UAE revokes licences of five Iranian schools, complicating education options for expat families

In a move that underscores the broader diplomatic fallout from Tehran’s drone-and-missile campaign, the UAE Ministry of Education on 15 March 2026 confirmed that five Iranian-curriculum schools operating in Dubai and the Northern Emirates have had their licences revoked with immediate effect. The decision was first flagged in an MOE circular dated 14 March and was confirmed by community representatives and Iranian media outlets the following morning. The affected institutions collectively enrol more than 4,000 students—many of them the children of Iranian professionals working in free-zone companies, as well as dual-national GCC families who favour Farsi-medium instruction. Parents now face a compressed timeline to secure alternative placements, obtain school-leaving certificates, and—crucially—renew dependent residency visas, which in the UAE are tied to proof of school registration for minors.



For families scrambling with visa formalities, VisaHQ can streamline the entire process: its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) provides clear checklists, document concierge services and real-time application tracking, allowing parents and HR teams to focus on securing new school seats rather than queuing at immigration counters.

International schools following UK, US and IB curricula report a surge in late-season enquiries, but warn that availability is thin—particularly in secondary grades. Education consultants say families may need to consider online schooling or short-term boarding options abroad, which carries knock-on effects for corporate housing allowances and family relocation budgets. Multinationals with Iranian staff should prepare support packages that cover expedited document translation, admissions testing fees, and, where necessary, sponsorship transfers to the Dubai Knowledge Authority (KHDA) to preserve visa status. Companies planning new assignments into the UAE are advised to confirm school wait-lists before issuing job offers.