How to Save For Your Children's Education

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February 3, 2020

Did you know that education is the second biggest cost in any parent’s life?

1 out of 5 parents don’t save or invest any money towards their children’s education until they start school.

From primary school to university, it’s estimated that a parent will spend on average £81,458.66 on their children's education. Taking into consideration education fee's and then planning this into your financial future, will give you peace of mind.

If you’re considering relocating with children, choosing where your son or daughter go to school can be a big decision.

In this blog post, we will be covering:

  • How much can a child’s education really cost?
  • Why is the UAE a good option for your child’s education?
  • When should you start saving and investing in education?
  • How can you support your child through their education?

How Much Can a Child’s Education Really Cost?

The cost of raising a child can vary from country to country, in the majority of places a child has to be in education for approximately 15 years of their life!

This is the majority of their childhood.

Children start nursery around the age of 3-4 years old. In the UAE, you pay for tuition fees as well as indirect costs like lunches, school trips and transportation. 

These costs go up when they start attending primary and secondary school. You will have to take into account school trips, uniform, text books and next steps into higher education.

These things can be a shock to pay for if you’re not in a position to pay for them. Being organised and ready will provide you with peace of mind in your financial position and your children’s futures. 

Why is the UAE a Good Option for Your Children's Education?

English is the most widely spoken language in Dubai. Approximately 75% of the population in Dubai are English speaking expatriates, this has led to a great number of schools specialising in solely educating expat children. In Dubai alone there are currently 58 English speaking schools.  

This means that you wouldn’t have to worry about your child falling behind due to there being a language barrier. Although these schools are English speaking, your children will still have the chance to learn the native language to UAE.

Arabic classes are compulsory until Grade 9 in all schools, including schools comprised of mostly expat students. Give your children a greater education with more choices when it comes to their learning.

In the United Arab Emirates, there are two variants of education.

Firstly, there are schools which focus on more traditional academic subjects. These schools offer courses in subjects like math, social studies, physical education, religion and Arabic. These schools are ready available for children of the ages of 15-18 years old.

Then there is also the option to attend technical school. 

Although, these programmes do last longer, they could the scope to have a greater pay off.Technical or ‘vocational education’ includes lessons as engineering, nursing, medicine, architecture, aviation maintenance, health sciences, creative media production and law. These courses will prepare students for work in a particular trade or craft that they are interested in pursuing in the future. They can become an individual which specialises in a trade without having to hold a PhD.

After this, they could also attend university.

They will have the opportunity to earn a Bachelor's Degree, a Master’s degree or a Higher Colleges of Technology qualification if they have chosen to take a vocational course. 

When Should you Start Saving for Your Children’s Education?


To avoid being unprepared as your child grows up, it’s best to start saving as soon as possible. 

It’s only when you lay these costs out and look at the future that you realise that planning and investing effectively in the future is so important.

In the UAE, there is a lot of expectations that come with studying. 86% of the parents in the UAE, hope that their child will study up to postgraduate level. With this assumption, they will be expecting to pay a lot more for their children’s education in order to get the best results.

One thing to note is, whether your child will attend a private or public school in the UAE, and remember that even if you chose public- all children have to pay a fee for their education. 

In the UAE, there are school fees for tuition which gradually increase with every grade level. Annually, school fees in Dubai vary from AED 2200 to AED 96,333. These fees pay for your child’s tuition and their teacher’s salary. 

In some states, such as Dubai, they have recently implemented an annual tuition cap. This prevents schools from increasing their rates to more than the agreed price.

The fee is a minor detail when the majority of the schools in the UAE are rated ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Really Good’

How Can You Support Your Child Through Their Education?

Saving and investing is the number one way you can support your child through their education. 

By saving money for their future it’s your way of investing in their future. 

Here at Ai, we can help you manage your wealth to give you maximum peace of mind for your future.

We understand that it’s only when you lay out these costs and that you truly notice that planning and investing effectively in the future is so important.

We can aid you in making the most out of your assets by recommending options for you and showing you how you can diversify your investments. 

We base our strategy upon your specific goals so you get the most out of your investments. We look at all of the potential fees, including direct educational costs such as accommodation, living expenses and transportation. We also analyse the indirect costs, like uniforms, textbooks, teacher salaries and school maintenance. 

We have experienced financial advisors that specialise in creating and implementing assets that can strengthen your financial future for yourself and for your family.