Shadow teacher (LSA) in the UAE: costs, providers, and what schools ask for

Not clinical, medical, financial or legal advice. This guide summarises public sources, quoted as published. Nothing here is an endorsement of any provider. Prices and rules change, so always confirm directly.

A shadow teacher works one-to-one with a child in a mainstream school. In Dubai, KHDA’s Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework says “shadow teachers” will be renamed learning support assistants (LSAs). In Abu Dhabi, ADEK’s Staff Eligibility Policy uses Individual Assistant (“Other names: Shadow Teacher, Individual PoD Support Assistant”). Here is what we found on rules, costs and providers.

Dubai: what a 2020 news report said about KHDA’s rules

According to a 2020 Khaleej Times report (1 Feb 2020) on KHDA’s Directives and Guidelines for Inclusive Education:

Private schools in Dubai must provide the standard school service for students of determination within the standard tuition fee.
Additional fees, for example for a shadow teacher, can only be charged through an individualised service agreement registered with KHDA, and only when the provision is not available through the standard school service.
Schools must give parents and KHDA clear documentation that the service is required and necessary for the student’s education.
If a school already employs full-time LSAs, parents should not face additional charges for that support.
Parents may hire their own LSA, or the school may hire one and charge a fee on top of tuition.

Questions to ask a school: Is this support part of the standard service? If not, will there be a KHDA-registered individualised service agreement? What documentation shows it is needed? Can we hire our own LSA, and what does the school require from them?

KHDA’s framework and directives were re-approved by Administrative Resolution No. (15) of 2026 (11 March 2026). Ask your school which current requirements apply to any extra fee. KHDA’s school directory shows each Dubai school’s “Inclusion rating”.

Abu Dhabi: what ADEK’s Inclusion Policy says

ADEK’s Inclusion Policy v1.3 (effective 3 Oct 2023) says:

“Inclusion Assistants shall be appointed for each student of determination requiring Tier 3 level of support in KG/Year 1 – Grade 2/Year 3.”
Additional fees for enhanced provision beyond the standard inclusive provision “must be approved by ADEK, transparently communicated to parents, and shall not exceed 50% of the tuition fee applicable to the student’s enrolled year group.”
“Formerly known as “Shadow Teachers”, Individual Assistants are parent-funded staff who provide 1:1 support for students with additional learning needs…” (p.4), and “schools may seek the provision of a parent-funded Individual Assistant, which is not part of the school’s standard inclusive provision.” (p.9)
When asking parents to engage an Individual Assistant, schools “shall provide evidence and justification to outline the need for support”.

We have not reviewed other emirates yet. Check with your school and regulator.

What it costs

Parents quoted in a 2020 news report (may be out of date): a parent quoted by Khaleej Times said LSAs “cost somewhere from Dh3,000 to Dh6,000 a month if they are hired by the school,” and that she paid Dh60,000 a year for her son’s LSA on top of tuition. Another parent said some schools had charged up to Dh15,000 a month in the past.
ShadowTeacher UAE says Dubai LSAs on its platform ask AED 2,000–6,500/month (median AED 4,000–5,000).
Special Minds lists shadow teachers from AED 7,000/month.
Be Me Services says LSA rates are available on request.

Shadow teacher / LSA providers in our directory

Provider	Emirate	Services (as stated)	Price as published	Source
ShadowTeacher UAE	All emirates	Platform listing vetted LSAs/shadow teachers; families hire directly	Dubai LSAs ask AED 2,000–6,500/month (median AED 4,000–5,000)	source
Special Minds	Dubai	Supervised LSA/shadow teacher placements; SEN governess; therapy (BCBA-supervised)	Shadow teacher from AED 7,000/month; SEN governess from AED 15,000/month; therapy from AED 375/hr; consultation AED 499	source
Alamaani	Not stated	LSA/shadow teacher placement (incl. ASD); SEN training; tutoring; online therapy	Not published	source
Small Steps ABA Inclusion Centre (at GEMS Founders School)	Dubai	ABA-based in-school support for children of determination in mainstream settings	Not published	source
Incluzun	All emirates	Learning support assistants at home or school; school approval paperwork; monitoring	Not published	source
ShadowNest Support Services	All emirates	Shadow teachers for children with autism, ADHD, speech and learning needs	Not published	source
Stars Learning Agency	Not stated	1:1 learning support assistants in mainstream schools; states assistants are proficient in ABA/RBT practices	Not published	source

Pulse Therapy and Learning Center also runs a school inclusion programme with LSAs. See its directory entry.

Want to model the yearly total? Add LSA fees in the cost estimator.

Frequently asked questions

What is a shadow teacher in the UAE?

A one-to-one support assistant in a mainstream school. KHDA (Dubai) calls the role a learning support assistant (LSA); ADEK (Abu Dhabi) calls it an Individual Assistant. See the sources above.

How much does a shadow teacher cost in Dubai?

ShadowTeacher UAE says Dubai LSAs on its platform ask AED 2,000–6,500/month, and Special Minds lists shadow teachers from AED 7,000/month (both as published). A 2020 news report quoted parents paying Dh3,000–6,000 a month for school-hired LSAs. Ask the school or provider for a written quote.

Can a Dubai school charge extra for an LSA?

According to the 2020 Khaleej Times report, only through an individualised service agreement registered with KHDA. Rules were re-approved in 2026, so ask your school which current requirements apply.

Next steps on Determined UAE: browse the provider directory or put your own numbers into the yearly cost estimator. Other guides.

Sources

Last reviewed 16 Oct 2026 by Determined UAE. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].