Epsom College to Open Branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Epsom College expands to Abu Dhabi and Dubai amid UAE private education boom.
One of the United Kingdom's most prominent independent schools is expanding into the United Arab Emirates, adding to the rapid growth of the country's private education landscape.
Epsom College, a co-educational day and boarding institution founded in Surrey in 1855, will open a K-12 campus in Abu Dhabi in September 2028, followed by a second branch in Dubai two years later. The move marks the school's continued international expansion, which already includes a campus in Malaysia and a planned branch in Tokyo set to launch next year.
The initiative is the first phase of a broader Middle East partnership with Nema Education, a UAE-based entity that sees the venture as a key step in establishing a comprehensive, world-class education ecosystem across the country. According to Dr Ali Saeed bin Harmal Aldhaheri, Nema Education's chairman and chief executive, bringing a globally respected British institution to the Emirates reflects a wider ambition to invest in the nation's people and reinforce the UAE's standing as a leading international education destination.
Each of the two UAE campuses is designed to accommodate between 2,000 and 2,500 students at full capacity, covering early years through to sixth form. The Abu Dhabi school will be built on a purpose-built site intended to echo the expansive grounds of the college's Surrey home, featuring a sports centre with a 50-metre swimming pool, gymnasiums, and a multipurpose hall, along with floodlit football pitches, cricket fields, and courts for tennis, basketball, and netball. Dedicated buildings for early years, primary, and secondary students are also planned, supplemented by shared facilities for dining, music, and drama.
Tuition fees for the UAE schools have yet to be announced. For comparison, Epsom College's fees in the UK for the 2026-27 academic year stand at roughly £10,078 per term for lower school pupils in Years 7 and 8, rising to between £12,921 and £19,544 per term for senior school students depending on whether they attend as day or boarding pupils.
Epsom College's head, Mark Lascelles, described the expansion as a historic milestone for the institution and emphasized the school's commitment to delivering a British education grounded in academic rigour, pastoral care, and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities to families across the Emirates.
British Schools Flock to the UAE
The arrival of Epsom College forms part of a wave of prestigious British schools setting up operations in the UAE. Harrow School is reportedly on track to open branches in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai this September, while King's College School Wimbledon is scheduled to open on Abu Dhabi's Fahid Island in September 2028 through a partnership with Aldar, with capacity for around 2,200 pupils.
Rugby School, founded in 1567 and widely regarded as the birthplace of the sport that bears its name, is also heading to the Emirates. Rugby School Dubai, in partnership with Aldar Education, is expected to begin welcoming pupils for the 2026-27 academic year. Its Nad Al Sheba campus will feature more than 90 classrooms alongside dedicated spaces for nursery, primary, and secondary education, complemented by flexible open-plan learning areas.
Together, these developments point to a competitive and fast-growing premium education market in the UAE, as some of Britain's oldest and most distinguished institutions vie to establish a foothold in the region.