The United Arab Emirates has approved a significant change in school admission age criteria, a policy shift that will officially take effect in the academic year 2026–27.
Under the new regulations, the cut-off date for children’s admission age—previously set as August 31—has now been extended to December 31, providing greater flexibility for school enrollment.
The policy was approved by the Council for Education, Human Development, and Community Development following an extensive recommendation by the Ministry of Education. The revised rule will apply to all schools and kindergartens whose academic year begins in August or September.
According to the updated guidelines, a child applying for pre-kindergarten must be at least 3 years old by December 31. Similarly, the age requirement for Kindergarten One is 4 years, for Kindergarten Two is 5 years, and a child must be 6 years old to be admitted to Grade One.
UAE officials have stated that the updated age limits are aligned with British, French, and other international education systems to ensure smoother and more consistent student transitions across curricula.
This policy will apply only to new admissions. Students already enrolled in schools will continue under the age requirements that were in place at the time of their admission.
For Pakistani schools that begin their academic year in April, the admission cut-off date will remain March 31, with no changes introduced to their system.
Authorities further shared that before finalizing this decision, educational data from over 39,000 children was analyzed. Research indicated that starting school at a younger age does not negatively impact academic performance; in fact, in several cases, improved results were observed.
Officials added that the new policy aims to enhance school readiness, promote fairness, and create uniformity within the UAE’s education framework.
