iCademy Middle East is an American online school for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Every course has a qualified, experienced teacher and combines the flexibility of an online platform with live virtual teaching sessions. Students can choose from eight start dates per school year, plus summer school and Advanced Placement course options for High School students. We are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) for all students enrolled globally and we are the only KHDA licensed online school in the UAE.

1. How do students study online? Students log in to our online platform, the Learning Management System, and are assigned a teacher for each course, along with a Homeroom teacher for Kindergarten through Grade 8, and an Academic Advisor for Grade 9 through to Grade 12. Both the student and parent will have their own access credentials.

Students have access to the curriculum 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere they have internet access. They will progress through the online learning materials and coursework in alignment with the course calendar and will also have the option to attend Live Teaching sessions regularly for each course. The frequency of the Live Teaching sessions depends on the course, but all sessions are recorded and may be viewed later. Teachers also offer Live Help sessions regularly during the week.

Teachers and Academic Advisors will work closely with the student to ensure that he or she is fully supported and on track with coursework.

Students are required to submit their online coursework, quizzes, essays, and exams through the Learning Management System. Teachers grade assignments and provide feedback within three school days of assignment or assessment submission.

2. What is the role of the parent, if the student studies from home? Students studying from home require their parent (or another responsible adult) to serve as the Learning Coach. For younger students, the learning coach works in conjunction with the homeroom and course teachers, helping facilitate progress through the daily lessons and working to modify the pace and schedule according to the child’s needs.

The Learning Coach assists the student in staying on schedule, monitors attendance, and communicates with the online teachers. Although parents or another responsible adult acts as the Learning Coach for their student, teachers remain constantly involved to monitor progress, provide grades and feedback, ensure mastery, and develop specific intervention plans when these are needed. Please see the infographic below for information on how much time students and parents/Learning Coaches should expect to spend per day on course work:

3. Do you provide students with a timetable? Each school year is divided into two semesters (90 school days each); the term end date depends on your student’s start date.

A calendar is provided within each course and Live Teaching sessions are scheduled frequently. These timings will be posted within each course. Live Teaching sessions are also recorded and can be replayed on our platform. The course calendar can be used to manage work due and ensure students are staying on track. It is recommended that students use the agenda view so that they can see all outstanding tasks.

4. What time do the live classes take place? Virtual live classes are scheduled to UAE timings (GMT +4) during the week. All classes are recorded in case of absence and can be played back from the link available within the online classroom. Teacher-student ratios are maintained to ensure engagement, and students can contact the teacher directly via Google chat for further support.

5. Will you send me textbooks?  All our textbook material is digital and can be accessed through our online platform, except for some AP textbooks. Some courses will require additional supplies (i.e. art supplies or items typically found in the home).

6. How many hours are students required to study per day?  Students in Kindergarten through to Grade 8 will typically study between 4-6 hours per day, 5 days a week. Students in Grade 9-12 will study around 6 hours per day, 5 days a week.

7. Where are the exams held? For online students, course exams are taken online, usually at home; the date and time is set within the calendar for each course. The platform is secured with Respondus Lockdown Browser for grades 6-12 to ensure that students cannot open any other webpages.

8. My child is enrolled in a British/IB/CBSE curriculum; can he or she enroll with iCademy and transfer back to any other school with a different curriculum? Yes, students coming from any other curriculum can enroll with us and we provide students with our official report card or transcript, and a KHDA Transfer Certificate for students in the UAE. Students will be able to transfer to other school curricula.

9. Is the iCademy report card and diploma valid abroad?  We are fully licensed and accredited, and our report cards and transcripts are widely accepted by schools abroad. We offer students an American high school diploma that is recognized by universities worldwide. Please see the university acceptance page on our website.

10. What subjects do you teach?  In Kindergarten through Grade 8, full-time students will take four core courses (English, Math, History and Science) and can choose 2 electives which are optional. In Grade 9-12 we follow an American credit-based system and students are required to take and pass six courses per year: English, Math, History and Science plus two electives which include World Language studies. High School students require 24 credits to graduate. Please refer to our course catalog for more details. Additional UAE-specific courses are required for students residing in the UAE; please see question 13.

11. Are there any social activities run by the school? Do you hold a graduation ceremony?  We organize regular virtual social activities, events and clubs for all our students, and it is optional for the students to participate. These activities include Sports Day, International Day, World Book Day and more. We hold a graduation ceremony in Dubai at the end of the academic year in June for our High School graduates.

INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO STUDENTS WITHIN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

12. Are you licensed by the KHDA? Will you provide my child with a KHDA Transfer Certificate (Leaving Certificate) so that he or she can move to any other school in the UAE?  Yes, we are licensed by the KHDA and are NEASC accredited. Students will receive their KHDA Transfer Certificate from our school and can transfer to any other school in the UAE.

13. Do you teach KHDA courses?  Students who reside in the UAE will have additional requirements for Native or Non-Native Arabic, Islamic Studies (Muslim students only), and UAE Social Studies. We offer full online teacher support for these subjects.

14. Do you have a learning center where the students can attend?  Our Knowledge Hub is based in Dubai Knowledge Park, and we support students onsite with a low teacher-to-student ratio. This is an additional service.