Guides / Family & education / Schools
Private school fees in Qatar: increases, refunds and your rights as a parent
How private school fees are approved and raised in Qatar, what you can be charged, how refunds work if you withdraw or leave, and where to go when you disagree with a school.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Who approves fees
- MOEHE Private Schools Licensing Department
- Notice of increases
- Up to 18 months, from the 2027–28 school year
- Typical refund window
- First month of a term (check your school's policy)
- Ministry help
- MOEHE hotline 155
Almost every expat family in Qatar pays private school fees, and they are often the biggest bill after rent. The good news is that schools cannot set fees freely: the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) approves the fees of all 355 private schools and kindergartens, and a new School Fees Policy announced in June 2026 makes increases more predictable from the 2027–28 school year. This guide explains, in order, who sets the fees, what to get in writing before you pay, how payment and instalments usually work, how increases are approved, what happens to your money if you withdraw or leave Qatar mid-year, what happens if you fall behind, and how to raise a dispute. It does not repeat fee ranges or how to apply; for those see our guides to choosing a school and school admission. Each school writes its own refund and payment rules within the Ministry framework, so always read your school's fee policy and keep it.
Before you start
- The school's current fee schedule for your child's year group, showing the year it was issued
- The school's written fee, payment and refund (withdrawal) policy
- The offer letter and any invoice, with term start dates and payment due dates
- Your employment contract, to check any education allowance or fee reimbursement
- Your employer's HR rules for claiming fees (which receipts, by when)
- A cheque book or bank details, if the school takes post-dated cheques or direct debit
- Copies of every receipt and payment confirmation, kept for the whole year
- Your child's QID and the school's student number, for any query to the school or the Ministry
Step by step
Know who sets the fees
Private schools and kindergartens in Qatar are licensed under Law No. 23 of 2015, and their fees are approved by the Ministry's Private Schools Licensing Department. A school may not raise fees without Ministry approval, and the Ministry is issuing a standard fee schedule for every one of the 355 private schools and kindergartens, including schools that did not ask for a change. Each schedule shows the year it was issued and stays valid until a new one replaces it. Nurseries for babies and toddlers are licensed separately, so check with the nursery which rules apply. Knowing this matters: if a school asks for more than its approved fees, you have somewhere to go.
Read guide: Choosing a school in Qatar: curricula, fees and admission →Get the approved fee schedule before you pay
Before paying anything, ask the school for its current fee schedule for your child's year group and its written fee policy. The Ministry approves four kinds of fees: tuition, operating fees, service fees and optional fees. Check which items are compulsory and which you can opt out of, such as the bus, meals, trips or clubs. Compare the amount on your invoice with the schedule; if they do not match, ask the school to explain in writing. Keep the schedule, because you will need it for any later dispute or employer claim.
Understand application, registration and deposit fees
Most schools charge several one-off fees before tuition. Application, assessment and registration fees are usually non-refundable, even if your child does not join; for example, one Doha school's 2024–25 policy charged QAR 500 for the entrance test and QAR 1,000 for registration, neither refundable. A seat reservation or re-enrolment deposit is different: it holds a place and is normally deducted from your first tuition payment. Ask in writing whether the deposit is refundable and in what cases, because rules vary: Qatar Foundation schools refund their re-enrolment fee in limited cases, such as when a family leaves Qatar at the end of a work contract. Do not pay deposits to several schools without knowing which you can get back.
Read guide: School admission and transfers in Qatar: the paperwork step by step →Plan how and when you will pay
Tuition is normally billed per term or per semester and falls due at the start of it. A Ministry decision from 1996 gives parents one month's grace to pay each semester's fees, and many schools let you pay in two or three instalments; some offer monthly plans. Schools often ask for post-dated cheques at the start of the year, and the Ministry has issued rules on how schools may collect them. Make sure every cheque will clear, because a bounced cheque is treated as non-payment and can bring separate legal trouble. Ask for a receipt for every payment, including cash and card payments.
Read guide: Bounced cheques in Qatar: what happens and how to settle →Ask about discounts
There is no general Ministry rule that gives a sibling discount or other discount, so it depends on each school's own policy. Many schools offer something for the third or fourth child, for staff children or for paying the year in full, but the amount and conditions differ. Ask the admissions or finance office directly and get the discount written on your invoice. Check whether a discount applies to tuition only or to other fees too, and whether it continues if an older sibling leaves.
Claim your employer's education allowance
Qatar's Labour Law does not require employers to pay school fees, so any education allowance comes from your contract or company policy. Read your contract for the amount, the number of children covered, the age limits and whether it is paid monthly, per term or as a reimbursement. Ask HR exactly which documents they need, usually the fee schedule, the invoice and the receipt, and the deadline for claims. Some allowances are capped, so you pay the difference. The Ministry's education vouchers are for Qatari students only and do not cover expat children.
Read guide: Cost of living in Qatar: a realistic monthly budget →Check how a fee increase was approved
Schools must apply to the Ministry for any increase and give reasons. In the pilot round for 2026–27, 99 schools and kindergartens applied, 54 were approved, 22 were rejected, and approved tuition rises were often small, such as 2% or 3%. From 2027–28, a school can only ask for a tuition increase if it has been licensed for three years, has not had an increase in the last three years, and is at least 65% full; the Ministry looks at inflation, costs and academic performance. Any approved increase above 5% must be spread over two years. If your school announces a rise, ask when the Ministry approved it and ask to see the new approved schedule.
Use the 18-month notice to plan
Under the new policy, parents get up to 18 months' notice before an approved tuition increase takes effect, instead of hearing about it just before the year starts. Use that time to budget, talk to your employer about the allowance, or look at other schools if the new fee is too high. If you decide to move schools, apply early, because popular year groups fill months ahead. Keep the notice letter or email from the school with your fee records.
Read guide: Choosing a school in Qatar: curricula, fees and admission →Withdrawing mid-year or leaving Qatar
Refunds depend on timing and on your school's written policy, so read it before you give notice. A common rule in Qatar schools is that if a child leaves within the first month of a term you pay only for the days attended, while after the first month the full term's fee is due; this is the rule in both the Qatar Foundation and Al-Andalus fee policies, for example. Give written notice as early as possible, ideally before the next term starts, because some schools ask for a month's notice before the end of term. Tell the school if you are leaving Qatar because a work contract has ended, as some schools refund deposits in that case. Ask for the refund calculation in writing and how and when it will be paid.
Read guide: Leaving Qatar for good: a step-by-step exit checklist →If you owe fees
Since 30 September 2025, the Ministry no longer blocks a private-school pupil's record on its student information system (NSIS) because of unpaid fees, so arrears alone should not stop a transfer to another school. But the debt does not disappear: schools can still collect it through legal routes, ask parents for guarantees, and under their own policies may hold back report cards, refuse re-enrolment for next year, or stop accepting cheques. If money is tight, talk to the finance office early and ask for a written payment plan. That is far cheaper than a court case or a bounced-cheque complaint.
Read guide: School admission and transfers in Qatar: the paperwork step by step →Raise a dispute with the school first
If you think you were charged wrongly, refused a refund or asked for fees that are not on the approved schedule, write to the school's finance office and principal. Say what you were charged, what you think is correct and why, and attach the fee schedule, invoice, receipts and the school's own policy. Ask for a reply within a set time, such as ten working days. Many disputes end here once the paperwork is on the table. Keep copies of every email and letter.
Take it to the Ministry if needed
If the school does not resolve it, contact the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, which licenses private schools and approves their fees, on its hotline 155 or through its customer service. Explain that it is a fee matter for the Private Schools Licensing Department and have your child's details, the school name and your documents ready. The published summaries of the 2026 fee policy do not describe a complaints route, so ask the Ministry how to submit a written complaint. For money owed between you and the school that the Ministry cannot settle, you may need legal advice.
Read guide: Finding a lawyer and legal help in Qatar →
What it costs
| Example entrance test fee, Al-Andalus school 2024–25 (non-refundable) | QAR 500 |
| Example registration fee, Al-Andalus school 2024–25 (non-refundable if not completed) | QAR 1,000 |
| Example re-enrolment deposit, Qatar Foundation schools 2025–26 (deducted from first payment) | QAR 2,000 |
| MOEHE hotline call | QAR 0 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Paying an invoice without checking it against the school's Ministry-approved fee schedule
- Assuming registration and assessment fees will be refunded if your child does not join
- Giving withdrawal notice after the first month of term and expecting a part-term refund
- Writing post-dated cheques without making sure they will clear on the date
- Withdrawing a child before securing a written offer from the new school
- Missing your employer's deadline or receipt rules for the education allowance
- Letting arrears build up instead of asking early for a written payment plan
Questions people ask
Can my child's school raise fees for next year with little warning?
Any increase needs Ministry approval first. From the 2027–28 school year, the new School Fees Policy gives parents up to 18 months' notice before an approved tuition increase takes effect, and any increase above 5% must be spread over two years. Ask the school when the increase was approved and for the new approved schedule.
Our school's fees went up for 2026–27. Was that allowed?
It may have been. The new rules were piloted on 2026–27 requests: 54 schools and kindergartens were approved and 22 were rejected, and many approved tuition rises were around 2% or 3%. Ask the school for the Ministry-approved schedule; if what you are charged is higher, raise it with the school and then MOEHE on 155.
We are leaving Qatar in the middle of the year. Will we get our fees back?
It depends on when you leave and your school's policy. Many schools charge only for the days attended if you leave within the first month of a term, but keep the full term's fee after that. Give written notice as early as possible, ideally before the next term starts, and ask whether deposits are refunded when a family leaves Qatar.
Is the registration or admission fee refundable?
Usually not. Application, assessment and registration fees are normally non-refundable, even if your child does not join. Seat reservation or re-enrolment deposits are often deducted from tuition and are sometimes refundable in limited cases, so ask for the rule in writing before you pay.
Can the school keep my child's report card or TC because we owe fees?
Since 30 September 2025, unpaid fees no longer block your child's record on the Ministry's system, so the school cannot stop a transfer that way. Schools can still pursue the debt legally, and many school policies say report cards and re-enrolment are held until fees are paid. If a school refuses to release your child, contact MOEHE on 155.
Does my employer have to pay my children's school fees?
No, not by law. An education allowance is a contract benefit, and the amount, number of children and claim rules differ from employer to employer. Check your contract and ask HR which receipts they need before you pay the school.
Do schools have to give a discount for siblings?
There is no general Ministry rule requiring a sibling discount. Many schools offer one, often from the third child, but it is each school's choice. Ask the finance office and get the discount shown on your invoice.
Who can I complain to about school fees?
Start with the school's finance office and principal, in writing, with your fee schedule, invoices and receipts. If that fails, contact the Ministry of Education and Higher Education on 155 and ask for the Private Schools Licensing Department, which approves school fees.
Official sources
- The Peninsula – MOEHE launches new policy regulating private school fees from 2027–28 (June 2026) ↗
- QNA – New policy regulating private school fees (June 2026) ↗
- Marhaba – School fees policy with 18-month notice period ↗
- Qatar Tribune – MOEHE lifts block on students with unpaid fees (June 2025) ↗
- Qatar Foundation schools – Fee regulations 2025–26 (example refund rules) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.