The short answer: three IELTS levels, set by what you would teach
The ADEK School Staff Eligibility Policy sets a different minimum IELTS level for staff depending on what they teach in English. The table summarises the lines in the version read on 24 October 2026, whose footer reads September 2024, Version 1.3. The first three lines are phrased as a minimum equivalent of an IELTS figure, and the EAL line as IELTS 7 or equivalent.
| What the staff member would teach | Minimum the policy states |
|---|---|
| Non-core subjects, taught in English | A minimum equivalent of IELTS 5.5 |
| Core subjects, taught in English | A minimum equivalent of IELTS 6 |
| English as a subject | A minimum equivalent of IELTS 7 |
| English as an Additional Language (EAL), a separate role description | A minimum of IELTS 7 or equivalent |
The first three lines are one sentence, repeated in the additional requirements for the Class Teacher, Subject Teacher and Inclusion Teacher roles. The EAL line sits in the EAL Teacher role description.
Each line is stated for those “who have completed their education in a language other than English”. If that does not describe you, these lines are not stated for you, and what applies instead is for the school or ADEK to say.
Sources: the ADEK School Staff Eligibility Policy (PDF), read on 24 October 2026, and ADEK’s Arabic edition (PDF), whose footer also reads September 2024, Version 1.3 and which gives the same 5.5, 6 and 7 figures. Policies are revised, so open the current version before you rely on any figure. This page quotes no exam fees or dates.
Which schools the policy covers
The policy’s publication note says it applies to Private and Charter Schools, and that a circular issued before the policy, or issued specifically for Charter Schools after it, supersedes the policy’s requirements. This page does not cover other kinds of school: if you work or plan to work in one, ask the school or ADEK which rules apply to you. Whether a particular school, role or contract falls under the policy is also for them to confirm; this page cannot decide it.
What the lines do not say
The lines this page relies on are short, and several questions a candidate will have are not answered in them. This page does not cover the rest of the policy and does not fill the gaps with guesses:
- Which subjects are core and which are non-core. This page does not list them. Read the policy and ask the school which line your subject falls under.
- Which tests count as equivalents. The wording is “equivalent”, and the lines name no other test.
- Overall band or each skill. Each line gives one figure, such as IELTS 6, without saying whether it means the overall band or a minimum in every skill.
- Academic or General Training. The lines name IELTS without a test version; see Academic or General Training for how the two differ.
- How recent the result must be. The lines say nothing about how old a result may be.
Besides the IELTS figures, the same lines mention advanced proficiency in the language applied in the school’s curriculum where the language of instruction is not English, and the EAL line mentions a school’s attestation of satisfactory proficiency in that language. This page does not interpret either clause.
Put these questions to the school or to ADEK in writing and keep the reply. That is our general advice, not an instruction from ADEK.
The version, and the date the policy took effect
The copy read on 24 October 2026 carries the footer September 2024, Version 1.3. Section 1.1 says the policy took effect on 22 November 2022 and that schools are expected to be fully compliant by AY 2024/25 (Fall term). ADEK’s School Policies page, read the same day, links this file under the name Staff Eligibility Policy. This page cannot tell you whether a newer version exists today. Check ADEK’s site for the current one, and if a recruiter quotes a figure that differs from the table, ask which version it comes from.
The EAL line and its qualification examples
English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers have a line of their own: a minimum of IELTS 7 or equivalent for those who completed their education in a language other than English. The policy describes the EAL role as a support teacher who teaches English as an Additional Language to students needing further support in English, and says it is different from an English teacher, who needs to meet the requirements of a Subject Teacher. IELTS 7 therefore appears in two kinds of line: the general line for teaching English as a subject, and the EAL line.
For the EAL role the policy asks for a main qualification of a bachelor’s degree (QFE 7) in any subject, and an additional qualification of QFE 5 (Diploma/Associate Degree) to teach English as an Additional Language. It gives TEFL/TESL/TESOL, CELTA/DELTA and Trinity, “or equivalent”, as examples (“e.g.”) of that additional qualification. These are examples of the type of qualification asked for, not a list of named certificates, and they describe the policy, not any teacher or tutor. They do not tell you whether a particular course, certificate or person satisfies ADEK.
The federal page: a licence, a degree and other conditions, and no IELTS
The federal u.ae page on qualifications to be a teacher, read on 24 October 2026, is a separate document from ADEK’s policy. It says teachers must hold a teacher’s licence to work legally, obtained by passing tests designed for each targeted category, and that the applicant is given three chances to apply. It sets a minimum qualification of a bachelor’s degree or a 4-year university degree or higher in the required field, for public/government and private schools. It lists other conditions too, such as a criminal clearance record, a medical fitness report from the UAE and original educational certificates (attested ones if the educator graduated outside the UAE). It does not mention IELTS. This page covers neither a visa nor a residence rule.
This page does not say how the two documents fit together for a given candidate. Do not assume that passing the licence tests replaces an IELTS requirement, or that an IELTS result replaces the licence: ask the school which applies to you.
A checklist for a teacher or a recruiter
- Check that the policy covers your type of school: it says Private and Charter Schools.
- Work out which line is yours (non-core subject, core subject, English as a subject, or EAL teacher) and whether the condition applies to you: education completed in a language other than English.
- Ask the school or ADEK the five questions above.
- Open the current policy and compare its version with Version 1.3.
- Check the federal page separately for the licence, the degree and the other conditions.
- Book the test with a test provider, IDP or the British Council; Band Booster does not register students. For venues and results, see IELTS test venues across the UAE, emirate by emirate and IELTS results in the UAE.
If you are one skill short, IELTS One Skill Retake in the UAE explains the option; whether a school accepts a retake result is for the school to say.
How the overall band is worked out, and what the test contains
IELTS reports each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking from 0 to 9 in half-band steps. The overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band: an average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band. If a school asks for an overall band, a stronger skill can offset a weaker one; if it asks for a minimum in every skill, it cannot. The IELTS band score calculator shows the arithmetic.
Listening is 30 minutes and Reading 60 minutes, each with 40 questions; the Listening recording is played once. Writing is 60 minutes in two tasks (at least 150 and 250 words), and Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1. Task 1 describes a chart, graph, table, diagram or process in Academic and is a letter in General Training, so settle the version before you practise. Speaking is an 11 to 14 minute interview in three parts, face to face or by video call.
Preparing for the test: general advice, not from ADEK
- Time the whole test. Sit all four skills in one session at least once, and look at each skill’s result as well as the overall band.
- Practise Writing and Speaking as you will sit them. Finish both Writing tasks within 60 minutes, giving Task 2 the larger share, and speak aloud: Part 2 gives 1 minute to prepare and 1 to 2 minutes to speak, and the Speaking Part 2 timer helps you time a long turn.
Where Band Booster IELTS fits
Band Booster IELTS is a private online tutor. It is independent of ADEK, IDP, the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment, claims no approval or recognition from any of them, and does not register you for the test, set test fees or dates, or issue results. It cannot tell you whether you meet the ADEK policy, this page gives no personal employment or immigration advice, and nothing here says whether any tutor’s qualification meets the policy.
Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA, is based in Hanoi and scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS. He teaches every lesson himself, one-to-one and live on Google Meet in English. A lesson can cover Listening, Reading, Writing (Task 1 and Task 2, marked against the public band descriptors) or Speaking (Parts 1, 2 and 3 in the real test format), with feedback during the session. See about Mike, IELTS Speaking coaching and IELTS Writing feedback.
The booking calendar shows each slot in your own time zone; the pages for Abu Dhabi and Dubai and the UAE set out the time difference with Hanoi. The UAE is in the higher regional price tier, and the booking page shows your price in your own currency before you pay. A paid 30-minute trial can be taken once, on your first booking, and you can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before a session. There is no subscription or package. No band is guaranteed: progress depends on your starting point and the work you do between sessions. For another UAE profession, see IELTS and English for health professionals in the UAE. Based in another country? See online IELTS tutor by country.