Royal American School

Formerly known as Al Maali International School, Royal American School (RAS) began its journey in a villa before relocating to a purpose-built campus in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi. This move was made to accommodate the school’s steadily growing student population and to provide improved learning facilities.

Royal American School delivers the American curriculum, aligned with Oregon State Standards. Parents generally regard the curriculum as well-structured and academically sound, noting that it places strong emphasis on subject knowledge, with a slightly lesser focus on skill-based learning.

The school currently educates over 1,200 students, supported by a team of 54 teachers and 6 teaching assistants. According to the most recent inspection data, the teacher-to-student ratio is approximately 1:15, allowing for adequate classroom support and individual attention.

RAS welcomes students aged 4 to 18 years. The school follows a co-educational model from Kindergarten to Grade 4, after which boys and girls are taught separately from Grade 5 onwards, in line with local cultural practices.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has awarded Royal American School a “Good” rating, reflecting solid academic performance and overall school quality.

School fees at Royal American School range from approximately AED 12,360 in KG1 to AED 21,410 in Grade 12, placing the school within the mid-range fee bracket for American curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi.

• Location: Mussafah
• School fees: AED 12,360 - AED 21,510
• Curriculum: American
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-ed from KG 1 until Grade 4 | Segregate from Grade 5 and above
• ADEK rating: Good
• Years offered: KG 1 - Grade 12

Enjoying a prime location in Mussafah, Royal American School is situated close to several family-friendly residential areas such as:

• Mohammed Bin Zayed City
• Al Mafraq
• Bawabat Al Sharq

The nearest residential area is Mohammed Bin Zayed City named in the honour of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The community is almost completely developed and features plenty of apartment buildings.

Parents looking to stay closer to the school campus can look at:

• Apartments for rent near Royal American School

Royal American School campus offers outstanding facilities to students including a library, science labs for Chemistry, Physics and Biology, and computer laboratories. Homeroom classes are digitally-equipped to make daily lessons exciting and interactive.

Other amenities include:

Royal American Private School is situated on March Street in Shabiya 12, Mussafah, near Shabiya Bus Station. Several lifestyle amenities surround the school. Pakistan Community Welfare School and Shining Star International School are also located in the same neighbourhood.

Royal Private American School should be parents’ choice for their child’s education for multiple reasons. Most importantly, the school enjoys a solid reputation among students and parents.

Royal American School caters to educational needs of the expatriate community living in Abu Dhabi.  Even though the school teaches an international curriculum, students have shown tremendous interest in understanding the Emirati culture and heritage. Similarly, the school offers grades until senior years and delivers quality education throughout.

Nevertheless, you can view the list of American schools in Abu Dhabi and best schools in Abu Dhabi for more options.

Royal American School in Abu Dhabi offers the American curriculum from Kindergarten until Grade 12.

Royal American School Abu Dhabi offers the American curriculum from kindergarten until Grade 12. The language of instruction is English, except for Islamic Studies and Arabic Studies. The UAE Ministry of Education conducts the Arabic and Islamic examinations from Grade 10 to Grade 12.

The following table shows subjects offered in different grades.

Royal American School prepares students of Grade 12 for IELTS, SAT I and SAT II (Optional) with professionals’ help.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is the leading regulatory authority for both public and private education in the capital. It aims to prepare the young generation to tackle the challenges of the 21st century with innovative learning strategies. By collaborating with various educational institutions, The Department of Education and Knowledge contributes to developing UAE’s educational infrastructure in line with global standards.

One of the programs run by this institute is the Irtiqaa Program. According to the program, schools in Abu Dhabi are inspected yearly and are given a rating on their performance based on the following parameters:

• Quality of students’ achievement.
• Quality of personal and social development as well as innovation skills of the students.
• Quality of teaching and assessment.
• Quality of curriculum.
• Quality of student safety and wellbeing, as well as the guidance and support provided to them.
• Quality of school leadership and management.

The quality of the school is rated on a six-point scale, as shown below:

The current ADEK rating for Royal American School Abu Dhabi is Good.

Royal American School’s academic calendar starts in August and ends in June. The 10-month academic year is divided into three terms. 

For more information, contact the school.

Royal American School’s admission process starts with online registration. Once the registration is done, please submit the following documents to the school.

• Passport copies of both parents and child
• School leaving certificate from the previous school
• Birth Certificate
• Vaccination Certificate
• Report Card of the previous grade
• Emergency contact numbers

Before enrollment, please ensure that your child meets the following age placement criteria put together by ADEK.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st March (for schools beginning in April) and 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: ADEK

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

As approved by ADEK, Royal American School fee structure is extremely affordable.

Book fees range from AED 1,225 in KG1 to AED 4,090 in Grade 12, while the school uniform costs approximately AED 240.

Royal American School provides canteen facilities for students. Meals are prepared using halal and nutritious ingredients. Any type of junk food is strictly prohibited on the campus. The school promotes healthy and balanced eating habits by:

• Encouraging the intake of foods rich in vitamins, iron and calcium, particularly fruits, vegetables, meat, beans, bread and low-fat dairy products.
• Encouraging the use of foods such as bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes as a source of energy rather than fatty foods.
• Encouraging fruit juices, lower-fat milk, and sugar-free drinks.
• Discouraging sugary and carbonated drinks and low nutrition, unhealthy snacks between meals.

Royal American School offers transportation facilities to students. A well-equipped fleet of buses ensures a safe commute to and from the school. Annual charges for availing transportation services are AED 5,000. For further convenience, the school has made WhatsApp groups for different routes where students/parents are added along with respective drivers. In case of last-minute changes, you can contact your respective driver in the group.

For a better physical education experience, the school has a cricket pitch/ground, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, a large outdoor playground and an indoor, multi-purpose sports hall.

Royal American School United Arab Emirates offers some amazing extracurricular activities to students. While at school, your child can participate in activities like horse riding, swimming, tennis and field trips.

School trips are an essential part of the curriculum taught at Royal American School. Children are often taken to cultural sites and tourist destinations in Abu Dhabi.

Royal American School has a medical clinic on the campus. The school has a well-trained, qualified nurses that work full-time to tend to the medical needs of the students during school hours. However, parents must submit a duly-filled Student’s Health Histry form with correct information.

Communication between teachers and parents is a crucial part of any student’s academic journey. Parents are the first source of knowledge and information for children, so they must have a say in how their child is progressing in the school.

Royal American School UAE has developed various methods of communication to facilitate parents while they are at school.

The first method of communication is messaging. The school administration communicates with parents permanently through written and electronic messages to inform them about changes in timings, parents’ meetings, celebrations and events.

The second method is the parents’ meetings. Royal American School holds quarterly parents’ meetings to discuss the child’s behaviour and his/her progress. Also, parents have the right to call their child’s teachers in case of any issue.

Third, Royal American School has formed a Parents’ Council. The council consists of eleven members, including the school principal. The members are selected by election and can remain on the committee for two years only.

The fourth method of communication is the Board of trustees. The Board of Trustees is a designated board of directors of the school, which includes representatives of competent public figures and students’ parents. Their role is to provide support and advice to the school principal and staff in clarifying the strategic vision. They also offer advice on financial and other professional matters and quality assurance.

The last method though which parents can be a part of the school is volunteering. The school encourages parents to carry out voluntary activities on campus, including:

• Volunteering during school events and celebrations
• Helping with literacy and enrichment activities
• Providing in-class teacher assistance
• Training students on some useful talents as an enrichment activity
• Participating in the Career Guidance Program
• Organising trips for students to their workplace if appropriate

• Telephone Number: +971-2-559-1000
• General Enquiries: info@royalschool.ae
• Royal American School Website
• Royal American School Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to Royal American School

How many grades/years are there in your school?

Royal American School offers education from KG 1 until Grade 12.

Does your school follow a co-education model?

The school follows a co-education model from KG 1 until Grade 4. However, from Grade 5 and above, boys and girls are taught separately.

Can you please describe the academic calendar of your school?

Royal American School Abu Dhabi's academic calendar runs from August until late June.

Can you please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by your school?

Tuition fees range from AED 12,360 to AED 21,510.

How do you communicate with parents?

The school has developed various methods of communication to make things easier for parents while their children are at school, including exchanging written and electronic messages, parents-teacher meetings, Parents Council, Board of Trustees and volunteer work.

Do you have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

The school provides school canteen facilities for students. Meals are prepared using halal ingredients with nutritional value.

How often does your school arrange field trips?

The school organizes many field trips for students to various cultural sites and the best tourist destinations in Abu Dhabi.