Education

The Maldives has a small number of international schools, all located in Malé. These schools follow international curricula (Cambridge IGCSE, British National Curriculum) and teach primarily in English. Class sizes are relatively small, and the schools serve both expat children and Maldivian families seeking international-standard education. Waiting lists exist for popular year groups — register early.

The Maldivian public school system provides free education to all resident children. Instruction is primarily in Dhivehi (the national language) with English taught as a core subject from an early age. For expat children who plan to stay long-term and want to integrate fully, public school is an option — but the language barrier is significant for those arriving without Dhivehi skills.

Higher education options within the Maldives are limited to Maldives National University (MNU) and a few private colleges. Most Maldivians pursuing university degrees study abroad — Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, the UK, and Australia are the most popular destinations. For expat families, planning for higher education typically means planning for your children to leave the Maldives by age 17–18.

Dhivehi (the Maldivian language) uses its own script (Thaana, written right-to-left) and is related to Sinhalese. Few formal language courses exist for foreigners, but learning basic conversational Dhivehi dramatically enriches your experience and earns genuine respect from locals. English is widely spoken in Malé and resorts, so Dhivehi is optional but highly rewarding.