Moving Schools from Dubai to Cyprus: A Guide for Parents (2026)

Moving your children from a Dubai school to Cyprus is mostly a matter of timing and paperwork. Give your Dubai school written notice as early as you can, because KHDA refunds are counted from the day the school receives it, collect reports and a leaving or transfer certificate before you go, and apply to Cyprus schools months ahead. Children from British-curriculum schools in Dubai usually slot straight into one of the many British-curriculum schools in Cyprus; children from Indian or other systems need a little more planning.

This guide covers the Dubai side and what changes when you arrive. For everything else about the move, see our complete guide to moving from Dubai to Cyprus. Facts were checked in October 2026.

How do you withdraw your child from a Dubai school?

Dubai private schools follow the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) Registration and Refund Policy, plus their own withdrawal policy. Taaleem's withdrawal policy (September 2026), for example, asks parents to give notice at least one calendar month before the leaving date on the school's withdrawal form, and lists relocation as a reason the school may relax notice and refund terms if you show documents.

The rule that matters most: the refund is calculated from the date the school receives your formal written withdrawal request, not your child's last day. Requests cannot be backdated, so send the notice by email as soon as your move is certain.

How much of your Dubai school fees will you get back?

Gulf News summarised the KHDA rules in August 2026 as follows:

Re-registration deposits for existing pupils are capped at 5% of tuition or AED 500, whichever is lower, and are normally non-refundable unless you give 60 days' notice before the next school year. Khaleej Times reported in 2025 that relocation abroad counts as an unforeseen circumstance for which you can ask KHDA to review a deposit refund.

For Dubai, 2026–27 is a cheaper year to compare against: KHDA confirmed on 22 May 2026 that private school fees would not rise for the year.

Do you need a transfer certificate to move from Dubai to Cyprus?

A KHDA-attested transfer certificate (TC) is compulsory for moves between Dubai schools, but for a move abroad it depends on what the new school asks for. GEMS World Academy says families moving outside Dubai can choose between a KHDA TC at AED 120 and a free leaving certificate on school letterhead, and that you only need the KHDA version if the destination country requires it. The Winchester School lists the KHDA attestation fee at AED 126 (2026).

Two practical points:

• Clear every bill first. Schools release the TC and records only once tuition, transport, exam fees and borrowed books are settled.
• Exam years take longer. The Winchester School says TCs for Years 11–13 are emailed at the end of August or start of September, after IGCSE and AS results are verified by KHDA.

Before you pay, ask your Cyprus school in writing which document it wants. Request the latest reports, attendance record and any learning support or well-being notes at the same time.

Do UAE documents need an apostille or attestation for Cyprus?

The UAE does not appear on the Hague Conference's Apostille Convention status table (checked October 2026), while neighbours such as Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain do. You cannot get an apostille on a UAE-issued birth certificate or school certificate. Instead, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests the signatures and seals, online with UAE PASS for eligible digital documents or through an approved courier. Fees depend on the document; the total is shown before payment.

Documents issued in your home country (for example an Indian or British birth certificate) follow that country's rules, so get them apostilled at home if that country is in the Convention. Ask the Cyprus school, or the Migration Department for permit applications, whether it also needs legalisation by the Cyprus embassy and a certified Greek or English translation. Most international schools are satisfied with English-language reports; public schools and the Migration Department are stricter.

Will your child stay in the same year group?

Dubai UK-curriculum schools place children by age on 31 August, following KHDA guidelines. From 2026–27, though, the UAE moved the cut-off to 31 December for new admissions to Pre-KG, FS2, Year 1 and Year 2 (Khaleej Times, February 2026). A child born between September and December who started early in Dubai may therefore be a year ahead of where a Cyprus British school would place them. Raise this at the admissions interview.

Exam years are the hardest to move. Many Cyprus schools are reluctant to take new pupils into the final IGCSE year unless they followed the same courses with the same exam board (ask each school), so try to move before Year 10 or at the start of sixth form. See our admissions guide for entrance tests and waiting lists.

How do the Dubai and Cyprus school calendars compare?

Dubai dates are from Khaleej Times (June 2026) and may be adjusted by each school. Indian-curriculum schools in the UAE run from April to March, so a summer move from a CBSE school means leaving partway through the Indian year. For full Cyprus dates see our school holidays 2026–27 guide.

The best time to move is the summer: finish the Dubai year in early July and start in Cyprus in September. A move at Christmas also works, as both systems break in late December.

Which schools can you choose in Cyprus?

Most international schools in Cyprus teach the British curriculum. A few you can contact directly (alphabetical; we don't rank or endorse them):

Fees compare well with Dubai. Khaleej Times reported in July 2026 that British-curriculum fees at Dubai's Outstanding-rated schools range from about AED 43,084 to AED 111,799 a year (2026–27). In Cyprus, Foley's lists about €7,500 for early years to €12,600 for Years 10–13, plus a one-off €1,800 deposit (2026–27). Our international schools guide compares 18 schools, and our Dubai vs Cyprus cost of living guide puts school fees alongside rent and bills.

What about a free public school in Cyprus?

Any child living in Cyprus can attend a public school, regardless of nationality or the parents' residence status, according to the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. Its 2026 parents' guide says attendance is compulsory and free of charge, with extras such as all-day school meals and bus travel paid by parents.

Lessons are in Greek. Primary pupils can have up to two extra Greek lessons a day, and the Ministry ran 84 transition classes for secondary pupils new to Greek (Politis, May 2026). This works best for younger children; a teenager coming from an English-language Dubai school will find secondary school hard at first. Read our guides to enrolling in a public school and learning Greek.

What vaccination records do Cyprus schools ask for?

For a public primary school you need a copy of the page of your child's health booklet or vaccination card showing their name and vaccines. The Ministry lists DTP/DTaP, polio, MMR, hepatitis B, meningococcal, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines. Bring the UAE vaccination record from your child's school nurse or paediatrician, and ask the school whether it needs a translation.

Does your child need a residence permit in Cyprus?

It depends on nationality. Children who are EU citizens register like their parents under EU free movement. Children who are not EU citizens, including British, Indian, Pakistani, Filipino or Russian children, need their own Cyprus residence permit as dependants of a parent who holds one, or as family members of an EU citizen. Our family reunification guide explains which route applies. School enrolment does not wait for the permit, but international schools often ask for passports and residence documents.

Document checklist

Timeline for a summer move

What to do next

1. Ask your Cyprus shortlist which documents they need, then give notice in Dubai. Start with our international schools guide and admissions timeline.
2. Check your children's residence route in our family reunification guide.
3. If a pet is coming too, read moving a pet from the UAE to Cyprus, and plan the rest of the move with our complete guide to moving from Dubai to Cyprus.