriculum is offered from KG1 to Grade 12. However, students in Grade 11 can opt for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). More details on the curriculum are as follows:

Elementary School Curriculum

The elementary stage curriculum at the American Community School of Abu Dhabi is based on four pillars: arts, athletics, academics and service learning. Teachers in the elementary stage introduce toddlers to basic concepts via informal learning. Teachers introduce more formal learning approaches per the CCSS as they move forward. The subjects taught in this stage are:

Middle School Curriculum

The middle school curriculum at American Community School Saadiyat Island follows the same standards and pillars. However, the complexity of concepts increases with each grade. Here are the subjects taught to students in Grade 6 to Grade 8.

Please note that the world languages include French, Spanish, Arabic as a First Language (AFL) and Arabic as a Second Language (ASL).

Encore opportunities for middle school students of ACS Abu Dhabi are:

High School Curriculum

Students in Grades 9 and 10 must continue their education based on the common core state standards of the US curriculum. However, students in Grade 11 have two options. They can either continue their studies based on the US curriculum or opt for the IBDP programme.

Subjects offered to Grades 9 and 10 students are:

Check out the high school curriculum of the American Community School of Abu Dhabi for more information on subjects for IBDP.

Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is a governmental education regulatory body. Founded in 2005, ADEK aims to improve and sustain the quality of education offered by educational institutes in Abu Dhabi. It inspects the performances of schools every 18 to 24 months and issues a detailed report. These reports provide an overview of the judgement made by ADEK based on a six-point rating scale. The scale consists of the following ratings: outstanding, very good, good, acceptable, weak and very weak. A brief explanation of each rating scale is given below:

The American Community School rating by ADEK is outstanding. Read the inspection report on ADEK’s website for more information.

The American Community School of Abu Dhabi calendar starts in the last week of August and ends in the middle of June.  Here is the breakdown of the school’s calendar.

View the academic calendar of the American Community School of Abu Dhabi for more information.

Parents interested in enrolling their children at the American Community School of Abu Dhabi can initiate the process by filling out the pre-application form. Once submitted, the school will email parents with details on creating an account on its admission portal. 

Afterwards, parents are required to fill out the application form by signing into the admission portal. Once done, the school will reach out to you with more details.

Check out the age-grade guidelines shown below to find the appropriate age for your child:

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: ADEK

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

Read the admission overview for more details.

The American Community School of Abu Dhabi tuition fee is given below:

In addition, the school charges the following:

• Capital Fee of AED 23,000 (non-refundable and non-transferable fee against each student)
• Reservation Fee of AED 3,000 (refundable after May 1)
• Application Fee of AED 630

View the fee structure of the American Community School of Abu Dhabi for more information.

The school has a canteen where students can buy food and snack items.

The school has a fleet of well-maintained buses for its transport service. Contact the school's administration for more information. In addition, the school has a parking area for students using bikes and scooters as a mode of transportation. Carpooling is also encouraged to reduce the environmental impact. Read more about the transport policy of American Community School Saadiyat Island.

The Saadiyat Island campus has incredible sports facilities, including a swimming pool, running tracks, basketball courts and a football field.

American Community School of Abu Dhabi believes in the holistic development of students. For this, it has a comprehensive enrichment programme. The school offers plenty of extracurricular activities to students, including arts, bands, chorus, visual arts, theatre, dance, athletics, clubs and much more.

Viper is a popular extracurricular activity at American Community School. Students that are part of this activity visit different places in the UAE.

The school arranges several field trips for its students. These trips are for educational and recreational purposes. Mostly, the school takes children to outdoor parks, indoor entertainment centres and museums. American Community School has also arranged several international trips for its students. These events include visits to London and New Delhi for participating in international arts-related competitions. Also, the school arranges a trip to Mecca, Saudi Arabia for Umrah.

The school offers an extensive after-school care programme known as the Fun After School (FAS) programme. The FAS programme runs throughout the year and focuses on developing well-rounded students. As the name suggests, the activities are designed to be fun, creative and interactive.  From cooking to Model United Nations (MUN), students have a wide range of options all resulting in the development of non-academic skills. Most extra-curricular at American Community School Abu Dhabi are offered as after-school activities.

The school has a medical clinic where students and staff are provided with proper medical care. The clinic is well-equipped and is capable of dealing with small to minor injuries and illnesses. The school’s medical staff is experienced and more than capable to handle students and staff suffering from illnesses. The health and wellness office page at American Community School Abu Dhabi is regularly updated with key information.

There are several modes of communication for teachers and parents to interact with one another and with the school. For parents, the parent portal is the most commonly used mode of communication. By entering correct login credentials, parents can gain access to vital information. This includes attendance records, teachers’ feedback, gallery and videos, circulars, news and much more.

American Community School on Saadiyat Island has several modes of communication to stay in touch with parents. The school has a parent portal to access key information. Furthermore, the American Community School of Abu Dhabi arranges several parent-teacher meetings throughout the year to discuss the progress made by students. Parents also play their role as liaisons between students and other parents. Read more about parents as a community of American Community School. The school also has an official website, social media profiles and WhatsApp groups.

• Reception: +971-2-681-5115

For General Information

• American Community School of Abu Dhabi Website
• American Community School of Abu Dhabi Facebook
• American Community School of Abu Dhabi Instagram
• American Community School of Abu Dhabi Twitter
• American Community School of Abu Dhabi LinkedIn
• American Community School of Abu Dhabi YouTube

WHAT ARE THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABU DHABI TIMINGS?

American Community School in Saadiyat Island is open Monday to Friday, 08:00 am to 04:00 pm.

WHAT IS THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR OF AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABU DHABI?

The American Community School of Abu Dhabi calendar is from August to June.

WHAT IS THE TUITION FEE CHARGED BY THE SCHOOL?

 American Community School Abu Dhabi tuition fee is from AED 50,318 to AED 91,148.

Note that the cover image belongs to the American Community School of Abu Dhabi.