Find the right entry year.
Check the UAE’s published first-entry age bands, then speak with admissions about the school’s calendar and your child’s readiness. The calculator keeps the birth date in your browser.
Check a first-entry year
Your entry-year guidance
Which year can a child enter in 2026/27?
For UAE schools starting in August or September, the published first-entry cut-off is 31 December 2026. For April-start schools, it is 31 March 2026. These tables cover children not previously registered in a school system. Availability and the school’s readiness assessment still apply.
UAE · August / September start
First entry in 2026/27 to UAE schools starting in August or September, for children not previously registered in a school, nursery or early childhood centre. Covers Pre-KG through Grade 1 and the labels explicitly listed in the Ministry guide.
| Birth-date range | British (FS / Year) | International (Pre-KG / KG / Grade) | French (PS / MS / GS / CP) | UAE Ministry (KG / Grade) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023 | Foundation Stage 1 (FS1) | Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-KG) | Petite Section (PS) | Not listed |
| 1 January 2022 – 31 December 2022 | Foundation Stage 2 (FS2) | Kindergarten 1 (KG1) | Moyenne Section (MS) | Kindergarten 1 (KG1) |
| 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021 | Year 1 | Kindergarten 2 (KG2) | Grande Section (GS) | Kindergarten 2 (KG2) |
| 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2020 | Year 2 | Grade 1 | Cours Préparatoire (CP) | Grade 1 |
UAE · April start
First entry in 2026/27 to UAE schools starting in April, for children not previously registered in any school system. The Ministry publishes KG1, KG2 and Grade 1 birth-date bands for this calendar. Confirm the calendar and year labels with the school.
| Birth-date range | International (Pre-KG / KG / Grade) | UAE Ministry (KG / Grade) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022 | Kindergarten 1 (KG1) | Kindergarten 1 (KG1) |
| 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 | Kindergarten 2 (KG2) | Kindergarten 2 (KG2) |
| 1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020 | Grade 1 | Grade 1 |
Transitional choices and transfers
For 2026/27, previously ineligible children born 1 September–31 December 2021 may enter KG1 or KG2 after the approved assessment. British schools and parents may jointly choose FS1 or FS2 for children born 1 September–31 December 2022. British FS1 entrants still under three at the start of term need a readiness discussion; the guide allows FS1 the following year if they are not ready.
Previous registration in a school, nursery or early childhood centre changes the applicable procedure. For transfers between schools, curricula or countries, the Ministry uses the last completed grade and approved equivalency. The calculator does not convert higher year groups from age.
We add destinations and academic years after reviewing published rules. For a different country, a future intake or an unusual circumstance, find a school and ask its admissions team to confirm placement.
Help parents reach the right admissions team.
Schools can share official entry-year policies and correct their campus information for free. The proposed Partner service covers priority review of factual updates, parent enquiry review and reporting, subject to agreement.