Taaleem, one of the UAE’s leading education providers, has announced the opening of Harrow International School in Dubai 2026.
The new Harrow International School Dubai will be built on a prime 50,000 sqm plot on Hessa Street. This new UK curriculum school in Dubai will initially enrol students from Early Years to Year 6, with plans to expand into an all-through school with a capacity of 2,000 students.
Taaleem is a UAE-based education group with a portfolio of 34 schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It has the exclusive rights to operate Harrow International Schools across the GCC, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.
In February, Taaleem announced the opening of Harrow International School Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island in August 2026. The openings of both Harrow Dubai and Harrow Abu Dhabi mark an exciting move into the space for ‘super-premium’ education in the UAE.
Taaleem says Harrow International School Dubai will be “a state-of-the-art school” and “will incorporate neuro-architectural elements that blend modernity with tradition, reflecting Harrow’s 450-year legacy of educational rigour”.
The Founding Principal has not yet been announced.
Drawing on Harrow’s 450-year legacy of educational excellence, the school will offer a UK curriculum along with Harrow’s strong focus on academics, exceptional pastoral care and extensive co-curricular programmes.
The school is already in the advanced design stage, led by Dubai-based educational architecture firm KODA.
The prestigious Harrow School was established in London in 1572 and boasts an impressive alumni, including Lord Byron, Winston Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru, King Hussein of Jordan, the former rulers of Iraq and Zanzibar, Lord Rayleigh, seven UK Prime Ministers and numerous influencers, inventors, artists, and Nobel Laureates.
While the renowned boarding school remains as one of very few UK single sex boys’ schools, the international campuses under its name – in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Haikou, Beijing, Bangkok and Appi (Japan) – are co-educational, welcoming boys and girls from nursery age through to 18 years. A boarding ethos is part of the Harrow DNA, and Harrow International School Hong Kong is one of Hong Kong’s few international boarding schools.
Like the original UK school, these international schools are steeped in Harrow traditions and values, and well-known for their academic rigour and achievement in both GCSE and A Level results.
His Excellency Edward Hobart, British Ambassador to the UAE, commented on the significance of the opening of Harrow Dubai:
“The opening of a Harrow Dubai, the second Harrow in the UAE, under the Taaleem umbrella, marks a significant milestone in the expansion of both Harrow’s and Taaleem’s commitment to educational excellence.
“This new chapter highlights the growing educational ties between the UK and the UAE and reinforces our shared vision for nurturing the next generation of leaders. Harrow’s distinguished history of fostering character, leadership, and academic achievement will now inspire students in United Arab Emirates, further strengthening the educational landscape here.”
When can parents apply for a place at the new Harrow International School in Dubai?
Enrolments will open in September 2025 for the first year at Harrow International School Dubai.
Harrow Dubai does not yet have a dedicated website.
What facilities will Harrow International School Dubai have?
As you’d expect from a premium school, facilities will be “world-class”.
- Modern classrooms
- Specialist facilities including science labs
- Sports facilities
- Primary and Secondary libraries
- Auditorium
How much will school fees be at the new Harrow International School in Dubai?
Tuition fees for the new Harrow International School Dubai have not yet been disclosed. Given the school’s position in the super-premium education sector, it is expected that fees will fall within the higher range of UAE school fees.
How many schools does Taaleem have in the UAE?
One of the UAE’s largest K-12 premium education providers, Taaleem currently operates 34 schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In Dubai, these schools include Jumeira Baccalaureate School, Greenfield International School, Jebel Ali School, and Dubai British Schools, including DBS Jumeira, which opened in August 2024 and DBS Mira, set to open in August 2025. In Abu Dhabi, Taaleem owns both Raha International School Gardens and Raha International School Khalifa City.
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Taaleem recently acquired Lycée Libanais Francophone Privé Meydan (LLFP Meydan), a highly regarded French curriculum school in Dubai. This acquisition expands Taaleem’s portfolio in the UAE, which already includes schools offering the UK, US, and IB curricula.
According to Taaleem, the launch of Harrow International Schools in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi will strengthen the UAE’s standing in the global education landscape – and it marks a significant move for Taaleem into the super-premium education sector.
Khalid Al Tayer, Chairman of Taaleem, commented:
“Harrow has a long-established reputation for excellence, and through our collaboration with Harrow International Schools Limited, we are proud to bring the same values-driven education to Dubai that has shaped generations of leaders.
“This school reflects our shared vision to create an exceptional learning environment, one that nurtures talent, fosters creativity, and offers unparalleled opportunities in academics, sports, the arts, and beyond. As Taaleem continues to expand its educational presence, the launch of Harrow Dubai reinforces our commitment to shaping the future of education in the UAE and the GCC.”
The announcement of Harrow Dubai follows initial approval from the KHDA; follow up technical approvals are pending subject to KHDA permission as with all new schools in Dubai.
Commenting on the agreement, Mel Mrowiec, Chairman of Harrow International Schools Limited, added:
“The launch of Harrow International School Dubai represents a significant milestone in our plans to give more students in GCC countries access to a Harrow education. This development reflects a commitment to delivering a values-led and holistic education that is world-class, underpinned by Harrow’s legacy of academic excellence and leadership development.
“Harrow Dubai will uphold the highest standards of a Harrow education while serving the needs of a new, diverse, and dynamic community. Our partnership with Taaleem is built on a shared vision – to shape the leaders of tomorrow by offering outstanding educational experiences designed to prepare young people for the demands of an increasingly complex and interconnected world.”
Will there be more Harrow Schools opening in the UAE?
Taaleem holds exclusive rights to own and operate Harrow International Schools across the GCC – in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.
So far, Taaleem has announced the opening of Harrow International Schools in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai – both planned for 2026.
From Brighton College to Repton, what other UK independent schools are in the UAE?
Leading UK independent schools have been offering a very British education at international campuses in the UAE for many years now. And the demand for high-quality, English-medium education in the Middle East remains strong, driven by expat and local families who view a British education as a gateway to admission into British or Western universities.
With the introduction of a 20% VAT on private school fees in the UK in January 2025, British independent schools abroad are expected to attract more British and international families.
The UK independent schools in the UAE currently include Brighton College Abu Dhabi, Brighton College Dubai, Brighton College Al Ain, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, Kent College Dubai, NLCS Dubai, Durham School Dubai, Repton School Al Barsha, Repton School Dubai, Repton School Abu Dhabi, and The Royal Grammar School Guildford in Dubai.
Gordonstoun School, the school of the current King of England, King Charles III, is set to open its first overseas campus on Jubail Island in Abu Dhabi. When will Gordonstoun School open in Abu Dhabi? It is expected to launch next year, in 2026.
Reigate Grammar School (RGS), a high-achieving, academically selective UK independent school, has announced plans to open in the UAE. And a selective UK state school, Queen Elizabeth’s School in Barnet, plans to become the first UK state school to open overseas branches. One of these will be in the UAE, most likely in Dubai.
Harrow Abu Dhabi looks set to be the first boarding school in Abu Dhabi. Currently only Swiss International Scientific School Dubai and Repton Dubai offer boarding options in the UAE.
Are there any other Harrow schools in the world?
Harrow has a well-established presence in Asia, with AISL Harrow International Schools in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
There will soon be the first Harrow School opening in the United States. Harrow International School New York will open in September 2025 for Grades 6-12, offering the IB MYP and DP programmes. The day and boarding school will open in September 2025 for local students and plans to extend enrolment to international students from January 2026.
