Admissions

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ACS is a nonprofit, American-curriculum, co-educational school serving approximately 1,200 students in KG1 through Grade 12.

Our community of learners is composed of dynamic and diverse individuals. ACS fosters a true sense of belonging. 
 

Welcome! Whether you are applying to the American Community School of Abu Dhabi from across the world or across the city, we are eager to show you what makes ACS unique. We know that finding the right school is a critical element of an expatriate move and we strive to make the admissions process as smooth as possible.  

You are exploring ACS at an exciting time. In 2023, ACS plans to relocate from its current campus in downtown Abu Dhabi to a state-of-the-art campus on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island, six kilometers from our current location. 

Whether your students are four or fourteen, joining the ACS community means they will spend their days in a learning environment that celebrates courage, curiosity, compassion and integrity. Please reach out as you begin to consider schools for your children. We look forward to sharing more about our program and meeting you in Abu Dhabi!

 

Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now open. ACS is still accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year.

Step 1 / Pre-Application Form (current ACS families and staff skip to Step 2)

  • Pre-Application Form requires basic information.

  • Once complete, the Veracross system will send you an email with your user name and a link to create a password. (Please check inbox and spam. It may take a few minutes so please be patient and do not re-start the Pre-Application Form).

  • The final page of the Pre-Application has a link that will take you directly to the Admissions Portal. Click on “Continue to the Admissions Portal” to move directly to the application.

Step 2 / Application Form

  • Login to the Application Form with your user name and password (Please be sure to save these as you will likely log in many times).

  • You can come and go from the application as you work to complete it.

  • When you logout, close your browser completely before you log in again.

Completing an Application

  • All "required" (orange) sections must say "completed" (green) before your application is considered complete and ready for review.

  • This includes the application fee and Confidential Assessment Forms.

  • Completed applications are time-stamped and Admissions Office staff will verify each document in the application before determining if it is ready for review.

Pre-Application   Application Portal

 

Why Choose ACS?

High School

Our Misson & Vision

Learn about the mission, vision and core values that guide us. 

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Academics

Our KG1 through Grade 12 program empowers students to grow to their full potential.

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Our Campus

ACS is building an innovative new campus on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island.

Welcome from our Director of Admissions

JodiLefort

 My husband and I are long-time expats and our four children have grown up in international schools around the MENA region. Our youngest child has been an ACS student since 2016 and we could not be happier that we chose this school for our daughter when we moved to Abu Dhabi. The faculty is dedicated and professional, the administrators are approachable and willing to listen, the parents are always happy to lend a hand and the students are curious, engaged and supportive of one another. We encourage you to investigate our website and learn more about ACS. I look forward to meeting you.

-Jodi Lefort, Director of Admissions

Tuition & Fees


As a non-profit school, all tuition and fees go toward funding the cost of your child’s ACS education. Your child is the one benefiting most from your tuition fees, and we like to keep it that way. 

Application Requirements and Procedures

Admission to ACS is based upon a student's application, previous school records, teacher, principal and/or counselor confidential assessments, work habits, and in some cases, an admissions assessment and/or interview.

Families Apply to ACS In Two Steps:

Families fill out a Pre-Application form, creating an online profile in our system. (Current families applying for siblings skip this step.)
Families complete the application process within our Application Portal.

You will be asked to include the following documents in our online Application Portal: 

  • Report Cards (for previous two years of school, as well as progress reports for the current academic year)
  • Standardized Test Scores (any available)
  • Confidential Assessment Forms (to be completed and submitted by applicant’s current school, shared via email with applicant’s teachers, counselors and principals)
  • High School Transcript (Applicants to grades 10-12 only, when available)
  • Additional documents where relevant, including Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Academic Program Accommodations (504 plans), Behavior Modification Plans or Psychological/Educational Evaluations
  • Application Fee

Additional Required Documents: 

  • Applicant's Birth Certificate 
  • Applicant’s Immunization Record
  • Applicant’s Passport Information Page
  • Passport-sized Applicant Photo
  • Applicant’s and Sponsoring Parent’s UAE Residence Visa (to be collected at enrollment if not yet living in UAE)
  • Applicant's Emirates ID Card (to be collected at enrollment if not yet living in UAE)
  • Sponsoring Parent’s Passport Information Page 
  • Sponsoring Parent’s Letter of Employment or Letter of Offer from UAE employer if not yet living in UAE
  • Other Parent’s Passport Information Page
     

Note: Details about each of the documents required are further outlined in the Application Portal.

SCHEDULE A VISIT

We can't wait to meet you, whether virtually or in person. Please contact the Admissions Office to schedule a visit with us.

+971 (0)2 681-5115 x444

Visitors are asked to bring a valid ID (adults only) to exchange for a visitor's badge that you will wear while on campus. Please note that our campus tours include a number of staircases and, unfortunately, no elevators. Strollers can be left in the Admission Office during the tour. 

 

New Families

ACS has a longstanding tradition of supporting new families as they make the transition to ACS.

Admissions Timeline

Important Admissions Dates 

November 1, 2023 Families may begin applying to ACS for the 2024-2025 school year; Admissions Portal opens.
Mid February 2024 Application Deadline for first wave of seats
Late February 2024 Families receive admissions decisions

Note: We recognize that not all moves overseas align precisely with these dates and encourage you to reach out if the timing above proves challenging. We admit students after this first wave of seats as space allows.

FAQs

United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Educational Zone, License #19/ 1
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA)
Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA)
Council of International Schools (CIS)
Overseas Association of College Admissions Counselors (OACAC)
American School Counselor’s Association (ASCA)
Association for the Advancement of International Education
Middle East South Asia Conference (MESAC)

Grades KG2 - 12
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

KG1
8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m.

On Fridays, all grades dismiss at noon.

Definitely! ACS parents are an important part of our community. The ACS PTA is instrumental in building bridges between all members of the ACS community and embraces its role in welcoming new families to school.

This depends on the age at which your child will be entering ACS. The older the student, the more important it becomes that they have a certain mastery of English. Having said that, ACS has students from over 60 countries and many of our youngest students are not fluent in English when they arrive. Our teachers are skilled at making these students feel comfortable in class. Based on your application, ACS may require an assessment to ascertain your child’s proficiency in English.

Non-discrimination statement

The American Community School of Abu Dhabi (ACS) admits students of any race to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. ACS does not discriminate on the basis of race in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, athletic or other school-administered programs.