Qatar's new private school fee policy: what parents can expect from 2027–28
From the 2027–28 school year, private school fee rises in Qatar need Ministry approval under a published policy: they are tied to academic quality, capped, split over two years if above 5%, and can take up to 18 months to take effect.
- The policy applies from the 2027–28 school year; 2026–27 was a pilot.
- Approved tuition rises can take up to 18 months to take effect, giving families time to plan.
- Rises are judged on academic quality, inflation and costs, and anything above 5% is split over two years.
- Schools need three years of licensing, no rise in the past three years and at least 65% enrolment to ask.
- Refunds, deposits and employer allowances are not part of this policy.
If your children go to a private school or kindergarten in Qatar, fees are probably your biggest bill after rent. In June 2026 the Ministry of Education and Higher Education published its first School Fees Policy, which changes how and when fee rises can happen from the 2027–28 school year. This article explains what changed, which schools can raise fees, what stays the same and what is still unclear.
What changed, in one table
On 11 June 2026 the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) launched the first edition of its School Fees Policy 2026 for private schools and kindergartens. It applies from the 2027–28 academic year. Requests for 2026–27 were used as a pilot. The policy builds on Law No. 23 of 2015 on private schools, which already said a school needs Ministry approval to change its fees. What is new is a written, published rulebook for how that approval works.
| Topic | Before | Under the new policy (from 2027–28) |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to parents | Increases were often announced shortly before the school year began | Up to 18 months between approval and the increase taking effect |
| How the rise is judged | No single published framework | Inflation, operating costs and academic performance, with academic quality as the main factor |
| Size of the rise | No published ceiling | A clear cap on tuition increases (the percentage has not been published) |
| Big rises | Could apply in one go | Any approved increase above 5% is split over two consecutive years |
| Fee lists | Varied by school | A standard fee schedule for all 355 private schools and kindergartens, showing the year it was issued |
Which schools can ask for a tuition increase
The policy sets conditions a school must meet before it can even apply to raise tuition. These are the points parents most often ask about:
- The school must have been licensed for at least three years. This rule is for tuition only; it does not apply to operating, service or optional fees.
- A school that had an increase in the past three years cannot apply again.
- Enrolment must be at least 65% of capacity, and the school should not be over 100% full unless the Ministry agrees.
- Schools with more than one curriculum must send separate financial statements for each.
- A school caught sending false data or documents is barred from applying for two academic years, and may face legal penalties too.
New schools are treated differently. Their fees are worked out from economic feasibility studies and operating standards rather than from past performance.
The Ministry also set out "recovery pathways". A school in financial difficulty gets a financial recovery plan from the Private Schools Licensing Department, and a school with weak academic results must follow a time-bound improvement plan. In short, a struggling school is steered towards fixing its problems rather than simply charging more.
What the pilot year showed
The 2026–27 requests were the trial run. According to the Ministry, 99 schools and kindergartens applied. Of these, 57 asked to raise both tuition and operating fees, and 20 asked only about operating and service fees. 54 were approved because they met all the criteria and 22 were rejected. The Ministry said some schools got no increase and others got 2% or 3%.
So if your school's fees went up for 2026–27, that rise went through the pilot review. Our school fees guide explains how to check that what you are charged matches the approved schedule.
When an increase could reach your bill
Schools now have fixed months to send in requests:
| School year starts in | Request sent to the Ministry in |
|---|---|
| January or April | September |
| September | December |
After approval, the policy allows up to 18 months before the new tuition takes effect. Dr Rania Mohammed, who leads the Ministry's private schools department, said this gives families time to arrange their finances or move to another school.
Not announced yet: the press coverage does not give the exact approval dates, the precise minimum notice, or the cap percentage. Your school's own letter, and its new Ministry fee schedule, are what count. Ask the school for the approval date when it tells you about a rise.
What did not change
It is easy to read more into a new policy than is there. Based on what the Ministry published:
- Refunds and withdrawals are not part of this policy. Each school's own written refund rules still apply. See our school fees guide for how refunds usually work when you leave mid-year.
- Fees can still go up. The policy controls how and when, not whether. Many approved rises in the pilot were small, but a school that meets the rules can still apply.
- Your employer's allowance is not affected. Any education allowance comes from your contract, not from this policy.
- Registration and deposit fees are not singled out in the coverage. Check them in the school's fee list before you pay, as our school admission guide explains.
- Nurseries for babies and toddlers are licensed separately from schools and kindergartens, so ask the nursery which rules apply. Our nurseries guide covers licensing.
What parents can do now
- Find your school's current approved fee schedule. It should show the year it was issued. Keep a copy.
- Read every fee letter for the approval date and the year the new fee starts. Keep the letter with your records.
- Use the notice period. If a rise is coming, you may have up to 18 months to budget, talk to HR about your allowance, or look at other options. Our guide to choosing a school compares curricula and costs.
- Apply early if you plan to move. Popular year groups fill months ahead. If your child has additional needs, see special needs schooling first, as places are limited.
- Raise questions in writing. Start with the school's finance office. If it is not resolved, contact MOEHE, which approves all private school fees.
What's still unclear
- The exact cap on tuition increases.
- How the academic score is weighted against inflation and costs.
- How parents will see each school's new fee schedule, and when all 355 will be issued.
- Whether there will be a formal appeal route for parents.
We will update this article when the Ministry publishes more detail. Until then, treat your school's Ministry-approved fee schedule as the final word on what you owe.
Questions people ask
Does the new policy mean school fees will not go up?
No. It sets rules for how and when a rise can be approved, not a freeze. In the pilot for 2026–27, 54 of 99 applications were approved, and the Ministry said some rises were 2% or 3%.
How much notice will I get before a fee increase?
The Ministry says the policy gives parents a period of up to 18 months before an approved tuition increase takes effect. Exact dates depend on your school's approval, so ask the school when its increase was approved and when it starts.
What is the maximum increase a school can get?
The Ministry says it has set a clear cap on tuition increases for the first time, but the percentage has not been published. What is known is that any approved increase above 5% must be spread over two consecutive school years.
Does the policy cover refunds when we leave Qatar mid-year?
No. Refunds are not part of the published policy, so each school's own written refund rules still apply. Our school fees guide explains how refunds usually work.
Does it apply to nurseries?
The policy covers private schools and kindergartens. Nurseries for babies and toddlers are licensed separately, so ask the nursery which fee rules apply to it.
Sources
- QNA: MOEHE launches new policy regulating private school fees (12 June 2026) ↗
- The Peninsula: School fees policy mandates 18-month notice (11 June 2026) ↗
- Gulf Times: Private school fees linked to performance ↗
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and fees change, so always check with the official source before you act.