Doha, Qatar: Children of Qataris, Qatari women and GCC citizens, as well as several categories of expatriate residents, are eligible to apply for admission to government schools in Qatar, according to Ghalia Mahdi Al Qahtani, Acting Head of the Student Admission and Registration Department, who has also outlined the documents and procedures parents must complete for registration and transfer.
Speaking to Qatar Radio, Al Qahtani said the admission categories cover new students, students transferring from private schools and those arriving from outside Qatar, subject to the Ministry's eligibility requirements.
Eligible categories include children of Qatari citizens, Qatari women and GCC citizens, as well as children of holders of Qatari documents.
They also include children of non-Qataris employed by ministries, government bodies and public institutions, in addition to children of non-Qatari employees of designated private charitable associations.
Children of permanent residency holders who are not employed by government entities are also covered, along with children of diplomats working at embassies and administrative staff seconded by their countries.
Al Qahtani said children of private-sector employees residing in designated outer areas may also be admitted, provided the guardian's residence falls within the geographical zone of the school.
Under the Ministry's admission policy, this provision applies to eligible private-sector families living in villages and areas outside Doha where private schools are unavailable or do not provide the required educational stage.
Eighteen government schools have been designated to serve eligible private-sector residents in remote areas and outer villages.
For students from eligible categories who do not speak Arabic, admission is subject to passing an Arabic-language assessment and obtaining the required approval from MoEHE.
Al Qahtani also outlined the documents parents need to complete a new registration, stressing that establishing the student's health file is an essential part of the process.
"The health file is one of the priorities for registration and one of the most important required documents," she said.
She added that a new student without a health file cannot complete registration, either electronically or through the school, as the process is linked with the Ministry of Public Health.
Other required documents include the student's health assessment certificate, copies of the student's and guardian's Qatari ID cards, the student's birth certificate and two personal photographs.
Parents must also provide proof of residence through a Kahramaa certificate or tenancy contract, while expatriate parents are required to submit a valid employment certificate.
For students transferring between government schools, Al Qahtani said parents are required to provide proof of residence through a Kahramaa certificate or tenancy contract.
She also highlighted the deadline parents must observe after submitting an application.
Once a parent receives a text message requesting a visit to the school with the required documents, the parent has five working days from the date of the message to complete the procedure.
Fridays and Saturdays are not counted as part of the five-working-day period.
Parents receive another notification when two working days remain, followed by a final reminder on the last working day, Al Qahtani explained.
She stressed that submitting a registration or transfer application alone does not complete the process, and parents must visit the school within the specified period for the application to be approved.
Electronic registration and transfer applications for students of all nationalities for the 2026-2027 academic year are open from August 25 until October 1 through the Ministry's Maaref Public Services Portal.
The Ministry's electronic services also allow parents to identify the appropriate government school according to their residential location, helping families determine the school serving their geographical zone before completing the admission process.
