The education company says the high fees will allow it to hand-pick specialist teachers from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions
GEMS Education is preparing to open the UAE’s most expensive school in August 2025.
Dubbed the GEMS School of Research and Innovation, the school — located in Dubai Sports City — is being positioned as the education group’s “most advanced offering to date.”
It will also come at a hefty price tag. The $100m campus will charge fees starting at Dhs116,000 for FS1, rising to Dhs152,000 for Year 6, and eventually reaching Dhs206,000 in Year 13: a record high for schools in the country. Fees are subject to KHDA approval, and founding families will receive a 20 per cent discount on FS1 to Year 6 fees in the first year.
Premium pricing for ‘hand-picked’ global educators
GEMS says the high fees will allow it to “hand-pick” specialist teachers “from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions,” ensuring students receive an education that blends artificial intelligence, advanced technology, and innovation-driven learning.
“By combining the very best hand-picked educators recruited from the UK and around the world with cutting-edge technology and unmatched facilities, we are creating a unique school where every student has the opportunity to thrive and innovate, leveraging their own innate curiosity,” said Sunny Varkey, chairman and founder of GEMS Education.
The school aims to provide a values-led education, with wellbeing and happiness at its core, while integrating AI, robotics, esports, game design, engineering, business, and specialist language courses into its curriculum.
A $100m school with next-level facilities
GEMS Education said the school represents a 30 per cent premium investment over previous ultra-premium schools in the UAE. The facilities include:
- Olympic-size swimming pool – FINA-certified, with configurations for multiple uses.
- Premier League-standard football field – A professional-grade facility.
- 400m Olympic running track – Built to international athletic standards.
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium – Designed for professional-level training and events.
- 600-seat auditorium – A venue for large-scale performances.
- Advanced Robotics Laboratory – Featuring AR and VR-enabled learning centres.
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre – Focused on entrepreneurship and in-house solutions to global challenges.
Beyond academics, students will be encouraged to “follow their own interests,” whether in gymnastics, swimming, musical theatre, classical dance, or street performance.
Lisa Crausby OBE, CEO of GEMS Education, said: “It is a transformative space where education meets innovation [where] students will benefit from personalised learning experiences, driven by exceptional teachers and enhanced by world-class facilities.”
“[This is a school that will] prepare its students not just for the challenges of today, but for the opportunities of tomorrow,” she added.
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