Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) was 4 years in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
4 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
6th
of 221 countries
All-time high
4 years
in 2020
All-time low
3 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Arab Emirates, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2025, theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Arab Emirates stood at 4 years. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Arab Emirates peaked at 4 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3 years, in 1970.
That places United Arab Emirates 6th out of 221 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3 years | — |
| 1971 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 2021 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4 years | +0.0% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 4 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 4 years is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 6 Austria 4 years compare
- 6 Burundi 4 years compare
- 6 Belgium 4 years compare
- 6 Bangladesh 4 years compare
- 6 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 years compare
- 6 Bermuda 4 years compare
- 6 Bolivia 4 years compare
- 6 Switzerland 4 years compare
- 6 Chile 4 years compare
- 6 Democratic Republic of Congo 4 years compare
- 6 Czechia 4 years compare
- 6 Eritrea 4 years compare
- 6 Micronesia (country) 4 years compare
- 6 United Kingdom 4 years compare
- 6 Gibraltar 4 years compare
- 6 Croatia 4 years compare
- 6 Haiti 4 years compare
- 6 Hungary 4 years compare
- 6 India 4 years compare
- 6 Iceland 4 years compare
- 6 Kenya 4 years compare
- 6 Kiribati 4 years compare
- 6 Sri Lanka 4 years compare
- 6 Luxembourg 4 years compare
- 6 Marshall Islands 4 years compare
- 6 North Macedonia 4 years compare
- 6 Malta 4 years compare
- 6 Montenegro 4 years compare
- 6 Mauritius 4 years compare
- 6 Nepal 4 years compare
- 6 Pakistan 4 years compare
- 6 Palau 4 years compare
- 6 Poland 4 years compare
- 6 Romania 4 years compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 4 years compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 4 years compare
- 6 Somalia 4 years compare
- 6 Serbia 4 years compare
- 6 South Sudan 4 years compare
- 6 Slovakia 4 years compare
- 6 Slovenia 4 years compare
- 6 Seychelles 4 years compare
- 6 Tunisia 4 years compare
- 6 Turkey 4 years compare
- 6 Zimbabwe 4 years compare
More education data for United Arab Emirates
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 106,178 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 305 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 119,159 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 125,307 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 894,302 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 586,477 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0534 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Arab Emirates?
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Arab Emirates was 4 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 4 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 years in 1970.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for theoretical duration of upper secondary education?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 6th out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of upper secondary education rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release