Sharjah American International School – Umm Al Quwain

Sharjah American International School (SAIS) in Umm Al Quwain is one of the four schools operating under the same name in the UAE. It is an American curriculum school in UAQ offering quality education to students from kindergarten to high school. The sister branches of this educational institution are in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The school meets the AdvancED Standards for Quality Schools and is accredited by the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA). The UAQ campus started enrolling students in 2014 and has 107 faculty members from all over the world. About 1500 students are part of SAIS UAQ out of which 86% of them are UAE nationals.

Keep on reading this guide to learn more about the education, facilities, fee structure and information on the admission process.

Sharjah American International School (SAIS) Umm Al Quwain is situated in Al Salamah. Al Salamah is a serene residential community in UAQ that offers a mixture of residential apartments and villas. This community is close to Sharjah and Ajman and has a plethora of amenities to its residents. The nearby residential areas surrounding the school are:

• Al Ramlah
• Al Maqtaa
• Al Riqqa
• Al Raudah

Al Ramlah is the nearest community from the school. Consisting of three sub-communities, Al Ramlah B and Al Ramlah C have residential options. Another option for those looking for residential options are low-rise apartment buildings and villas in Al Maqtaa. It is located along King Faisal Road and offers easy access to the school. Other residential options are Al Riqqa and Al Raudah. Both communities are about a 15-minute drive from the school.

• Apartments for rent near SAIS UAQ

Sharjah American International School Umm Al Quwain has a spacious campus with incredible facilities. The main entrance of the school has a spacious outdoor area for parking. The school has an E-shaped building with classrooms, laboratories, libraries and other indoor facilities. On the rare end of the campus, there is a grassy football pitch surrounded by athletic tracks for running. The school also has a large and learners’ swimming pool to promote physical activities.

Sharjah American International School Umm Al Quwain is located near the intersection of Al Waha Street and Al Shaml Street in Al Salamah 2.

Sharjah American International School offers a high-quality learning environment for students. All the campuses in UAE, including the UAQ campus, maintain its quality of education to offer the best learning environment. The available resources, experienced staff members and devoted leadership make SAIS UAQ one of the top schools in Umm Al Quwain.

The school follows the US curriculum. Several schools in the UAE adopted the US curriculum because of its academic depth and exceptional standards. The standards followed by the school are Common Core standards for English and mathematics, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for science and California State Standard for social science. Furthermore, the school meets the AdvancED Standard for Quality Schools and has NAC CASI, NWAC and SASC CASI accreditations.

Another strength of this school is its committed and nurturing staff. The staff consists of over 100 faculty members from 20 countries. All the teachers are qualified and well experienced. Teachers of SAIS UAQ play a crucial role in developing a warm and nurturing learning environment. Excellent support is offered to students in higher grades preparing to enter higher educational institutes of their choice.

Sharjah American International School Umm Al Quwain is an international school catering to the educational needs of students aged 3 to 18 years old. The following phases of education are part of this school:

Sharjah American School Umm Al Quwain follows the US national curriculum for all of its educational stages. The key aspects of each phase of education are as follows:

Kindergarten Curriculum

The kindergarten educational programme at this school is well rounded. It covers physical, social and emotional development of children by exposing them to indoor and outdoor environments. The kindergarten curriculum aims to stimulate young learners’ brains, increase their health and wellness, and improve their social skills.

The curriculum solidifies literacy and numeracy foundations in English and Arabic as mandated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and US curricula. The school introduces fundamental concepts of science and mathematics to students in this stage. It also uses imagination, creativity and play-based activities to help students grasp all the subjects. To aid in students’ learning, the school uses interactive whiteboards, iPads and other advanced technologies. Children are also exposed to numerous outdoor activities, including field trips.

Elementary School Curriculum

Once students complete their kindergarten education, they enter the elementary stage. The elementary school curriculum facilitates a smooth transition from fun-based kindergarten curriculum to the formal educational programme. It follows the US curricular standards to teach a wide range of subjects. At this stage, the school identifies the uniqueness of each student and uses the teaching plan to ensure their development.

The elementary syllabus revolves around the fundamentals of mathematics, science, reading and writing. The school continues to use students’ imagination and creativity for academic and social development. It also provides outdoor opportunities to students in the elementary stages.

Middle School Curriculum

In the middle school stage, SAIS UAQ expects students to use fundamental knowledge and apply skills that are valuable in the classroom and real life. The school continues to adopt the US national curriculum; however, it also covers all the requirements of the Ministry of Education. Additional enrichments are also part of the middle school educational programme.

Besides academic activities, students also have access to numerous extra-curricular activities to support their all-round development. By the end of Grade 8, students are ready to tackle the next academic endeavour – high school education.

High School Curriculum

Sharjah American School Umm Al Quwain focuses on building skills essential to face the ever-changing world. The school uses the foundations laid in the previous stages of education in the high school stage. The curriculum is based on the US national curriculum with the guidelines mentioned by the Ministry of Education.

The academic year at SAIS UAQ starts in August and ends in July. There are three terms in an academic year. Students expect two seasonal holidays in an academic year. The three-week winter break starts in the third week of December. The two-week spring break starts in the first week of April.

For more information, contact the school’s administration.

The admission process at Sharjah American School UAQ is straightforward. The school understands that choosing a school for your child is a tedious process. Staff members of SAIS UAQ help parents throughout the process. To apply, submit the online registration form available on the website. You also need to submit the following documents along with the online application:

• A copy of the family book (for UAE nationals only)
• six recent passport-size photographs of the applicant
• A copy of vaccination certificate
• A copy of the birth certificate
• Original Emirates ID card for scanning purpose (for students applying from a private nursery, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain or outside the UAE)
• A copy of the applicant’s and father’s passport with valid UAE residence visa
• A copy of the applicant’s and father’s Emirate ID cards
• Original continuous studying certificate for the current year with SIS number
• Original transfer certificate issued by the previous school (attested by the Ministry of Education)
• A copy of previous report cards
• Certificate of good conduct (for boys seeking admission in Grade 6 to Grade 11)

Please note that students applying from outside the UAE need to get their transfer certificate attested by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country where they previously studied. The age-grade guidelines followed by the school are:

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

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

The school will contact parents on the provided contact information for further steps. For more information, email Saisq@saisuaq.com or call +971 6 766553 – Ext 103.

The Sharjah American International School Umm Al Quwain fees is given below:

For more information check out the fee structure of Sharjah American International School Umm Al Quwain.

The school does not offer any scholarship programme to students. The modest tuition fee charged by the school makes up for the lack of a scholarship programme.

The school has a transportation service that offers a safe and reliable transport facility to students. The school buses have modern facilities to ensure a safe environment for students. The transportation charges are as follows:

• Al Salama or Al Ramla – AED 3,000 (for two-way ride) and AED 2,000 (for one-way ride)
• Umm Al Quwain City – AED 3,000 (for two-way round) and AED 2,000 (for one-way ride)
• Al Hamria/ Al Falaj / Al Rafaah -AED 3,500 (for two-way ride) and AED 2,250 (for one-way ride)
• Ajman – AED 3,500 (for two-way ride) and AED 2,250 (for one-way ride)
• Sharjah – AED 4,000 (for two-way ride) and AED 2,500 (for one-way ride)

Sharjah American School UAQ is a day-only school that does not offer any boarding facility to students. Those finding it hard to reach school on time daily can use the school transport service. Also, they can relocate to nearby residential areas. If interested, check out the residential communities near SAIS UAQ section at the beginning of the guide for more information.

Currently, the school does not have a holiday camp for its students. Parents interested in keeping their children busy during the seasonal holidays can opt for external holiday camp providers.

The school has a range of sports facilities to keep students physically active. A key sports facility at the campus is the outdoor football field. The field is posted with markings and has goalposts to give the best soccer experience to students. Elliptical athletic tracks surround the football field. SAIS UAQ also has a large swimming pool and a learners’ swimming pool for physical education and sports competition. Outdoor spaces are also used to carry out other sports activities.

Extra-curricular activities are an important part of the lives of students at SAIS UAQ. The school offers a plethora of activities for students. The ECA programme at Sharjah American International School aims to offer a social and athletic environment for students. As a result of this programme, the students are confident with outstanding personalities and leadership skills.

One of the key extra-curricular activities at this educational institute is the sports programme. It covers a wide range of sports activities, such as soccer, basketball, swimming and gymnastics.

The school also has a student council where students are elected to fill the leadership positions. This council aims to encourage all students to participate in school activities, develop a sense of good citizenship and democracy among students, encourage leadership through service and to serve as a role model for other students.

Another popular extra-curricular activity arranged by Sharjah American International School Umm Al Quwain is the Model United Nations (MUN). Model United Nations is an educational simulation where students learn about international relationships, foreign policies and politics.

Other popular extra-curricular events at the school are:

The school arranges several field trips throughout the year. SAIS Umm Al Quwain uses it as an opportunity to help students understand the world by exposing them to the outdoor environment. Most school trips are recreational and educational. A popular field trip arranged by the school for its kindergarten students was a recreational trip to Little Explorer in Dubai. Other popular field trips arranged by the school include visits to Kidzania, Ski Dubai, geographical trips, science and books expos.

The school has an after-school programme to develop lifelong skills among students. The after-school programmes are mostly delivered by clubs run by school teachers and external providers. Some noteworthy after-school clubs are:

Several modes of communication exist at Sharjah American International School. Parents and teachers communicate throughout the academic year via the parent-teacher conferences arranged by the school. It serves as an opportunity for parents and teachers to discuss the progress made by students.

The official website of SAIS UAQ is another source of communication for teachers, parents and the wider community. Here, they can access information on the admission process, fee structure, curriculum and history of the school. Parents and teachers can also access the SAIS UAQ portal available on the school website.

Sharjah American International School UAQ also has an active online presence. Parents can visit the social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest developments. The school also has WhatsApp groups for urgent enquiries.

• Address: Al Waha Street, Al Salamah 2, Al Salamah, Umm Al Quwain, UAE
• Telephone Numbers: +971 6 766 5553
• Fax Number: +971 6 7670030
• Email Address: saisq@saisuaq.com
• Official Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to Sharjah American International School UAQ