You can reach out to our Admissions team by phone at +974 4459 2750 or via email at admissions@dess.org Our admissions team will be delighted to assist you with any queries you may have regarding the application process.

Our admissions process operates throughout the academic year. However, certain year groups may have waiting lists. If a particular year group's waiting list becomes lengthy, we may temporarily close it until the list decreases in size. If the year group you're interested in is currently marked as 'CLOSED', we encourage you to sign up for our mailing list to receive notifications once it reopens.

The waitlist is confidential and a parent cannot be informed of their child’s place on the waitlist or a likely time frame to be offered an assessment.

You will receive a confirmation email once your child’s application has been processed. Your child will then join the waiting list. We will only be in touch with you once your child moves towards the top of the waiting list and we are ready to proceed further with the application. We may reach out for additional information in the meantime

In order to be eligible to apply for a place a child must be able to communicate effectively in English (both written and verbally) at a level appropriate to their age and development.  They should be at the same level in the English National curriculum to join the Year Group being applied for.  All subjects at DESS are taught in the English Language with the exception of language subjects. We reserve the right not to accept an application if your child does not speak English at a level suitable for the Year Group they are applying to.

You must submit all of the documents asked of you in the application process. If an incomplete application is submitted, it cannot be processed. If you do not have all of the documents please contact our admissions team by emailing admissions@dess.org or calling +974 44592750. 

At DESS, our school is almost always full throughout the year. Seats will only become available if children leave the school. You are applying to join our waiting list and we will reach out to you once we have an update for you.

Applications can only be submitted once the waitlist can accommodate applicants via our school website.  If a Year Group is currently closed, this means that the waiting list is full and you will be unable to submit an application. You will need to wait until the waiting list opens again to submit your child’s application. 

Qatari nationals, Platinum Corporate Sponsored families, who wish to apply for a year group with a closed waiting list should contact the school Registrar for assistance. 

No, you must apply to the year group appropriate for their date of birth. We do not accept children “Out of Year Group” in any circumstances.  Therefore their designated Year Group should always correlate with the dates of birth as shown regardless of which country/curriculum they are moving from.

Priority placement on our waiting list is possible, and the comprehensive list and weighting is detailed in our Admissions Policies. Priority placements are available to Senior Diplomatic staff at the British Embassy, sponsored places by corporations, Qatari Passport holders, siblings of current students, and alumni.

Yes, all children from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 8 must undergo an age-appropriate assessment.  DESS is an English Speaking School and all subjects are delivered in the English Language with the exception of our language subjects.   Children will be assessed on their ability to speak, read and write in the English Language, number skills and their social interactions.

Where necessary, external assessments can also be considered for children from Years 3 to 8.

Foundation Stage 1 has a dedicated application window and assessment day where children are assessed in a group setting. To find out more information regarding this please click here.

Please be advised that not all children are guaranteed an assessment. When an application advances to the top of the waitlist, it undergoes a thorough review. Whether an assessment is offered depends on various factors, including the contents of the child's school report, confidential reference, and their academic and behavioural performance. Should a child's report fall below the standards expected at DESS, an assessment may not be extended. In such cases, you will be notified, and your child's application will be withdrawn from consideration.

• All children must possess a valid Qatari Residency Permit before starting school in Qatar and we cannot accept a child without one.

• When transferring from a school located outside of Qatar, you may initiate the application process by submitting your child's latest school report. However, upon receiving a seat offer, it's crucial that this report is attested. Registration with the Ministry of Education necessitates this attested school report. Hence, it's vital that attestations are completed in the child's country of origin before relocating to Qatar.

• If your child’s school report is not in the English Language, you must submit an official translated copy with your application.

• Applications for children coming from abroad (not from a British Curriculum school) cannot be registered with the Ministry of Education for the current academic year after 27th February and must wait until the next Academic Year.

• Applications for children coming from abroad (from a British Curriculum school) cannot be registered for the current academic year after 29th May, and must wait until the next Academic Year.

• Applications for children transferring from any curriculum within Qatar cannot be registered for the current academic year after 27th February and must wait until the next academic year.

• Applications will be reviewed, and assessments offeredat the school's discretion.

• Waitlists are automatically rolled over on an annual basis.

Qatari nationals, Platinum Corporate Sponsored families, and Senior British diplomats who wish to apply for a year group with a currently closed waiting list should contact the school Registrar for assistance.

DESS operates all admissions under our Assessment Charter and in accordance with our admissions policies.

• FS1 Admissions Policy

• FS2 - Year 8 Admissions Policy

We teach Arabic and French to our students. All subjects apart from Native Arabic are taught in the English language

Children starting from Year 3 upwards are required to purchase a Google Chromebook to participate in lessons.  This can be purchased directly from DESS (at no profit to the school) and we will upload the necessary software for your child, including any online safety tools.  You may also purchase this yourself provided the device meets the required school specifications.  For more detailed information about Chromebooks in the classroom, please refer to our dedicated  Chromebook Ordering and FAQ site.

At DESS we follow the English National Curriculum and our Academic Year runs from September to June.

Some children come from countries with different academic years.  Some may run from January to January or March to March.  This can have an impact on whether you can join a school with a different academic year and you should enquire with our admissions team first before submitting your application.  At DESS we do not take children out of Year Group and reserve the right not to accept an application.