In another indicator of Dubai’s upward trajectory, one of the world’s largest operators of private schools – GEMS Education – is opening a new $100 million campus where annual fees could reach as high as $56,000, the company announced in a statement issued on Tuesday.

GEMS School of Research and Innovation will be located in Dubai Sports City and will feature a 600-seat auditorium, an Olympic-sized pool, NBA-spec basketball court and a football field that doubles as a helipad, the statement added.

These developments come as the company looks to capitalise on the influx of ultra-wealthy families that have made their way to the Gulf hub that has already been driving the “red-hot” property market to record highs.

Dubai has also consistently seen rising school fees as wealthy families are expecting more and more from the education sector. Dubai is rapidly welcoming more and more hedge funds, private equity firms, crypto traders and bankers looking for a premium education for their families.

Dubai’s financial hub, DIFC, is home to over 120 families and 800 family-related structures and entities who manage more than $1.2 trillion in assets.

Student enrolment at private schools in Dubai grew by 6% during the 2024-25 academic year, with 387,441 students now enrolled at 227 schools offering 17 different curricula, according to recent data collated by the Government of Dubai.

Sana, an Indian national and a Dubai-based mother-of-three, attested to this competitive trend.

“Older estate schools such as Jess Dubai and Dubai English Speaking Schools (DESS) are over 50 years old, where admission is extremely competitive. Wait lists are also huge – anywhere from 5 to 8 years as they are considered excellent institutions.

“These are easier on the pocket as well, but Jess Dubai has a debenture system, as the school is a non-profit making organization.

“However, places like GEMS will thrive as there is no shortage of people looking to enroll their children, especially Dubai natives,” she told Business Recorder.

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Ten new private schools opened during the 2024-25 academic year, in line with Dubai’s ambitious Education 33 (E33) strategy, which aims to open at least 100 new private schools by 2033.

Dubai also remains on track to beat overnight visitor numbers from the record set last year.

At GEMS, the enhanced British curriculum is meticulously designed to blend academic excellence with future-focused subjects, the statement added.

Students will engage with computer science, artificial intelligence, robotics, esports, and game design from an early age while exploring specialist languages, arts, sports, engineering, and business.

On-hand will also be a robotics labs and go-kart engineering workshops, along with a 400-meter track to test their designs.

Furthermore, the statement added how students will connect with schools worldwide, participate in UNESCO conferences and gain access to prestigious universities and top-tier employers through the GEMS for Life programme.

The United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part, is poised to be the top destination for relocating millionaires this year, according to a recent report from migration advisory firm Henley & Partners.