GEMS Al Khaleej International School

GEMS Al Khaleej International School (AKIS) is a project of GEMS Education. Founded in July 1992, the private and co-education school offers grades from Pre-KG to high school. The school is located in Al Warqaa and is accredited by NEASC.

While GEMS Al Khaleej International School follows the American curriculum, it has adopted the Ministry of Education (MOE) programme for Islamic Education, Social Studies and Arabic studies. Other subjects are based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and California State standards.

GEMS AKIS, Dubai students can appear for SATs and graduate with a high school diploma. As of now, the school has over 2,441 students with 158 teachers and 42 teaching assistants. The teacher to student ratio is 1:15.

Aligned with the Dubai Inclusive Framework, AKIS school has around  103 students of determination. You will find 4 guidance/career counsellors as well.

Currently, GEMS Al Khaleej International School KHDA rating is ‘Good’.

• Location: Al Warqaa 4
• School fees: AED 22,992 - AED 43,996
• Curriculum: American
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-ed
• KHDA rating: Good
• Years offered: Pre-KG - Grade 12

Al Khaleej International School location makes it accessible to families living in communities like:

• Al Warqaa 2
• Al Warqaa 3
• Mirdif
• Rashidiya

The nearest residential area is Al Warqaa 3. The community houses a mix of villas and apartments and offers all the basic amenities within easy reach.

Families looking for rental properties near the school can check out:

• Apartments for rent near GEMS Al Khaleej International School
• Villas for rent near GEMS Al Khaleej International School
• Villas for sale near GEMS Al Khaleej International School

The quality education offered at GEMS Al Khaleej International School is complemented by top-tier facilities. Recently, the school shifted to a new location in Al Warqaa 4 and offers the following facilities:

• 8 Dedicated Science Labs
• Information and Communication Technology Labs – ICT labs
• Classrooms with interactive Promethean Boards
• Robotics Lab
• Food Tech lab - the first of its kind in an American school in Dubai
• Makers room for design thinking and project-based learning
• Outdoor football field, basketball court
• Indoor sports hall
• Shaded outdoor play areas
• Swimming pool
• Indoor Multipurpose Hall
• 3 Libraries
• Art, Music and Drama room
• Science Art lab

GEMS Al Khaleej International School's location is Al Warqaa 4.

Al Khaleej International School, Dubai, has many advantages that come with being a member school of the GEMS group. From global classroom experience to highly experienced and educated teachers, your child’s academic career is well taken care of.

In the last four years, the alumni of GEMS AKIS, Al Garhoud, has secured placement in over 900 universities in 48 countries. Some top universities in the world, such as the University of Cambridge, Oxford University, Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, MIT, University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia, are where the students of Al Khaleej International School are studying.

Apart from a bright academic journey for students, AKIS has much to offer to parents. Through GEMS Reward System and Ambassador Programme, you get amazing discounts on the purchase of school supplies and a concession on tuition fees.

GEMS Al Khaleej International School offers education from pre-KG to high school.

Al Khaleej International School follows the American curriculum at all stages. English language and Maths classes are aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) while other subjects taught in the English language are aligned with California State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). On the other hand, Social Studies, Islamic Studies and Arabic classes are aligned with the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) prescribed programme.

GEMS Al Khaleej International School Curriculum has four phases, as described below:

Elementary School

Elementary School Program at AKIS includes classes from Pre-KG to Grade 5. Here, they teach children through activity-based lessons that usually include activities like songs, rhymes, arts and crafts, pictures and stories.

Later, in Grades 1 to 5, students build their foundation in writing, reading, ICT, Maths, Science and physical education.

Middle School

The academic expectation at this stage is more advanced. Students go through American Standardised Tests, including Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests.

Core subjects offered here include English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Islamic Studies, Arabic and Computer Studies.

Enrichment Programme pursued at this stage include Physical Education, Music, Arts and Cultural Enrichment.

High School

High school, i.e. Grades 9 to 12, is the most crucial part of any student’s academic journey. Here, students must use creativity, self-reliance and independent thinking to perform well.

At Al Khaleej International School, each course is given a grade ranging from A to F, and the High School Diploma is granted after satisfactory completion of a specific number of courses. However, to be eligible for graduation, students must secure a minimum of 22 credits.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a governmental body working to ensure that all private schools are contributing to the value-based education sector of Dubai. The body publishes an annual report each year and rates schools on their overall achievements.

As per the recent annual report, Al Khaleej International School achieved a ‘Good’ rating for the third time in a row. The same report underlined the strong and weak areas of the school. A 10-year of the school’s rating history can be seen below:

• Very high standards of safety, care and guidance leading to profound personal and social development of students in all phases.
• Students’ good and very good progress in almost all core subjects and phases.
• Strong provision in KG, which has led to remarkable progress in English, Mathematics and Science.
• Students have shown an outstanding understanding of Islamic values, Emirati heritage and a high degree of social responsibility.
• Senior leaders’ commitment to improving students’ achievements.

However, there are areas that the school needs to work on.

• Improve students’ achievement in all subjects.
• Corporate governors must always ensure students have access to a high-level learning environment.

Following the American education system, GEMS Al Khaleej International School’s academic calendar is divided into two semesters with three breaks.

Step 1: Online Application

GEMS Al Khaleej International School’s admission process starts with filling out an online enquiry form, upon which you will receive an enquiry number via email. Parents are advised to get a copy of the receipt or, at the very least, jot down their enquiry number for future reference.

Step 2: Registration

Parents should pay an application fee of AED 525/- (including VAT) online or at the school cash counter. Please note that this fee is:

• Non-refundable but transferable if the student chooses any other GEMS school
• Not deductible from the total tuition fees to be paid if the student is offered and accepts a place.

Parents are required to submit the listed documents to complete the application, such as:

• Student and parents’ passport copy, visa and Emirates ID.
• Birth Certificate
• Attested Transfer Certificate
• Vaccination / Immunization Record
• Student and parents’ passport-size photo (for school ID Card)
• School report / Transcript for the past two years and any other reports (e.g. IEP, medical, therapy reports – if any)
• Completed the AKIS Medical Information Form.
• Transcript request form G 9-12/ Statement of Numbers of Hours and courses taken from G9-12

If transferred from a school within the GCC (GCC Countries- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman) or another UAE Emirate, the Ministry of Education must attest the transfer certificate.

Children coming from countries other than the USA, Australia, Canada, Western Europe, Japan and New Zealand should have the original Transfer Certificate (TC) attested by:

• Educational Authorities (from the country of TC origin),
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from the country of TC origin)
• UAE Embassy (from the country of TC origin).

Please note you are requested to upload the documents online.

Step 3: Assessment

At this stage, your child will be invited by the School Registrar for an assessment or an interview via email notification or phone. Also, results will be notified via email or by telephone.

Step 4: Enrolment

The registrar will send offer letters to successful applicants, subject to seat availability.

Step 5: Registration Deposit

This deposit is payable after the student has been offered a place and parents have accepted the offer. The registration deposit is 10% of the total tuition fees and is deductible from the full tuition fees for the academic year. Please note this is a non-refundable deposit.

Once the above process is completed, the student is officially enrolled. Parents will be notified via email of the tuition fee payment schedule by the Finance department.

Prior to enrollment, parents must ensure that their child meet the following age placement criteria.

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

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

The current GEMS Al Khaleej International School fee structure is approved by the KHDA.

The optional service fee is mentioned here in detail:

Payment Policies

• AKIS will charge an application fee to register the child. Similarly, after offering an acceptance letter, a registration deposit has to be made to secure the seat.
• If a student joins the school mid-academic year, the school can charge a tuition fee from the beginning of the month of enrolment.
• Tuition fees can be paid annually or in three instalments – 40%, 30% and 30% of the total tuition fees.

The application fee of AED 525 is non-deductible and non-refundable until the school does not offer a place to the student. Similarly, for parents to secure a seat after a place is offered, they must pay 10% of the tuition fee as a registration deposit. Please note that this amount is non-refundable.

GEMS Al Khaleej International School fees can be paid through cash, cheque or bank transfer.

Re-registration Deposit

To secure a place in the school for the next academic year, you will have to fund a re-registration deposit, which is 5% of the tuition fee. Again, this is a non-refundable deposit.

Refunds

The school rarely entertain refunds for new or existing students. However, in exceptional circumstances such as relocation, the school calculates a refund in the following way:

• Tuition fees paid before the academic year start is refundable, but registration or re-registration charges will be deducted.
• If the student attended school for two weeks or less, AKIS would deduct a month’s fee.
• If the student attended school for over two weeks but less than one month, AKIS would deduct two months’ fees.
• If the student attended school for more than a month, AKIS will deduct the full-term fees.

Parents should know that the school will calculate a refund from the start of the term until the parents make a formal withdrawal request. Absent students will still be counted as registered in school.

Non-payment of fees and Students Withdrawals

The school appreciates that parents convey the decision at least 30 days in advance. This provides them with the time to prepare all relevant documentation and carry out exit formalities.

In case of non-payment of fees, AKIS School reserves the right to withhold examination results or suspend the child from the school.

GEMS Reward Programme

To show gratitude to parents, The GEMS Education system has introduced a GEMS Reward Programme. Here, parents can avail of numerous exclusive discounts and deals or receive fee concessions.

Through GEMS FAB Credit Card, parents can get a fixed 4.25% discount on advance payment of tuition fees. Similarly, one can easily avail of exciting discounts and deals on purchasing items from GEMS partner merchants.

GEMS Point is another way to enjoy reduced tuition fees. You can collect points by selecting merchants on the app, booking flights and hotels and purchasing gift cards through the GEMS Ambassador Program. The points collected can be redeemed against tuition fees or transport charges.

GEMS Ambassador Programme is another lucrative way to save money. Parents can refer their friends and family to any GEMS school. Upon successful reference, sponsor-parents are eligible to earn back a minimum of 4% and a maximum of 100% of their child’s school fees.

As a member of the GEMS group, GEMS Al Khaleej International School, Dubai students are eligible for the GEMS Scholarship programme. They can apply for the scholarship in five categories: Academic Excellence, Creative and Performance Arts, Sports, Innovation and Digital Technology and Arabic Studies.

To secure a scholarship offer, students must fulfil the eligibility criteria. It is mandatory to submit a proven record of their academic achievement, a completed scholarship application form, the latest school report, verbal and non-verbal reasoning test results and written examinations. Interested students must appear for an interview with the school principal and the GEMS scholarship committee.

If successful, the scholarship gives a 25% to 100% concession on tuition fees. 

Please note that the scholarship is applicable for one academic year. For the next year, students must reapply.

The school canteen serves healthy snacks and beverages. Parents must ensure that nutritious lunch is provided to students if they bring their meals from home.

GEMS Al Khaleej International School, Al Warqaa 4, has outsourced its bus facility to School Transport Services (STS) LLC. The company operates a fleet of buses based on the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) guidelines.

STS has more than 1,900 smart buses equipped with safety devices, including GPS, scanners for electronic attendance, a panic button, a sleeping child check button, STS App, a control room and video surveillance.

To use the transport service:

• Submit a duly filled transport registered form to the STS Representative deployed at the campus.
• The representative will confirm the routes you have provided since STS does not offer all the routes requested.
• If the route requested is covered, parents will be provided with the contact details of the relevant bus driver, and a schedule will also be forwarded.

Finally, parents must pay the transportation charges to the representative or online using the STS official website.

Sporting activities play a vital role in physical and mental development; hence, GEMS AKN School Al Warqaa has top-notch sports facilities for students. You will find an outdoor area with a football pitch and enough space to play sports like cricket. There are two swimming pools; one for elementary school and the other for middle and high school students. An indoor gymnasium can act as a basketball, netball and badminton court.

Kindergarten children have their own play area with a wide range of equipment.

Apart from the many sports fields and courts, there are outdoor classrooms and different sand and water play areas for younger students.

The long-term goal of the school is to produce well-rounded students. AKIS Al Garhoud has introduced extra-curricular activities through the Enrichment Programme (E365) to achieve this aim.

Here’s the list of the activities involved in each category of the E365 programme.

Other ventures include photography class, karate class, music, crafts, science and chess.

Balancing fun and studies is the best way to be productive and this is what AKIS, Dubai believes. Thus, they frequently take students to various destinations, including Dubai Canvas, for art exhibitions and The Green Planet.

Many activities in the Enrichment Programme are conducted after school hours.

GEMS Al Khaleej International School, Warqaa, has top-notch medical facilities. You will find a medical centre looked by three full-time registered nurses and a doctor who visits the facility twice a week. The facility is well-equipped to provide first-aid treatment and emergency care.

Emergency transport is available if a student needs to be taken to a hospital. The school requests parents to submit their accurate and current contact details.

Recognising the vital role of parents in a student’s academic life, GEMS Al Khaleej International School has a variety of communication methods. Under the parent partnership and parent engagement programme, the school has built an app named ‘3-a-day’. This app gives you access to innovative ideas to engage your child in studies at home.

GEMS AKIS, Dubai, also has a parent portal, GEMS Connect, where you can log in to view your child’s performance and attendance and receive notifications regarding school events. Similarly, you can add yourself to a grade-specific WhatsApp group to establish immediate contact with teachers and staff.

Parents can visit the Feedback and Suggestion page to file complaints or provide suggestions.

• Telephone Number: +971-4-217-3900
• Emails
  • General Enquiries: info_akn@gemsedu.com
  • Admission Enquiries: registrar_akn@gemsedu.com
• GEMS Al Khaleej International School Website
• GEMS Al Khaleej International School Facebook
• GEMS Al Khaleej International School Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to GEMS Al Khaleej International School.

What are the timings of your school?

The school remains open from Monday through Friday. The timings are:

• Kindergarten: 07:45 am to 01:45 pm
• Grade 1 to Grade 12: 07:45 am to 02:25 pm

Do you conduct after-school activities?

The majority of extracurricular activities are conducted post-school hours.

How many grades/years are there in your school?

GEMS Al Khaleej International School welcomes students from Pre-KG until Grade 12.

How many students are currently studying in your school?

Currently, there are around 2,441 students enrolled in GEMS Al Khaleej School.

Can you please describe the academic calendar of your school?

The academic calendar runs from late August until late June.

Can you please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by your school?

Tuition fee ranges from AED 22,992 to AED 43,996.

How do you communicate with parents?

Parent portals and WhatsApp groups are the primary ways parents communicate with teachers. Besides this, you can visit the school website and social media pages to learn more about events happening at AKIS.

Do you have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

The school canteen serves healthy snacks and beverages.

Does your school arrange field trips?

GEMS Al Khaleej frequently takes students to various landmarks and popular attractions within the city.

How many teachers are currently teaching in your school?

The teaching staff consists of 158 teachers and 42 teaching assistants.