Admissions Process

GEMS Winchester School Dubai is an inclusive school. The GEMS vision for Inclusive Education is that we achieve excellence together by all students receiving the support they need to meaningfully belong to their school and wider community, feel valued for their contributions, engage purposefully in learning and experience academic, cultural, social and emotional success in a common learning environment. 

At GEMS Winchester School Dubai we welcome children with a range of learning preferences, including students of determination (students with special education needs and disabilities), students who are gifted and talented and students who are English Language Learners. Our staff are committed to educating all students in a common learning environment with similar-aged peers. At GEMS Winchester School Dubai diversity is made visible as a strength, respectful relationships are continually enhanced and all children fully participate in learning through adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet the diverse range of learners reflected in wider society.

Required Documents

• Completed admission forms.
• Two clear photocopies of the student's passport/mother's passport if the child’s name is on mother’s passport. (passport should be valid for minimum 6 months)
• Two copies of the Residence Visa valid for minimum 6 months.
• Two copies of valid Emirates ID for student and parents.
• Two copies of the student's Birth Certificate.
• Four passport-size photographs of the student.
• Photocopy of the Student's Vaccination Record.
• For Year 2 - Year 13:A copy of the original mark sheet of the final examination (School Report Card) of the last 2 years.
• For Year 2 - Year 13: Original Transfer Certificate/ School Leaving Certificate from the previous school in the case of other Emirate transfer duly attested by the educational authority.{Required before joining the school in September}
• In the case of overseas transfer, the Transfer Certificate should also be duly attested by:
  • Ministry of Education in the country the student coming from.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country the student coming from.
  • UAE Embassy in the country the student coming from.

(Attestation is not required for UK, US, Canada, Australia and Europe)

Please Note

Admission will be confirmed upon the submission of the documents to the School and will subject to Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) approval

To Apply

Step 1

Submit an Online Enquiry.

Step 2

Check the email address you provided when submitting your Enquiry; a confirmation email will be sent containing your Enquiry Number. Do not lose this number. It is your reference point for all further application-related communication with the school.

Step 3

Pay the Application Fee of AED 525 (500/- Application + 25 VAT) and bring the following documents to the school to complete the registration process:

• 1 copy of both the child’s and parents’ passports, including valid UAE residence visa page
• Original Emirates ID card (of child and sponsor: both will be verified and copied by school staff)
• 1 copy of Emirates ID of both child and sponsor
• 1 copy of the child’s birth certificate (in English or Arabic)
• 4 recent passport-sized photographs of the child (with a white background)
• 2 years’ of school reports, including any learning support documents pertaining to your child’s educational needs (for Year 3 onwards)
• 1 vaccination record copy (for Foundation Stage 1 and Foundation Stage 2 applicants)

Step 4

The school will contact you to schedule an interview and/or assessment test (Placement test in English and Math for FS2 to Y13).

Step 5

Bring your child at the scheduled time for their interview and/or assessment test.

Step 6

Upon completion of the interview and/or assessment test, the school will contact you if your child has been offered a place.

Step 7

Bring your child’s attested Transfer Certificate to the school (Attestation is not required for transfers from schools in UK, US, Canada, Australia and Europe).

This deposit is payable after the student has been offered a place and parents have accepted the offer. The registration deposit is 10% of the total tuition fees and is deductible from the total tuition fees for the academic year. Please note, this is a non-refundable deposit.

Please share full details of any special educational needs, individual education plans (IEPs) and any Educational Psychologist, Pediatric, or other specialist reports (e.g., Speech and Language or Occupational Therapy) if completed. Sharing educational history with GEMS Winchester School Dubai prior to a place being offered is essential so that staff can ensure an appropriate assessment of educational need, educational plan and resourcing is in place. Admission is not conditional on the submission of medical diagnosis and we have effective transition processes in place for all children.

Students are not refused admission based only on their experience of a special education need or disability (SEND) and we give sibling priority for admission to students who experience SEND. Staff follow KHDA guidance and procedures for scenarios where, very rarely, it may not be in the best interests of the child to be placed in GEMS Winchester School Dubai. This information will be shared with the KHDA, following expected procedures.

Assessment Tests

Our assessment tests are carried out by our trained education team. Our team works with students to make sure that our curriculum meets each child’s needs and abilities. As an international school, we do not discriminate based on nationality, ethnicity, gender or any other quantifying personal characteristic.

Doing well in an assessment test does not guarantee a placement in the school. Places are offered based on assessment test performance, former school reports and availability of places.

We have an allocated number of places available for students with additional needs. Please inform us of your child’s requirements when making your application so your child’s assessment test can be fitted to their needs.

Preference

Preference will be given to siblings of students currently enrolled in GEMS Winchester School. 

Transfer Certificate

Students Transferring Within Dubai

The KHDA have announced a new process for parents requesting Transfer Certificates who are internally transferring within Dubai, please see the new process below:

• Parents request a Transfer Certificate (TC) via their parent portal, advising of the new school to transfer to school within Dubai.
• Parents must then pay AED 120/- (KHDA Payment) to the school for the TC to be attested (All TC’s processed must now be attested) and after payment the receipt must be given to the Admissions Department at the current school.
• Parents must then collect the attested TC from the current school to submit to the new school in Dubai before the new Academic Year. 

If your family are transferring within Dubai and you have already requested the TC, please visit the Registration Department to proceed with TC formalities and to make the payment at the cashier’s office for the KHDA payment and submit the receipt to the Admissions Department.

Outside Dubai

Parents requesting Transfer Certificates who are transferring outside Dubai, please see the process below:

• Parents request a Transfer Certificate (TC) via their parent portal, advising school to issue a transfer Certificate for outside Dubai.
• Parents must then pay AED 120/- (KHDA Payment) to the school for the TC to be attested (All TC’s processed must now be attested) and payment receipt must be given to the Admissions Department.
• Parents must then collect the attested TC from the current school.
  
  

If your family are transferring outside Dubai and you have already requested the TC, please visit the Registration Department to proceed with TC formalities and to make the payment at the cashier’s office and submit the receipt to the Admissions Department.

Terms and Conditions

• When a student is offered a place, the required documentation, fully completed should be submitted. This deposit is payable after the student has been offered a place and parents have accepted the offer. The registration deposit is 10% of the total tuition fees and is deductible from the total tuition fees for the academic year. Please note, this is a non-refundable deposit.
• Examination results of the defaulters are liable to be withheld.
• The school management reserves the right to make any exceptions to the above policy for compassionate reasons, at their discretion.