Education
Legal Clarity for Education. Strategic Advice for Growth.
Education Services in the UAE
If you want to start a school, college, training academy or any education related business in the UAE you need clear, practical help that follows all the rules. At Moores Rowland, we have helped many education providers like you succeed. We understand the industry and have close links with the appropriate authorities across the UAE and the wider MENA region.
We make it simple so you can focus on teaching and growing your institution. Whether you are starting from the beginning, buying an existing school or expanding, we take care of the legal, regulatory and business side.-
Ready to Start Your Education Project in the UAE?
Get in touch with Moores Rowland today. Share your plans, whether it’s opening a new school, expansion or acquisition of an existing school and we will support you from day one.
Call us now for a consultation. We reply quickly and explain everything in simple terms.
We maintain daily communication with the pertinent ministries across our network of offices. These strong relationships, combined with our extensive legal knowledge, enable us to assist our education clients in comprehending how the law is applied in practice. This understanding ensures that our clients achieve their goals while managing costs effectively.
Key UAE Education Laws and Regulations
The UAE government values education highly. Here are the main rules you need to know:
The Federal Decree-Law regarding Private Education (the Federal Decree-Law no. 18 of 2020 and its amendments):
No natural or legal person shall operate any private school without obtaining the license required for this purpose.
The Ministry or the Education Authority shall have the exclusive authority to grant licenses to private schools which include, among their education stages, the early childhood education stage.
Higher Education and scientific Research law (Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2025):
This harmonizes the regulations for public and private universities as well as higher education institution in free zones. Institutions must obtain institutional licensure, program accreditation, and state approvals. Before commencement of business, financial guarantees (ensuring the institution’s ability to meet its financial obligations) must be submitted.
National Education Curriculum Law (Federal Decree by Law No. (30) of 2025) :
Applies to any institution (public, private or international) targeting students from KG through Grade 12. The framework provides some flexibility in the standards for curriculum, values and outcomes. The approved compulsory subjects must be followed by the private schools.
Dubai KHDA Regulations:
The Division for Private Schools in Dubai falls under the jurisdiction of KHDA. Licensing, inspections teacher training, child protection and fee structures are all controlled by them. New guidelines for early childhood centers cover enrollment and programs.
Abu Dhabi ADEK and other Emirate legislation:
Similar scrutiny regarding quality, safety and operation.
We keep updated of these changes – including inspection frameworks, attendance policies, teacher qualifications and safety standards – ensuring your institution meets all requirements.
Why Education Providers Choose Moores Rowland in Dubai
The UAE is considered as the most active education hub in the region. Educational institutions must always receive proper oversight and regulation to guarantee the appropriate quality standards. We monitor these changes allowing you to focus on running your institution hassle-free.
What Makes Us a Helpful Partner?
- Education Industry Experience: We have worked with clients in different areas of education – from early-learning centres to higher-education providers – which gives us a clear understanding of how the UAE system works.
- Local Knowledge and International Understanding: We know UAE regulations, approval processes and ministry requirements and use global best practices where it is useful.
- Simple and Practical Advice: We make the rules simple,help you prevent costly mistakes and give you solutions that fit your goals, timelines and budget.
- Positive Working Relationships: We speak plainly, keep in touch and walk you through approvals, compliance and operational requirements, step by step.
- Our goal is to help you build and run a quality education business that’s compliant, that benefits students, teachers and your organisation, without any risky claims.
Key Education Services We Offer
Here are the main ways we support education providers:
1. Setting Up Education Entities:
We help you to set up schools, universities, training academies or EdTech businesses onshore or in free zones all over UAE and MENA region. This includes choosing the right structure, dealing with company formation and advising on any restructuring required for growth. We will guide you through all the approvals to open your institution on time.
2. Regulatory Approvals and Licensing:
Education in the UAE is a very controlled sector. We can help with:
- Licensing for private schools and higher education providers.
- Accreditation of programs by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
- Ministry of Education (MoE) curricula and operational standards.
- Local authority consents (e.g. Dubai KHDA or Abu Dhabi ADEK as applicable).
We monitor the most recent regulations such as the Federal Decree Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research which introduced introduce unified standards for Public and private educational institutions, including those operating in free zones. This legislation mandates adequate institutional licensure, program accreditation, and financial assurances prior to offering or marketing programs.
For schools, we provide assistance to comply with the Federal Decree Law on the Regulation of National Educational Curriculum for KG to Grade 12 and highlight transparency, accountability and quality.
3. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures
Thinking of buying an existing school or partner with another institution? We conduct due diligence, negotiate the transactions, obtain regulatory approvals, and close the transactions. This includes establishment of joint venture companies onshore or in free zones.
4. Finance and Funding Support
We provide guidance on financing options including cooperating with international investors for your student housing or growing your business. We draft the legal documents for loans, investments or the grants of funding you provide ensuring that everything is legal and compliant.
5. Property and Infrastructure
Opening a new campus? We deal with land law, leasing, development agreements, musataha contracts with municipalities, construction contracts and maintenance. We make certain your buildings are safe and educationally effective.
6. Employment and HR issues
We assist with staff and teacher contracts, HR policies, visas and labour compliance. That way, you can recruit and keep good teachers while complying with UAE labour laws.
7. Technology, IP and Innovation
Whether you’re purchasing EdTech tools or protecting copyrights, patents and innovative new ways of teaching, we have the expertise you need for all your technology and innovation initiatives.
8. Tax, Banking and Ongoing Compliance
We provide tax advice tailored to education entities, banking setup, and day-to-day regulatory support to keep your operations running smoothly.
What Makes Us Different
- Understanding the UAE Education Sector: We follow the rules, approval processes and compliance standards for pre-schools, KG-12 schools, universities, training centres and EdTech providers. This enables us to guide you clearly through each step.
- UAE Regulations Knowledge: We keep up to date with the latest laws, ministry guidelines and licensing standards so you always know what is required.
- Complete Service Help: We bring together legal, tax and business advisors in one place to support you from setup to ongoing compliance.
- Clear Advice in Plain English: We explain everything in layman’s terms, keep you informed every step of the way and help you to avoid the common pitfalls that can hold up approvals.
- Long-term growth support: We want to support you with the setup process and as your education business grows and adapts to new UAE requirements.