- Annual tuition at GEMS International School Dubai costs around AED 55,000 (Rs 14.34 lakh)
- Parents pay an assessment fee of AED 525 (Rs 13,000) before admission assessment
- School transport costs AED 12,000 (Rs 3.12 lakh) annually for home pick-up and drop-off
A woman living in Dubai has sparked a conversation online after sharing how much she spends on her daughter's international schooling. She revealed that the annual tuition alone costs around AED 55,000, or approximately Rs 14.34 lakh. Veronika, a mother of two living in Dubai, regularly shares snippets of her family life on social media. In a recent Instagram video, she broke down the various costs involved in sending her daughter to GEMS International School in Dubai.
She said parents first have to pay an assessment fee of AED 525, or around Rs 13,000, before their child is assessed. The annual tuition then comes to about AED 55,000, which can be paid in instalments.
However, the expenses do not end there. School transport costs another AED 12,000, or around Rs 3.12 lakh, a year. Veronika said the bus service picks children up from home and drops them back after school.
Uniforms are also charged separately and cost approximately AED 1,000, or Rs 26,000. Registration, re-enrolment and extracurricular activities can add further costs to the overall bill. One expense that particularly surprised her was food. Meals are not covered by the tuition fee, meaning she prepares her daughter's lunch at home and sends her to school with a lunchbox each day.
Watch the video here:
Internet Reactions
Her detailed breakdown has drawn attention online, with users debating the high cost of international education in Dubai. One user wrote, "That's a lot of money for just a kid; it's like you are paying for university tuition."
Another said, "Crazy, it's cheaper to study in the USA, it's even free sometimes."
A third commented, "Education is very expensive in Gulf countries; that's why everyone is going to Europe and the USA πΊπΈ to educate their children."
A fourth user, however, justified the cost and added, "This type of school doesn't produce employees; it produces entrepreneurs and scientists for the future. That is the true investment in our children."
