Being employed as a nursery teacher in one of Dubai’s 200+ nurseries from Jumeirah, Marina area, Motor City or Academic City you require to be fully qualified. Local and foreign kindergarten teacher qualifications are accepted should they meet Dubai Education Department & employer requirement standards.
How can I become a nursery teacher in Dubai, UAE?
Nursery teacher qualification in UAE and Dubai is basically the same for you to teach. A qualified teacher must have a minimum of an early years teaching degree or CACHE Level 3 (or equivalent) with 1-2 years experience full time nursery teaching experience.
You must be female according to Dubai education rules to teach at any nurseries or kindergarten that are public or private.
Kindergarten teachers in Dubai alternative qualifications can also be a bachelor of education (BEd) with qualified teacher status or PGCE early years with relevant degree from UAE or abroad including USA, Canada, South Africa, UK & Australia.
Overseas foreign qualifications are accepted as long as they meet the requirements of Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHADA) in Dubai and authenticated.
Other job requirements for nursery teachers
- Native English speaker or Arabic bilingual dependent on nursery curriculum offered. IELTS band score 6+ could be accepted, although not by all employers.
- Minimum 1-3 years full time kindergarten teaching experience post qualification.
- Nursery teacher qualification and classroom teaching experience approval from Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
- 18 years old and above for a Dubai/UAE work permit and residency visa.
- Age limit under 60 years old, although nurseries look for younger teachers to effectively cope with all day class & physical activities with young children.
Nursery early education qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education is an undergraduate degree you can study for to teach younger children between 2 & 8 years old, over 3-4 years in UK. You’re taught how to plan lessons, teach effectively, and support young learners with physical emotional & cognitive thinking at a nursery school.
This is the preferred qualification KHADA Dubai recommends for a nursery class teacher in private and public nurseries.
CACHE level 3 diploma is a vocational qualification that follows on from levels 1 & 2 for early years educators that work, or would like to work in a nursery school with young kids from babies to 5 years old.
The qualification is UK nationally recognised for childcare & nursery practitioner and accepted in Dubai & Middle East.
KHADA 2022 nursery school teacher requirements
Updated early years nursery school teacher requirements guidance in January 2022 were announced by KHADA stating all kindergarten & nursery teaching staff must have appropriate skills, personal attributes, knowledge, and qualification for a teacher job role.
To work and teach kids from 18 months to 5 years old teachers must be qualified or currently training and have prior experience in a nursery school as a teacher.
Mohammed Darwish, CEO of Permits and Compliance at KHDA said of the guide:
“We have high expectations of Dubai’s early years education sector, and this guide gives operators the information they need to offer high-quality provision…”
| Teacher Role | Required Qualification | Experience |
| Nursery School Teacher | Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (preferred) or similar. or CACHE Level 3 (or equivalent) Can also be working toward a qualification | Experience teaching at a nursery schools (1-2 years + preferred) |
Early years nursery teacher personal attributes & skills
- Empathy sympathetic with you kids between 18 months & 5 years old you teach or are in contact with.
- Great sense of humor.
- Motivates & stimulates a child’s interest to learn and succeed.
- Abundance of patience & calm under pressure.
- Approachable and open with young kids in an educational setting.
- Physically active, shows enthusiasm and desire to teach & work with children.
- Excellent communication skills with young learners.
- Well organised and prepared for each lesson.
- Deliver well timed and paced nursery lessons to children.
- 1-2 years of experience + teaching a wide range of nursery & early years subject topics.
- Promote good practice with staff members & children to adhere to the nurseries procedures, health & safety.
- Computer literate and can efficiently use smart board, other teaching & learning technology.
- Discrete about each child’s personal data and able to keep information confidential.