Dubai Schools Al Barsha offers an American High School Diploma Program designed to provide students with a broad, standards-aligned education and clear pathways toward future study and careers. The curriculum is inclusive, adaptable, culturally relevant, active, social, and integrated. It combines strong academic foundations with experiential learning, interdisciplinary opportunities, and real-world connections to the UAE and wider community.

Students should speak with their Grade Level Leader, College & Career Counsellor, School Counsellor, Student Support Team or Secondary Leadership Team for guidance about their individual academic pathway.

High School Program of Studies

To support students and families in planning their academic journey, the Dubai Schools High School Program of Studies provides students and families with a comprehensive guide to our academic program, graduation requirements, pathway options, course offerings, assessment practices, and university preparation. Designed to promote academic excellence, student choice, and future readiness, the program enables students to pursue learning experiences aligned with their strengths, interests, and post-secondary aspirations.

View Program of Studies  →

The courses offered in the High School ensure that the minimum credit requirements (22 credits) for students to enter any local universities is met. In addition, the school offers opportunities for students that are pursuing their education overseas to access extra courses. For students who are considering applying to universities in the USA, we recommend they take the following amount of credits per subject (a credit is equivalent to 120 hours of class – the student gets the credit provided he/she takes and passes that class) as mentioned previously.

Course Credit Requirements
Arabic Language 4 credits
Compulsory for Arab Nationals
Islamic Studies (2 credits) Compulsory for Muslim students 2 credits
Compulsory for Muslim students
English Language Arts 4 credits
Math Minimum: 3 credits
Recommendable: 4 credits
*Science Minimum: 3 credits
Recommendable: 4 credits
some universities might require these subjects to be AP & lab sciences
(biology, chemistry, or physics)
Social Studies Minimum: 2 credits
Recommendable: 4 credits
World Language Minimum: 2 credits
Recommendable: 4 credits – 2 years of the same language
Arts Minimum: 0.5 credit
Recommendable: 1 credit
Physical Education 2 credits
Electives 5.5 credits – this includes credits that surpass the minimum requirements in the other fields – let’s imagine a university requires two credits of social sciences, and he/she gets 4 credits in a subject in this field, then 2 of those credits will count towards the electives.
Total: Minimum: 22 credits / Recommendable: 26-28 credits
  • The graduation requirements match those published by KHDA in the document titled “Synchronized inspection and accreditation visit—KHDA Requirements.

  • In addition to allowing students to fulfill the basic requirements of a US high school diploma, the course offerings will be designed to allow students to pursue electives. These electives will prepare them for success and distinction as they enter the universities of their choice. Included in the high school elective offerings will be a modern foreign language (either Mandarin or French), advanced science and mathematics courses, additional social sciences courses, art courses, and literature courses. These elective offerings will be finalized based on student input and on the availability of suitably qualified teachers. Appendix 1.5 illustrates choices for the four years of study.

  • In order to support 8th grade students as they plan for high school, the school will carry out an individualized planning process that will include these components: a review of each student’s performance on internal and external assessments, interests, and aspirations survey to be completed by each student, visits to high school classes, and a planning conference for each student and a parent with the school guidance counselor. The product of this planning conference will be a year-by-year plan of high school courses that reflects the interests, needs, and desires of each student.

  • In addition, the school will prepare study pathways to provide students with a competitive edge. Each students’ career pathway will be planned and nurtured from grade 6. To have a competitive profile for students to apply to university, the school career guidance manual will have all the instructions needed to facilitate a student’s university application and maximize the opportunities for acceptance. These will include transcripts (academic performance over the four years of high school), Potential courses and AP requirements for university admission, standardized testing information (The PSAT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests, TOEFL, IELTS etc.), personal essays and letters of recommendation.

  • In their personal essays, students are guided to ensure that they present their strengths and areas for improvement to reflect who they are and what they aspire to achieve.

    Teachers are trained to provide letters of recommendation to ensure the students are given every opportunity to enter their university of choice. Sample letters of recommendation will be drawn for the Dubai schools.

    During each of their high school years, students meet with the guidance counselor to ensure that they are on track for graduation. The school supports students taking exams required by the MOE to demonstrate English and Mathematics proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, EMSAT, and/or SAT1). The school will also support students in making sure they take the required exams in a timely fashion for admission into the colleges or universities of their choice.