What age can a child start nursery in the UAE?
Nurseries in the UAE take babies from 45 days old and usually care for children until about four. From 2026-27, a child must be three by 31 December to start FS1 and four to start FS2 or KG1, in schools that start in August or September.
Checked October 2026 · Sources
From nursery to school
For schools that start in August or September, a child's age on 31 December of the school year decides where they start. Schools that start in April, including many Indian-curriculum schools, use 31 March instead.
| Stage | Also called | Age by 31 December |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery | Early years, daycare | From 45 days |
| FS1 | Pre-KG | 3 |
| FS2 | KG1 | 4 |
| Year 1 | KG2 | 5 |
| Year 2 | Grade 1 | 6 |
The 31 December cut-off is new for 2026-27; it used to be 31 August. As a one-off for 2026-27, children born between 1 September and 31 December 2022 who aren't yet enrolled anywhere can start in FS1 or FS2, depending on the school's view of their readiness. From 2027-28 every new registration follows the cut-off.
Which nurseries take babies
From the nurseries listed here that publish their ages, in places where at least 8 do.
| Emirate or city | Listing ages | Take babies under 1 | Youngest | Most common upper age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 249 | 80% (198) | 40 days | 5 years |
| Abu Dhabi | 99 | 84% (83) | 28 days | 4 years |
| Sharjah | 52 | 58% (30) | 1 month | 4 years |
| Ajman | 10 | 80% (8) | 45 days | 5 years |
| Al Ain | 13 | 69% (9) | 45 days | 4 years |
Use the Age filter on any neighbourhood page to find nurseries that take your child's age.
Questions parents ask
Can my baby start nursery at 45 days?
Yes. Nurseries in the UAE can take babies from 45 days old, though not all do: each nursery's page shows the ages it takes when it lists them.
Until what age do children stay at nursery?
Most nurseries care for children up to about four, when they start school in FS2 or KG1. Some Dubai early childhood centres keep children up to six.
What age is FS1 in the UAE?
For schools that start in August or September, a child must be three by 31 December of the school year to start FS1 (Pre-KG), the first year of British-curriculum schools. FS2 or KG1 starts at four.
What is the school age cut-off in the UAE?
From the 2026-27 school year, 31 December for schools that start in August or September, instead of 31 August before. Schools that start in April use 31 March.
Sources
Rules change: confirm them with the authority or the nursery, and tell us if something here is out of date.