International Education in Doha

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Thanks to a thriving economy and huge state-backed cultural investments, Doha is very much a city on the rise. Its residents enjoy the highest per capita income in the world, and the 2022 World Cup will surely cement its place as not only a major Middle Eastern city, but as a global hub too.

The majority of Qatar’s 2.6 million population lives in Doha, and over 75% of the city’s residents are expats. If you’re planning on relocating your family to this ever-evolving desert metropolis, then you’ll be glad to know that thanks to the large expat population, there’s a wide range of international schools to choose from.

Although it is more Westernised than other major cities in the Middle East, traditional Muslim culture prevails in Doha. That means that along with the working week, the school week runs from Sunday to Thursday. English is the language of instruction in most international schools, but Arabic is commonly offered as an additional language.

There is also a large Indian expat population in the city, so you’ll find plenty of schools offering the Indian curriculum as well as the International Baccalaureate, and British and American curricula. With 81 international schools in the capital however, you’ll most definitely find something to suit your child’s educational needs.

International school sizes tend to be large in Doha - it’s not uncommon for schools to have over 1,000 pupils. However class sizes are small by comparison, with between 20-30 students per class (often less).

The school day starts at around 7am. Lessons finish in the early afternoon, leaving some time for extracurricular activities. Again due to the wide range of international schools on offer in Doha, you’ll surely find a school that can accommodate your child’s interests and hobbies here.

Doha is the central hub for just about everything in Qatar - the surrounding regions and cities are still developing. Therefore all international schools are located in Doha itself. Public transport is by no means extensive, but several schools offer a school bus service. Otherwise, you will need to factor travel times and location into your choice of school.

Below, we have compiled the top 10 international schools in Doha according to our users. However, there are another 71 schools to choose from in the city. You can find the best international school for your child by personalising your results. Just fill in your search criteria, and we will calculate a personal score for every international school in Doha based on your requirements.