Same Cambridge classes. No school run. More of your week back.

Yes, mid-year transfers are possible. DIS accepts students at any point in the academic year, subject to a brief assessment to confirm the appropriate year group placement. If your child is partway through a Cambridge IGCSE or A-Level course, the DIS academic team will review their current progress and map them into the live class schedule at the right point in the syllabus. You will need to supply a recent school report or transcript from Mussafah High Academy so that teachers can pick up seamlessly. Most students settle into the live class routine within two to three weeks.

Students registered with DIS sit their Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level examinations at approved Cambridge exam centres. In Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, the British Council operates as an approved exam centre and handles registrations for external candidates. DIS will guide families through the exam registration process, including deadlines and entry requirements, well in advance of each sitting. DIS itself is not a Cambridge registered centre; exam entry is managed through these approved external centres. Parents should confirm current availability directly with the British Council Abu Dhabi office.

Yes. Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level qualifications are internationally recognised and accepted by universities across the UAE, including institutions regulated by the UAE Ministry of Education and the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge. The qualification is assessed by Cambridge Assessment International Education, not by the school that delivered the lessons. UAE universities, UK universities, and international institutions consider Cambridge A-Level results for undergraduate admissions in the same way regardless of whether the student attended a physical campus or a fully online British school. If you have concerns about a specific institution, contact us and we will address your case directly.

DIS runs live classes Monday to Friday on Gulf Standard Time, which aligns with the UAE school week. The timetable mirrors a standard British curriculum secondary day, with registration, six to seven lessons, and breaks scheduled accordingly. Because teachers are GCC-based, there is no time-zone mismatch between staff and students. Classes are live and interactive, with cameras on and real-time participation. The fixed timetable means students and parents always know exactly when lessons are, and the DIS platform displays the full weekly schedule in the student and parent dashboard.

This is one of the most practical advantages of a fully online school. If your family relocates from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, or anywhere else in the GCC, your child's school does not change. The timetable stays the same, the teachers stay the same, the Cambridge syllabus continues without interruption, and exam registration transfers to the nearest approved Cambridge centre in the new location. There is no re-enrolment process, no waiting list, and no curriculum gap caused by a mid-contract move. For families on employer rotations or government postings, this continuity is a significant practical benefit.

Students who have studied with DIS and wish to return to a physical campus are well placed to do so. They will have completed the same Cambridge IGCSE or A-Level syllabus as campus students, and their academic records, including predicted grades and teacher references, are issued in a standard format that physical schools recognise. Most ADEK and KHDA-regulated schools in the UAE will request a school report, a transcript, and evidence of Cambridge course completion. DIS provides all of these. The transition is straightforward for students who are progressing normally through their year group. We recommend starting the campus application process six to eight weeks before the desired start date.

Every DIS teacher is postgraduate-qualified and based in the GCC. The teaching team numbers over 100 instructors, each selected for both subject expertise and experience delivering live online classes to secondary-age students. Many hold PGCE or equivalent postgraduate teaching qualifications, and all are familiar with the Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level syllabuses. Teachers are available to students via the DIS platform for direct messaging, feedback on assignments, and academic support outside class hours. Class sizes of 4 to 6 students mean each teacher has meaningful contact time with every student in every lesson, which is materially different from a campus class of 24 or more.

A DIS live class runs on a fixed schedule via the DIS platform. Students log in at the published class time, cameras on, and the lesson proceeds in real time with the teacher presenting, questioning, and discussing exactly as in a physical classroom. Students can ask questions verbally or via the platform's messaging function, and teachers call on students directly throughout the lesson. The class size of 4 to 6 students means there is nowhere to hide and no one falls behind unnoticed. After class, the session recording is available in the resource library, and teachers post assignments through the platform with tracked deadlines. Parents can view the timetable, lesson notes, and assignment status through the parent dashboard.

Yes. Science subjects including Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are taught to the full Cambridge IGCSE specification, which includes the required practical and experimental content. DIS teachers cover experimental methods, data analysis, and practical skills through live demonstration, detailed worked examples, and structured coursework tasks. For the Cambridge IGCSE examinations, the practical component is typically assessed through the written Alternative to Practical paper, which tests the same skills without requiring a laboratory. DIS prepares students thoroughly for this paper. Students who require access to a physical laboratory for any reason can discuss this with the DIS academic team at enrolment.

DIS charges AED 500 per month for IGCSE-level students and AED 800 per month for A-Level students. Both fees cover all subjects with no per-subject charges, no registration premiums, and no hidden extras. The monthly fee includes live online classes, access to the full resource library, assignment tracking, instructor messaging, and the parent dashboard. There are no uniform costs, no transport contracts, and no campus activity fees. DIS operates on a month-to-month basis, so families are not locked into an annual contract. Current fees are published on the DIS website, and the team can confirm exactly what is included before you commit.

DIS classes run on any modern laptop, desktop, or tablet with a stable internet connection. A broadband connection of 10 Mbps or above is sufficient for live video classes. A device with a working camera and microphone is required, as lessons are live and interactive. Most families in Abu Dhabi already have suitable equipment at home. DIS does not require any specialist software beyond a standard web browser and the DIS platform, which is accessible via login. If you are unsure whether your current setup is adequate, the DIS technical team can run a quick check before your child's first class.

Social development does not stop when the commute does. DIS students are in live, interactive classes with 4 to 6 peers every day, and the small group format means students build genuine working relationships with classmates over the course of a term. Many DIS families in the GCC organise in-person meetups, sports sessions, and social activities independently, and the time reclaimed from commuting creates real space for in-person hobbies, community sport, and family life. Students who have come through a fully online British school report strong peer relationships built through shared academic work, group projects, and regular live interaction. Social confidence in a small group setting is often stronger than in a large campus classroom.