The Gulf International Private Academy

Established in 2001, The Gulf International Private Academy (GIPA) offers American-curriculum-based education from kindergarten until Grade 12. It is located in Al Muwaiji – a peaceful residential neighbourhood in Al Ain. The area is also home to one of the city’s notable heritage sites: Qasr Al Muwaiji.

GIPA in Al Ain is accredited by Cognia and is a UNESCO school member. It is an English-medium school with a non-selective admission process. The Gulf International School offers a co-educational setting only in kindergarten. From Grade 1 to Grade 12, boys and girls are taught separately.

As of now, approximately 1,300 students are receiving a quality education at the school. 98 teachers and 14 teaching assistants serve the student body. The current teacher to student ratio is 1: 18 in kindergarten and 1:12 in remaining classes. You will also find SEND provisions offered by the school to students of determination. After observing around 135 lessons, the ADEK rated the school ‘Good’ in its evaluation.

• Location: Al Muwaiji
• School Fees: AED 11,800 to AED 25,500
• Curriculum: US curriculum
• Co-ed or segregate: Separate
• KHDA/ADEK rating: Good
• Years offered: KG1 to Grade 12

The Gulf American International Academy enjoys a prime location in Al Ain. The school is in proximity to several family-friendly communities like:

• Al Ruwaikah
• Al Mnaizlah
• Majlood
• Al Mutawaa
• Falaj Hazzaa

Al Ruwaikah is the nearest residential community from The Gulf American Private Academy campus. Those interested in moving closer to the school can consider:

• Apartments for rent near GIPA
• Villas for rent near GIPA

The Gulf International Private Academy campus consists of two separate buildings. The original building was established in 2001 and accommodated students from Kindergarten until Grade 12. However, the original building is now used by the Foundation section and boys from Grade 4 to Grade 12.

Facilities offered at this campus include basketball courts, a large football field, a vast multi-purpose yard, Grades 1-3 playground, IT labs, Science Labs, a Prayer room and spacious classrooms where students are seated in groups to ensure student interaction. Every classroom is equipped with a data projector.

In September 2012, a new building/campus was opened across the street for the girl’s section. GIPA School in Al Ain’s second campus caters to the kindergarten section and female students enrolled in Grades 4 to 12. The campus includes a large multi-purpose hall, an indoor basketball court, Chemistry Lab, Physics Lab, Computer Lab, Art Room, Music Room, Library and prayer room.

The Gulf International Private Academy’s location falls in the community of Al Muwaiji. The school is situated near Khaled Bin Sultan Street. You will find several schools neighbouring GIPA campus, including:

• Al Ain English Speaking School
• Al Ittihad National Private School
• Our Own English High School
• Liwa International School
• Global English School
• New Indian Model School

There are numerous reasons The Gulf International Private Academy UAE is the go-to school for parents looking for the best American schools in Al Ain. The school offers high-quality education that allows students to learn and widen their knowledge base. Students with special education needs are given the required support to understand the curriculum and receive a quality education.

GIPA also aims to identify Gifted and Talented students and help them deliver exceptional performance. The school works on generating Gifted Individualized Educational Plans (GIEPs) for such students to meet their individual needs.

Other than this, The Gulf International Private School in Al Ain is considered:

• Band “A” School
• UNESCO member school
• An international accredited school by “Cognia”
• A multicultural and inclusive school
• A dynamic and flexible curriculum
• Various extra-curricular activities

The Gulf International Private School follows the American education system from kindergarten until Grade 12. The nursery section is located in the girls’ section, while KG classes are held in the boys’ section. From Grade 1 onwards, boys and girls are taught separately.

The Gulf International Private Academy curriculum is based on the American educational system from kindergarten until Grade 12. The American curriculum is aligned with the Common Core Curriculum Standards. Also, GIPA has adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) from kindergarten to Grade 8.

The curriculum is designed to offer students exposure to English language Arts and Reading, Math, Science, Health, Information Technology, French, Social Studies, Physical Education, Arts and Music, Arabic Language and Islamic Studies. Students can opt for optional subjects in high school, including Business Studies, Sciences and Design Technology.

Currently, GIPA School in Al Muwaiji uses standardised assessments like SAT, TOEFL, YLE, IELTS, and MAP exams to evaluate students’ performance.

The Abu Dhabi Departments of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) was formed in 2005 to regulate and supervise private and public schools in Abu Dhabi. The agency invests in innovative learning strategies on behalf of schools to ensure that students can tackle the 21st century’s learning-related challenges.

Irtiqaa Programme is one of the initiatives of ADEK where private and public schools are inspected annually and are rated based on:

• Quality of students’ achievement.
• Quality of personal and social development as well as innovation skills of the students.
• Quality of teaching and assessment.
• Quality of curriculum.
• Quality of student safety and wellbeing, as well as the guidance and support provided to them.
• Quality of school leadership and management.

The quality of the school is rated on a six-point scale, as shown below:

The Gulf Private International Academy ADEK rating is ‘Good’ for the current year. The report further highlights strong and weak areas for the school to work on. Some positive school points include students’ achievements in Social Studies, English, Maths and Science. Furthermore, children are quite happy with high-quality support and care they receive from the school staff and the management.

In addition to this, the variety of extracurricular activities offered broadens the curriculum’s scope and meets students’ educational needs. The senior management is frequently updated on the standards quality maintained across the school.

Nevertheless, the report recommends that The Gulf International Private Academy raises achievement in Islamic education and Arabic Studies, develops students’ skills as independent and curious learners and improves teachers’ use of assessment when planning and conducting future lessons.

The Gulf International Private Academy’s academic calendar starts in August and ends in July.

The Gulf International Private Academy in Al Ain is an inclusive school. Students from different ethnicities, religious backgrounds and abilities are welcome to study at the school. The admission process is aligned with the admission requirement of the ADEK.

Parents are encouraged to visit the school or book a virtual tour to understand better how GIPA Al Muwaiji works. Admissions for KG and above grades start in March every year.

Students registering for Grade 11 or 12 must come from an American curriculum school with a minimum Grade Point Average of 60 of 100.

For successful registration and admission:

• Parents must collect a registration form from the Customer Care counters and submit it back along with the following documents:
  • Emirates ID card (both pages)
  • Original UAE ID for student and parents
  • Birth Certificate
  • Copy of Passport with valid residence for Student
  • Copy of Passport with valid residence for Guardian (father & mother)
  • Family Book (for UAE National only)
  • A new photo
  • Vaccination Card
  • To whom it may concern-Pursuing of study  (During the Academic Year)
  • Last academic year eSIS Report Card
  • Transfer Certificate from the previous school (educational sequence letter)
• For newcomers from another emirate:
  • Transfer certificate from the previous school attested by the Educational Zone of Emirate
  • Last academic year Report Card attested by the Educational Zone of Emirate
• For newcomers from another country:
  • Last academic year Report Card plus Transfer Certificate and all students’ documents attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of that country and the United Arab Emirate Embassy
• Students enrolling in KG until Grade 3 will have to sit for an interview. Students in Grade 4 and above will appear for assessment and an interview as well.
• Parents are assigned a family ID on the school management system (ICampus) and are asked to visit the GIPA accountant to pay the due instalment, charges for books and uniform and register for the transportation services if needed.

However, before initiating The Gulf International Private Academy, please ensure that your child meets the following age placement criteria.

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)

Currently, The Gulf International Private Academy fee structure is as follows:

The Gulf International Private Academy Al Ain offers a safe transport service to students round-the-year. All buses are equipped with sophisticated technology such as electric attendance scanners, child safety locks, GPS and much more. Parents can avail this service for an annual fee of AED 3,510.

Both campuses of The Gulf International Private Academy Al Muwaiji offer premium sports facilities. You will find basketball courts, a big football field, a multipurpose yard, a multipurpose hall and playground for little ones.

The Gulf International Private Academy in Al Muwaiji plans engaging extracurricular and co-curricular activities to balance studies and fun. Students can enjoy and participate in events like National, Islamic and International Days, Inter-schools competitions, sports day and graduations.

GIPA School also encourages children to engage in students council and offers assistance in career guidance when they are in the secondary phase. Other activities in which students can participate include:

Field trips arranged by GIPA Al Muwaiji fall into two categories  –  recreational trips and educational trips. The former provides students with a chance to visit UAE popular destinations and enjoy their scenic beauty. On the other hand, curricular trips are held to achieve educational objectives set as a part of the curriculum.

GIPA Al Ain arranges after-school activities for students to participate in. These include:

GIPA in Al Muwaiji acknowledges the contribution of parents in their child’s academic journey. Hence, the school organises parent-teacher meetings to discuss the students’ performance and mutually decide how to improve it. Also, parent orientation is held each year.

• Telephone Number: +971-3-767-6905
• Emails
  • General Enquiries: info@gipa.ae
  • Admission Enquiries: register@gipa.ae
• GIPA Website
• GIPA Facebook
• GIPA Twitter
• GIPA Instagram
• GIPA YouTube

Note that the cover image belongs to The Gulf International Private Academy

What are the timings of The Gulf International Private School?

The Gulf International Private School in Abu Dhabi starts at 7:30 am and ends at 2:00 pm for Kindergarten students and at 2:10 pm for students in Grades 1 to 12. On Friday, it starts at 7:30 am and ends at 11:30 am.

Does the school conduct after-school activities?

Yes, the school offers some after-school activities to students. These activities are mentioned in the guide.

How many grades are there at The Gulf International Private School?

The school educates children from KG1 to Grade 12.

Does your school follow a co-education model?

No, the school does not follow a co-ed model. Boys and girls study together only in kindergarten and separately from Grade 1 onwards.

How many students are currently in your school?

How many students are currently studying in this school?

The Gulf International Private School Abu Dhabi has about 1,300 students as per the last ADEK report.

What is the academic calendar followed at this school?

The Gulf International Private School follows the US/UK academic calendar, which starts in August and ends in July. For more information, check out the academic calendar section in this guide.

What is the tuition fee charged by the school?

The school charges AED 11,800 to AED 25,500 as tuition fees.

How does the school communicate with parents?

The school mainly communicates the progress made by children through parent-teacher meetings. Social media pages and the official website are also there so that parents can be aware of new developments.

How often does The Gulf International Private School arrange field trips?

The school arranges two types of field trips: recreational and educational field trips throughout the year. Contact the school for more information.

How many teachers are currently part of this school?

The Gulf International Private School in Abu Dhabi has 98 full-time teachers and 14 teaching assistants.