Private education in Dubai can be expensive. According to Edarabia, Dubai school fees can go up to AED 64,093 (£14,073.34) per annum. That amount excludes additional fees, such as the cost of necessary school equipment (e.g., iPad), extra-curricular activities, transportation, lunch, books, and uniforms. Add all these things, and year 13 (grade 12) education in some of the best private schools in Dubai can easily cost you a whopping AED 90,000 (£19,761.92) out-of-pocket every year.
It’s a Global Phenomenon
The above is not a situation exclusive to the United Arab Emirates. Private K-12 schools in the United States have an average tuition fee of $12,350 (£9,960.08), while U.K. private schools cost an average of £15,654 yearly. In Germany, the average tuition fee is approximately €20,000 (£17,537).
These average figures exclude additional and special school fees, and boarding schools can cost twice as much. They also cloak the true cost of studying in some of the most exclusive schools.
Indeed, while average school fees in different places of the world can vary greatly, the fact remains: private education costs a pretty penny.
The Parents’ Choice
However, many parents still choose to send their children to private schools. Wanting only the best for their children, most parents would prefer a private school if they could afford it.
The findings of a study conducted by Ipsos Mori for the Varkey Foundation back this up. According to the data, the majority (55%) of parents in free-to-attend schools would transfer their children to a private, fee-charging school if a suitable place became available and they had the financial capacity to do so.
In some cases, parents have no choice but to choose private education. For instance, a foreign expatriate family living in Dubai will likely send their children to a private school rather than a public school. Public school education is available to foreign expatriates, but it’s not free. Additionally, Arabic is the medium of instruction in public schools, which could be a significant barrier to ex-pats who do not know the language.
Save Money on Private School Fee
Whether you are a parent whose children go to a private school because you want them to have as many opportunities as possible or are someone who has no choice but to send your children to private schools, read these tips on how you can save money on your children’s private education.
1. Find and Apply for Academic Scholarships
Private schools often have academic scholarship programs to extend financial help to their most deserving students. If your children do particularly well in school or in specific subjects or categories, they should definitely apply for scholarships.
Academic scholarships are awarded to students with meritorious academic achievements. The criteria can be overall academic performance (the students with the best grades get the grants), or they can be based on academic achievement in specific fields or categories.
The following are examples of academic scholarships in the UAE.
Leadership and Entrepreneurship Scholarships
They are for students who show excellent potential to positively impact the world through their performance in leadership and entrepreneurship programs.
Innovation and Digital Technology Scholarships
These are for students who demonstrate exceptional abilities in digital technologies.
Creative and Performing Arts Scholarships
These are for students who show great promise in the creative and performing arts (e.g., dance, theatre, sculpture), especially those with a considerable and award-winning body of work.
Sports Scholarships
These are scholarships awarded to athletes who show a commitment to their chosen sport and have represented the school in competitions.
2. Aim for a Staff Discount
If you are looking for a job (or a change), you may consider applying for a job at your children’s school. This is a particularly viable option if you work in education or administration or have skills a school will find useful.
Private schools often provide enrolment discounts to staff members’ children. If this is a benefit available to staff members at your children’s school, this strategy is worth trying. Your yearly staff discount savings will add up to a considerable amount.
Caveat: Applying for a job at your children’s school can be competitive. It’s worth a try, however, if the school offers good compensation, equivalent to or better than your salary at your current job.
3. Take Advantage of Loyalty Discounts
Inquire with your children’s school about their loyalty and reward programs.
One of the most common loyalty schemes involves sibling discounts. The school may give a percentage discount on the cumulative fees of all your enrolled children, or it may reduce the tuition fee of the additional child or children.
To illustrate, a school may give you a 25% discount on the third and fourth children. From the fifth child onwards, the school may give 50% off.
Some schools have existing tie-ups with merchants (hotels, restaurants, and shops) and will let you earn reward points for every qualified spend at their partner establishments. In the end, you can redeem the reward points as discounts on your tuition.
Such reward schemes are an excellent way to save money on your children’s tuition fees. You can accrue a significant number of reward points without making substantial changes to your lifestyle. You won’t need to spend more than you usually do; you simply have to reallocate your spending so most will go to the school’s partner merchants.
4. Earn Rebates on Referrals
Schools typically reward parents who refer them to other parents. Find out if your children’s school has such a program and take advantage of it.
The way it typically works, the school will ask you to send a link or a form to the parents you’ve referred. If your referred parents use your link or form to register their children, you will get rebates that will get deducted from your children’s school dues.
5. Save Money Through Early and Full Payments
Your children’s school may also offer discounts for early and full payments. Take advantage by paying your children’s school fees in full and advance.
You can pay your children’s school dues using your credit card, then convert the charge into an interest-free 12-month installment plan. This will save you money (from the early and full payment discount) and effectively help you distribute your school fees for better cash flow.
If the school does not accept credit card payments, you can use education or a personal loan to fund your children’s school dues instead.
Every Pound Counts
The cost of private education can be prohibitive. However, for some parents, private education is worth every pound spent on it.
Even in this case, though, you should still try to save as much money as you can from your children’s school fees. Use the strategies discussed above to accomplish this.
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