International Education in Muscat

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Muscat, Oman’s capital city, is a key economic centre in the Arab Gulf region. It attracts expats in droves thanks to its high quality of life and high-paying career opportunities. However for expat families, schooling can present its challenges.

While Oman’s education system is well regarded internationally, teaching is always through Arabic. For families who don’t plan on staying in Oman or another Arabic-speaking country long-term, the international schools in Muscat are a worthy alternative.

With a large and diverse expat community, it should come as no surprise that international schools in Oman are plentiful.

Since international schools in Muscat are very much geared towards the expat population, you’ll find that most of them teach either the British curriculum or the International Baccalaureate. Muscat’s diverse range of expats means that there are still plenty of alternatives, however. Everything from French to Pakistani and Indian to American curricula can be found in this Middle Eastern metropolis.

Although the number of expats in Oman has dropped in the past few years, there are still just under 1 million expats in Muscat alone. So while competition for international school places may have fallen slightly, most schools still have waiting lists. If you’re considering a move to Muscat, start your school search as early as possible and apply well in advance of your move.

English is the language of instruction in the majority of Muscat’s international schools. However, it’s very common for schools to offer Arabic as an alternative language of instruction or as an additional language.

English is considered a very important aspect of education in Oman, and not just because of the high numbers of expat students. Omani students also want to learn English to prepare for travelling abroad, for attending the best universities and to give themselves an advantage for career-hunting.

For this reason Muscat attracts high numbers of native English-speaking teachers from abroad. Their (above average) salaries come tax-free and their employer usually organises accommodation for them too. Many of these teachers work in Muscat’s international schools, so there is no reason whatsoever to be concerned about the quality of teaching staff.

One notable downside to expat life in Muscat, however, is transport. The city is not pedestrian-friendly and public transport is mostly non-existent. You’ll need your own car to get around, and that includes the school commute. Some schools offer a school bus, but it’s by no means a standard feature of international schools here.

Below, we have compiled the top 10 international schools in Muscat according to our users. However, there are another 24 schools to choose from in the city. You can find the best international school for your child by personalising your results. Just fill in your search criteria, and we will calculate a personal score for every international school in Muscat based on your requirements.