Top 8 Best Indian CBSE Schools in Abu Dhabi 2025/2026

Are you looking for the best Indian CBSE Schools in Abu Dhabi? If yes, then this informative article is for you. India had a long economic and political relationship with the countries in the Persian Gulf. The UAE, previously known as Trucial Oman gained its independence in the 19th century with the aid of the British Raj of India at that time.

The Khoja and the Kutchi communities of India administered the trade and banking sectors in that territory. The infiltration of Indians in the UAE boosted during the mid-60s when skilled and semi-skilled technicians and shopkeepers went from India and started settling in the UAE.

Reaching there was easy as it was a 3-day trip through the sea departing from the Mumbai port. From 1970 to 80 the influx increased as the oil industry expanded and free-trade was introduced in Dubai. A large number of Indians live in Abu Dhabi as the city resembles different cities like Kochi, Vizag, Chandigarh and Gandhinagar.

A lot of Malayalees, Tamilians, Gujaratis, and North Indians reside in Abu Dhabi, and catering to their children numerous Indian schools have emerged from a very early stage. Listed below are some of the best Indian schools in Abu Dhabi.

1. Emirates Future International Academy

Founded in 2008, Emirates Future International Academy is one of the leading Indian schools in Abu Dhabi, following the CBSE curriculum. The school is also affiliated with the MOE (Ministry of Education), Abu Dhabi, and recognized by ADEK (the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge). ‘Achieving heights with excellence’ is the vision of the school its mission is to equip students with skills and values to face the challenges of the 21st Century and enable them to achieve their highest potential by developing social and emotional personalities through active learning, by molding motivated, ambitious and confident lifelong learners.

Following the CBSE curriculum, the education structure of the school is made according to the design of the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training), New Delhi, which involves designing activities, encouraging cooperative learning, providing concrete experiences, teaching through peer interaction and enhancing the English language skills of every student.

The school also provides numerous facilities to its students like sports activities, libraries, girls’ computer lab, boys’ computer lab, primary computer lab, gym, and convenient transport service.

2. International Indian School, Abu Dhabi

GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL SOLUTIONS, a well-known name in the field of education worldwide runs the International Indian School, Abu Dhabi. The curriculum of the school encircles around novel methods of activity and project-based learning, individual learning, and formative assessments.

Innovations in teaching and learning with relentless efforts in improving the quality standards is the slogan at GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL SOLUTIONS Schools, and IIS has been highly successful following it. The School follows the curriculum formulated by CBSE (the Central Board of Secondary Education) of India. The inquiry and skill-based teaching cater to individual learning styles in terms of pedagogy and assessment.

The school also es global needs and relates to local issues and culture. It promotes critical and creative thinking skills, effective communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills, information, and media skills. Language development is an important part of the curriculum of the school that aims to develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading,g and writing in a variety of contexts and train the students to be able to adapt the language to suit different tasks, audiences, and purposes.

To enhance the ambiance of learning the school provides facilities like learning resource centers, multi-purpose auditoriums, science laboratories, activity rooms, playground facilities prayer rooms, and canteens. IIS is one of the best Indian schools in Abu Dhabi because of the uniqueness of its curriculum that is inquiry and skill-based, caters to individual learning styles, is learner and learning-centric, and focuses on an analysis and discovery approach.

3. Global Indian International School, Abu Dhabi

Global Indian International School is a multi-award-winning school that offers a curriculum that encourages 21st-century skills through an exclusive blend of universal learning, superior faculty, and modern infrastructure that emphasizes cultural diversity with an international outlook.

The school follows the CBSE (the Central Board of Secondary Education), India curriculum that helps the students to enter into the world’s leading universities for higher studies. The unique kindergarten curriculum of GIIS comprises the GMP (Global Montessori Plus) program customized by Maria Montessori’s world-renowned teaching methodology that involves fundamentals of formal learning with the latest innovative learning tools.

At the critical juncture of the primary section, the faculty of the school identify, nurture and grow the students’ academic and non-academic interests so that information is passed to them measuring, engaging, and making the rigorous CBSE curriculum fun and joyful experience. During the secondary section, technology is introduced in education, giving the students a larger canvas to paint their educational story by developing a depth of knowledge across the spectrum.

Ensuring the universal values and ethics are instilled during this time through morality and tolerance so that the students make meaningful contributions to society and get ready for their chosen careers. Art and craft lab, maths lab, audio-visual room, indoor sports activity rooms, choir room, individual practice rooms, specialized pre-primary classrooms, kiddies pool, GCIE (Global Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship) Lab practicing STEAM and Robotics are some of the few facilities the school provides to its students. GIIS is one of the best Indian schools in Abu Dhabi.

4. GEMS United Indian School

GEMS United Indian School brings the best educational practices emphasizing the instructional plan of the school that focuses on creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration that prepares students for the future.

GEMS’s objective is to train young minds to do new things and not merely repeat what other generations have done. GEMS’ curriculum follows CBSE (the Central Board of Secondary Education), designed and developed by NCERT (the National Council of Educational Research and Training), New Delhi. It follows in the project-based learning tasks making problem-solving much more scientific.

In the early years of education (KG1 and 2), the emphasis is given on English, Mathematics, and Environmental Sciences along with music, art and craft, physical education, and sports activities. During the primary, middle school, and secondary school numerous subjects like Science, Computer Science, Social Studies, Islamic Studies, or Moral Science, Optional languages are taught.

From the senior secondary school, students choose the science, commerce, or humanities stream for further education. Along with academic enhancement, the school gives ample opportunities to its students so that they can pursue their extra-curricular capabilities. Science, technology, sporting, culture, and performing arts facilities are designed to allow students to stimulate and support their learning experience.

5. Private International English School

Managed by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Middle East, Private International English School’s mission is to make mentally developed, physically strong, socially adjusted, emotionally balanced, and technically talented global citizens.

At the primary level, PIS follows an integrated and interlinked curriculum under the guidelines of NCERT that instigates connecting knowledge to life outside the school and real-life situations, activity-based learning stimulating holistic and personality development, worksheets to enrich learning skills, and comprehensive and continuous evaluation.

At the secondary level, following the same NCERT prescribed curriculum, foreign language is introduced, a pragmatic methodology where a teacher is considered as a co-learner is introduced along with high levels of academics according to age. At the senior secondary level, students get prepared for higher studies.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has a heritage of being the cultural ambassador of India throughout the world and the reflection falls on PIES on various cultural activities of the school. Apart from that, the school provides ample opportunities to its students for co-scholastic activities, a football court, play areas for kids and grown-ups, a psychology lab, an auditorium, food courts, a music room, dance room are a few of them.

6. The Model School

The role of a school today is not just to provide academic knowledge to its students but to motivate and empower its students to be lifelong learners, critical thinkers, effective analyzers, and productive members of an ever-changing global society.

The Model School, Abu Dhabi especially emphasizes curricular and co-curricular activities, providing the learners ample opportunities to become leaders in their respective fields along with offering equal importance to academics.

TMS is one of the best Indian schools in Abu Dhabi, as it gives priority for academic excellence of the students, the school also prepares them for life, to face the future challenges by implementing life skills programs.

Founded in 1987, as a branch of N. I Model school, in Dubai, students from different countries come to the school with many languages, cultures, and educational expectations. The school follows the Indian CBSE syllabus till standard VII and CBSE with Kerala Syllabus from standard VIII to XII. The facilities the school provides to its students include laboratories, and libraries along with transport and a parent’s app and portal.

7. Mayoor Private School

In April 2014, MCGC (Mayo College General Council), India a renowned educational institute for 138 years got associated with TAALEEM National Private Educational and Facilities Management Company L.L.C, Abu Dhabi, and founded the Mayoor Private School LLC.

The school offers the CBSE Curriculum that forms a platform for learning, ensuring continuity, thorough assessment, and a strong focus on the development of 21st-century skills that involve creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. The Curriculum includes the history of the UAE to honor the culture of the UAE and Islam with commitments to the local heritage of Abu Dhabi, to develop a strong national identity.

The learning environment of MPS is safe, caring, friendly, and educationally stimulating. The KG curriculum includes learning new language skills, communication skills, pre-reading skills (visual perception, auditory perception), pre-writing skills, numeracy, arts and crafts, music, and general knowledge.

The primary curriculum adds communicating language while listening, speaking, writing, and reading, English grammar, learning mathematics towards intellectual development, inter-relationship of knowledge, skills, and concepts, using science to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, the introduction of social sciences to incorporate the knowledge of UAE history and to honor the culture of UAE and Islam, emphasis on a second language to appreciate a separate culture.

MPS is considered as one of the best Indian schools in Abu Dhabi because of the facilities it provides to its students that include international standard volleyball, tennis courts, Handball, and basketball court, mini soccer field, 2 swimming pools, indoor badminton, and table tennis Courts, AC multipurpose hall to facilitate play shuttle, gatherings to name a few.

8. St Joseph’s School

Managed by the Apostolic Vicariate of the Roman Catholic Church of Arabia, St Joseph’s School started its journey in 1967. The vision of the school is to promote a cosmopolitan atmosphere among its students so that they develop a flair towards learning to enrich life and preparation for further education.

The school encourages the students to discover their forte by providing them with a platform to showcase their talents during annual events such as Talent’s Day, Sport’s Day, Elocution, Drama, Science Quizzes, etc. The curriculum of the school complies with the CBSE expectations for the development of skills that suit the international context. The school provides libraries, computer labs, and science laboratories for its students.

The St Joseph school clinic is a famous clinic amongst schools for its state of the art facility with equipment for all medical emergencies. Approved by MOH (the Ministry of Health), Abu Dhabi a full-time nurse is available in the clinic provided by Burjeel Hospital. The motto of the school is to educate, innovate, empower students with skills and values to become global citizens.

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