Canadian International School

Canadian International School, Abu Dhabi was founded in 2007 and is accredited by Alberta Education of Canada. The school has over 1,000 students and 150 teachers serving more than 70 nationalities. It enrols students under the Canadian Alberta curriculum.

• Location: Khalifa City
• School fee: AED 37,250 - AED 49,450
• Curriculum: Curriculum of Alberta
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-education
• ADEK rating: Outstanding
• Years offered: KG1 - Grade 12

The Canadian International School of Abu Dhabi is easily accessible from the following residential communities:

• Al Bandar
• Al Raha Garden
• Khalifa City
• Masdar City

Al Bandar is a part of the Al Raha Beach district and offers several residential apartments and commercial properties. Al Raha Gardens is preferred by families who want to live in spacious villas. Families looking to settle near Canadian School Abu Dhabi can consider:

• Apartments for rent near Canadian International School
• Villas for rent near Canadian International School
• Villas for sale near Canadian International School

Canadian International School campus has bright and spacious classes with interactive smart boards and other modern equipment. The school has two libraries, a computer lab, science labs and art rooms for elementary students.

There is a separate Annex building for a gymnasium, a renovated 25-foot indoor pool, a dance studio, a music room and a huge art studio. Students can also use the grass soccer field and the central courtyard. The elementary school has an indoor, air-conditioned playground.

Canadian International School is located in Khalifa City close to a few residential areas as well as some renowned landmarks of Abu Dhabi, including the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Canadian International School respects diversity. Therefore, Canadian, Emirati, American and British students make up the student population and are taught to respect all cultures. The students are prepared to embrace challenges and become self-directed thinkers. The school does its best to become a second home for students.

Parents seem satisfied with CIS facilities that ensure the intellectual, moral, social and physical development of students. Canadian International School Abu Dhabi provides educational excellence to meet each student’s interests, needs and abilities.

The school’s vision is to embrace challenges and help students achieve personal and academic excellence. Its mission is to provide a rich, nurturing learning environment to students. The school is praised for its encouragement of independent thinking. It is listed among the best schools in Khalifa City.

Canadian International School in Abu Dhabi curriculum is based on Alberta like all other Alberta education accredited schools. This education system is continuously evaluated and has controlled parameters with clear learning outcomes for each subject area.

Students of Grade 3, Grade 6 and Grade 9 appear in a provincial achievement test that helps evaluate Grade-level standards and expectations.

Students in Grade 12 appear in provincial examinations for core subject areas to qualify for the Alberta High School Diploma. Students with this diploma are accepted in university programs throughout North America and other parts of the world.

Purposeful Play is incorporated into Early Childhood Education. It is proven to develop children’s love for becoming lifelong learners. The elementary curriculum is delivered by class teachers through inquiry-based learning.

CIS Abu Dhabi class teachers handle core subjects including English, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies. This helps them spend more time with a specific group of students and understand their learning difficulties and needs.

For Grade 9, the core subjects are English, Science, Physical Education, Social Studies, Mathematics and Health and Life Skills. Information And Communications Technology (ICT). Optional subjects in Grade 9 include Fine and Performing Arts, Languages, Ethics, Career and Technology Studies, Environmental and Outdoor Education and Locally Developed Courses.

Grade 10 to Grade 12 students study English Language, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, Social Studies and Career and Life Management (CALM). They have the option to take Aboriginal Studies, Career and Technology Studies, Fine Arts, Social Sciences, Languages and Physical Education.

Abu Dhabi Department of Knowledge and Education (ADEK) inspect schools every year and rate them on the following criteria:

ADEK inspected CIS Abu Dhabi in 2024 and rated it as Outstanding.. Canadian International School Abu Dhabi review shows that it is exceeding the standards and expectations of ADEK.

Canadian International School academic calendar runs from August to July. Students go on a mid-term break in October. The school resumes in late October or early November. They then take winter vacations in December and come back in January. Afterwards, classes are resumed till late March and then students go on a spring break and later the academic year ends in July.

Canadian International School Abu Dhabi calendar is available on the official website.

The registration process for returning students starts before new students can apply for admission. Students interested in joining Canadian International School can apply for their names to appear on the waiting list. The applicant needs to email his/her full name, recent reports, Emirates ID and copy of passport to the school for this purpose.

The admission department places the request on the waiting list and contacts the applicant as soon as a spot becomes available. There is a high volume of applications; therefore, the school cannot respond to phone calls regarding the status of the application. The school suggests emailing the admission department on the first day of every month.

In the email, the applicant has to provide the first and last name of the applicant and the grade he/she is applying for. The school replies with a status update regarding the Canadian International School admission process.

If the applicant is successful, parents will be contacted by the school. The letter of acceptance will outline the steps to further proceed with the admission process.

The school will place the child in grade level according to his/her ability, the school’s age acceptance policy and the Ministry of Education guidelines.
After receiving the letter, applicants need to fill out the application form available on the school’s official website. Similarly, a hard copy of the form with all the required documents must be submitted to the campus.

Documents required with the admission form are:

• Recent report cards (last academic year and mid-term report for the current year)
• Copy of applicant’s Emirates ID card. (if the applicant does not have an Emirates ID card yet, then bring a clear copy of the applicant’s passport)
• Emirates ID card of both parents
• Passport copy of the applicant and both parents
• Two recent passport-sized photographs (6 cm x 4 cm)
• Birth certificate of the applicant
• Immunisation card
• Applicant’s health insurance card
• Applicants who are applying for Grade 11 and Grade 12 must provide complete official transcripts
• Options sheet must be completed for applying in Grade 7 to Grade 12
• For outside Emirates or overseas, an attested transfer certificate from the previous school is required

All the above-mentioned documents must be in English or Arabic, otherwise, an official UAE translation is required.

Canadian International School fees are mentioned below:

Grade	Total Fee
KG-1	AED 37,250
KG-2	AED 39,630
Grade 1 – Grade 5	AED 43,150
Grade 6 – Grade 9	AED 46,090
Grade 10 – Grade 12	AED 49,050

The above-stated tuition fee includes the costs of books and registration fees (non-refundable). Canadian International School fee can be paid in three instalments.

• 1st instalment is due before August 16th
• 2nd instalment is due before December 10th
• 3rd instalment is due before March 10

The school has a well-maintained cafeteria that serves freshly made, nutritious hot meals including salads, fruits, smoothies, juices and sandwiches. Parents can buy hot meal vouchers for their kids from the cafeteria office.

To start using the school bus service, parents can fill out the form available on the official website. Once the form is submitted, the transport service will contact parents to confirm the registration and location. Please note that the service is subject to the availability of seats. For details regarding the school transportation service payment, email accounts@cisabudhabi.com.

Canadian International School offers different holiday/summer camps for students. CIS Sports Camp is offered in partnership with Baroudy Sports School. Camps for Arabic and Quran learning are designed for children aged 5 to 12 years. During the spring holidays, students can participate in the spring club that offers coding camps and sports camps.

Physical Education and sports are an important part of students’ life. Sports activities at the Canadian International School involve dance, games, gymnastics and individual activities.

KG1 to Grade 9 students participate in swimming classes scheduled during the regular school timings. Students learn proper stroke techniques during swimming lessons. They can also participate in different competitions hosted by CIS and other schools in the capital city.

Some sports offered at CIS Abu Dhabi are:

• Football
• Volleyball
• Basketball

Some popular extra-curricular activities and clubs offered to students at Canadian School Abu Dhabi are:

Activities	Clubs
Ballet & Choir	Chess Club
Taekwondo	Cricket Club
3D-design	Book Club
Robotics	ToM Club
Math Help	Little Readers Club

Fine Arts including art, music, drama and band are also incorporated in the activities programme. Art is offered to students from KG to Secondary level. Music is for elementary-level students. Drama is offered to Grade 7 to Grade 12 students. Students from Grade 6 to Grade 12 can take part in the band activities.

Canadian School Khalifa City campus takes students on field trips. Students go on picnics to enjoy and learn some new skills.

To handle medical emergencies and other health-related issues, the school has a clinic. Two qualified and licensed nurses are present at the clinic and have first-aid kits and other necessary supplies to treat health issues.

Canadian School strives to maintain effective communication between teachers and parents. Parents can meet teachers and subject specialists twice a year. However, if need be, parents can also book an appointment to meet the teachers and discuss any issues regarding their child.

Parents and students can also use the PowerSchool portal for information regarding attendance, grades and fee balance. Students can use the portal to check when class assignments are due. The PowerSchool Parent Portal enables parents to know more about their child’s progress in real time. They can also stay updated using the school’s official social media groups and WhatsApp.

Telephone: +971-2-556-4206

• Email: reception@cisabudhabi.com

General Information

• Canadian International School Official Website
• Canadian International School Facebook
• Canadian International School Twitter
• Canadian International School Instagram

WHAT IS CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FEE STRUCTURE?

Canadian International School fees is from AED 37,250 to AED 49,450

DOES CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOLLOW A CO-EDUCATION MODEL?

Yes, it is a co-ed school.

DOES CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OFFER AFTER-SCHOOL CARE?

Yes, it has various after-school activities.

WHAT IS CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ABU DHABI ACADEMIC CALENDAR?

Canadian International School Abu Dhabi academic calendar runs from August to July.

WHAT IS CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ABU DHABI REVIEW BY ADEK?

Canadian International School Abu Dhabi review by ADEK is Outstanding.

Note that the cover image belongs to the Canadian International School