"GCSE maths tutor Dubai" is what parents type, and the first thing a good tutor does is ask which exam the school actually sits, because in Dubai "GCSE maths" means three different papers. This article is for parents at British-curriculum schools in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah: which paper it is, what Year 10 and Year 11 look like, what tutors and centres charge, the KHDA and permit rules that changed in 2023, and the five things to check before paying anyone, including us.
Which exam your child's school sits
| What parents call it | What the school enters | Tiers | Grades | Sessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "GCSE maths" at most Dubai British schools | Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A, 4MA1 | Foundation (1 to 5) or Higher (4 to 9) | 9 to 1 | January, May/June, November |
| "IGCSE maths" at Cambridge schools | Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 (or 0980, UK-graded) | Core (C to G) or Extended (A* to E) | A* to G (0980: 9 to 1) | May/June, October/November |
| "GCSE maths" at a few UK-exam schools | Edexcel GCSE 1MA1 or AQA 8300 | Foundation or Higher | 9 to 1 | May/June, November (resits) |
The content overlaps by about 90 per cent. The papers do not: Edexcel 4MA1 is two calculator papers of two hours each; Cambridge 0580 has a non-calculator paper from 2025; the UK GCSE has one non-calculator and two calculator papers. A method that scores full marks on one board can lose a mark on another for a missing step, and the tier decision (which paper the child is entered for) is made by the school from Year 10 mocks, usually by the end of Year 10. Ask the school two questions in writing: the board and syllabus code, and when the tier is decided.
What Year 10 and Year 11 look like
Dubai British schools run September to July. The IGCSE maths course is taught across Years 10 and 11 and sat in May and June of Year 11, with school mocks in November or December of Year 11 and often a second set in March.
| When | What the school does | What a good tutor does |
|---|---|---|
| Year 10, September to December | Number, algebra foundations, the first Higher topics | Finds the Year 9 gaps (fractions, negative numbers, rearranging) and closes them alongside the class work |
| Year 10, January to June | Geometry, statistics, harder algebra; the Year 10 mock | Past-paper questions on every topic from the first term; the mock decides the tier, so the mock is the target |
| Year 11, September to December | Higher-only topics (functions, vectors, differentiation, circle theorems); the November mock | Full timed papers marked to the mark scheme, with the step marks written on the script |
| Year 11, January to May | Revision; the March mock; the exam | One paper a week by topic weakness, exam technique, the calculator paper habits (units, rounding, showing the method) |
The mark scheme is the point. An answer of x = 2 with no working scores one mark of three on every board; the other two are for the method the board expects. A tutor who teaches "the answer" costs the child the method marks; a tutor who teaches the board's method first, and marks every practice question the way the examiner will, is buying the grade.
What GCSE maths tuition costs in Dubai
Prices published in September 2026, per hour, for one child.
| Option | Per hour | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition centre in Dubai (group of 4 to 8) | AED 60 to 150 | A teacher, a timetable, other children; often a term package |
| Home tutor in Dubai, 1-on-1 | AED 100 to 250 | A visit, no recording; a British-school teacher costs the top of the range |
| UK-based online tutor, 1-on-1 | £25 to £50 (AED 120 to 240) | A UK-qualified teacher at UK evening times, which are Dubai late evenings |
| Science with Shobha, online 1-on-1 | about AED 37 to 48 | A master's-qualified maths tutor on your child's board, the recording of every class, past papers marked to the mark scheme, at 4 to 7 pm Dubai time, billed monthly, no package |
The KHDA (Dubai's school regulator) does not set tuition prices; the wide range comes from who is teaching. The full comparison across CBSE, IGCSE, IB and American schools is in online tuition fees in Dubai 2026.
The 2023 rule on private tutors in the UAE
Since 2023 anyone giving private lessons in the UAE, including a school teacher in the evenings, needs a private-teacher work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and school teachers may not tutor their own pupils for money. Two consequences for parents. A home tutor in Dubai without a permit is working illegally, and the well-qualified ones now charge for the permit. And online tuition from a provider outside the UAE is outside the permit system altogether, which, with the time-zone advantage (4 pm in Dubai is 5:30 pm in India, an ordinary working hour), is why many Dubai families use it.
The five checks before paying
- The board and tier, by name. Ask the tutor which paper the child is sitting. If the answer is "GCSE maths", ask again. If the tutor cannot say what changes between Edexcel 4MA1 Higher and Cambridge 0580 Extended, they will teach the wrong paper.
- A degree in mathematics, shown to you. Not "engineering", not "all subjects". Ours hold master's degrees in mathematics.
- Past papers, marked, from Year 10. Ask to see a marked script from a current student, with the step marks. That is the whole job.
- The same tutor to the exam. Ask directly. A centre cannot promise it; a marketplace will not; a small team can.
- Monthly payment, no package. Term packages exist to keep you after the second bad class. Monthly, stop at the end of any month.
Then take the free class and watch it. A good tutor finds the gap in the first five minutes and teaches one thing properly; a salesperson demonstrates a platform.
How we do it
One tutor with one child on a shared whiteboard, on the child's board and tier from the first lesson, at 4 to 7 pm Dubai time or on Friday and Saturday mornings. Year 10: the gaps, then every topic with past-paper questions. Year 11: full papers marked to the mark scheme, the step marks on the script, the March mock as the rehearsal. About AED 37 to 48 an hour with the recording, notes and marked papers included, billed monthly. Free 30-minute first class; parents sit in. The page for IGCSE online tuition in Dubai has the boards and syllabus codes for every subject we teach, and the Dubai page has the class times for all the school systems.
Questions parents ask
1Do Dubai schools sit GCSE or IGCSE maths?
2How much does a GCSE maths tutor cost in Dubai?
3When should a child start with a GCSE maths tutor?
4Is private tuition allowed in Dubai?
See how we teach this, 1-on-1 online →
Shobha
Founder and lead tutor, Science with Shobha
Teaching maths, science and English to children online since 2018. 500+ students, 20+ tutors, families in nine countries.