Licensable activity
Education & training
Schools, nurseries, higher education, and the much larger category of training institutes, coaching centres and corporate learning providers.
Classification
How it is coded.
UAE activity lists derive from ISIC Revision 4, the United Nations industrial classification. Each emirate's economic department and each free zone then extends that base with its own numbering, so the same activity carries a different code in Dubai than it does in Sharjah or inside DMCC.
- ISIC Rev. 4
- Section P — Education (division 85)
- Licence category
- Professional, plus regulator permit
- Regulator
- KHDA (Dubai) · ADEK (Abu Dhabi) · Ministry of Education (federal)
Approvals beyond the licence
- Schools and nurseries
- KHDA or ADEK permit, curriculum approval, premises inspection and staff vetting. A long and detailed process.
- Training institutes
- A lighter regime than schools, but still a permit distinct from the trade licence.
- Higher education
- Ministry of Education academic accreditation, entirely separate from commercial licensing.
In practice
Free zone training licences exist and are widely used for corporate and professional training. Anything issuing recognised academic qualifications is a different order of undertaking.
Coverage
Where it can be licensed.
Of the 40 licensing authorities across the UAE, 7 issue licences covering this activity, spread across 3 of the seven emirates.