Raising children in Oman

As the local schools generally cater to Omani children, most expats send their children to private international schools. Schools and nurseries offer a very high standard of education but can be competitive and expensive, so it is recommended to start considering your options well before you relocate.

Childcare

Due to a large number of expats in Oman, it is easy to find childcare facilities that are similar to that in your home country. English-speaking au pairs and nannies can be found, especially in Muscat, and can be found online or via recommendations from other expats.

There are also many nursery schools, which usually accept children from 6 months and up. Some are associated with the international schools, meaning they offer similar care to what you would find at home. There is also a Montessori school. Waiting lists can be long for the highly desired nursery schools, so it is recommended to visit nurseries and put in an application as soon as possible.

Public schools

Public schools in Oman predominately cater to Omani children, as lessons are conducted in Arabic, and follow an Islamic schooling curriculum. Due to the differences in Omani schooling, most expats tend to send their children to private schools. If you would like to enrol your children in public school, there is a fee for expat students, although primary education is free for Omani nationals. In the Omani public system, schools are single-sex, with boys and girls attending separate schools.

Private schools

Due to the large expat population, there are many private and international schools in Oman that cater to the https://www.expat.community. International schools offer a very high level of education and provide a similar curriculum to what you would receive in your home country. However, school fees for international schools can be very high. To help with this, employers sometimes include school tuition fees as part of their salary packaging for new staff- consider discussing this with your new employer before accepting a job offer.

International schools are available in Oman for a wide range of countries, including school British, Indian, Japanese, American, and French expats. For some schools, you must be a citizen of that country to apply, but for other schools, anyone can apply and enrol. School entry can be competitive, and some schools require pupils to take an entrance exam before they can be accepted.

To enrol your child, you will need to provide several documents, including the completed school application form, passport photos, proof of immunisation and vaccines, copies of the student's birth certificate, and the transcripts from their previous school.

University

After secondary school, students may choose to continue on to a technical school or university. While many expat students would prefer to attend a university in their home country, there are several universities in Oman. The largest is Sultan Qaboos University, which has over 12,000 students and offers many degrees, including economics, Islamic studies, medicine, engineering, and arts.

Good to know: All universities and higher-level education are overseen by the Ministry of Higher Education.

Useful links:

Sultan Qaboos University
American International School of Muscat
Ministry of Higher Education
British School Muscat
Indian School Muscat