The Ministry of Education has set Monday, 9 February as the start of registration for UAE public schools for the 2026–2027 academic year, with applications accepted until 6 March 2026.
The ministry said the registration period will be offered only once during this timeframe, urging parents and guardians to complete enrolment within the announced window.
Officials stressed that early registration plays a key role in preparing schools ahead of the academic year, allowing student placement to be organized based on geographical catchment areas, while also supporting planning for teacher deployment, textbook distribution, and school transport arrangements.
The ministry said admissions will follow the updated age eligibility policy. Children born between 1 January and 31 December 2022 who turn four by 31 December of the enrolment year will qualify for Kindergarten 1, while children born between 1 January and 31 December 2021 who turn five by the same date will be eligible for Kindergarten 2.
For Grade 1, admission will be open to children born between 1 January and 31 December 2020, provided they turn six by 31 December of the enrolment year. The ministry also said parents of children who were unable to register for the 2025–2026 academic year due to birthdates falling between 1 September and 31 December 2021 will be allowed to choose between enrolling them in Kindergarten 1 or Kindergarten 2.
Registration will cover students from kindergarten through Grade 12, including new entrants, those transferring from private schools or institutes to public schools, students arriving from schools outside the UAE, and those transferring between public schools.
Applications can be submitted through the ministry’s official website or via the UAE MOE smart application.
The ministry also advised parents to ensure that personal information connected to their digital identity is updated according to their current social status, to avoid delays during registration. Guardians were also encouraged to select school transport services during the registration period to secure availability from the start of the school year.
Parents were urged to consult the ministry’s official registration guide for 2026–2027, which includes admission rules for each student category, details on education pathways such as the general and advanced streams, and requirements for students of determination.
