Early learning Unit

The unit accommodates children between ages 3 and 6 years and provides a stimulating learning environment for their development and learning. It offers a bilingual Creative Curriculum for preschoolers in Arabic and English, which is in line with the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

1. Policies and laws:

1.1. Children of the Center:

Children of Qatar University staff and students, and a certain percentage of the community are accepted. Children are enrolled at the beginning of each academic year:

1.2. Admission

Application submission:

• Registration is currently closed. It opens once a year in February and is announced in advance.
• An application fee of QR 500 (non-refundable) is payable by credit card. This does not guarantee a seat for your child at the center.

Admission conditions:

• Priority is for member of Qatar University staff or students. Children from outside the university are accepted if seats are available
• Child must turn 3 years old before September 1^st and also must be potty trained.
• The child passes the test of readiness and acceptance.

Admission Requirements:

• A copy of the ID card and passport for both the / child, father, and mother.
• A copy of the child's birth certificate.
• A copy of the child’s vaccination card.
• The Child’s Health Record obtained from the relevant health center.
• Three recent personal photo of the child.
• Report from previous nursery or kindergarten if available.

Admission Policy:

• Submission of the application along with the required documents for review and evaluation of the file.
• The child attends the test of readiness and acceptance, as the guardian will be notified through email of the test date.
• After the child passes the test and the documents are completely submitted, a seat is offered for the child via an official email to the guardian
• The guardian must complete the payment of tuition fees (QR 5500) within a week of offering the seat. In case of non-compliance, the seat will be offered to another child on the waiting list.

You can now book a tour via ECC e-mail to learn more about our center, curriculum and see the facilities we have to offer.

1.3. Tuition Fees

• QR 500 online application fees (non-refundable).
• QR 12,000 yearly tuition fees.
• QR 4,000 fees for the after school program (priority for QU Faculty).

Fees Payment procedure for new applicants

• An application fee of 500 QR (non-refundable) is to be paid upon application submitted for enrollment (the amount is non-refundable if child attended the interview or not and accepted at ECC or not) and this amount will be deducted from total fees if the child is accepted.
• Total fees per child for the academic year is 12000 QR.
• Payment can be made in two semesters:
  • First semester fees (QR 5,500): Payment to be made after the child passed the interview and been accepted at ECC.
  • Second semester fees (QR 6,000): Payment are made on December each year, and before the start of spring semester as per QU academic calendar.
  • If the payment is not received by the set date for final registration, the child’s name will be removed from the list of accepted children and the placement will be offered to the next child on the waiting list.

Pre-registration for the upcoming academic year:

• Reservation non-refundable fee of (QR 4,000) is due when reserving a seat for your child for the upcoming academic year. This fee will be credited to the first semester fee. However, if the parent decided not to enroll their child; this fee will be non-refunded.

After Care Program (12:30-2:20) Fees payment Policy

The Fees for enrolment in the Aftercare Program is 4000 QR per academic year. Payment can be paid in two installments:

• 1. First payment:  ( 2000 QR ) is due to be paid on the first day of the Fall semester for employees as per QU academic calendar.
  2. Second payment:  ( 2000 QR ) is due to be paid on the second week of December as per QU academic calendar

Refund Policy in case of withdrawal

• Full refund of fees if the child is withdrawn one week before the start of the academic year, for reasons approved by the director of ECC, with proof of that.
• 30% will be deducted from the total fees if the child is withdrawn during the first week of the Academic year.
• 50% will be deducted from the total fees if the child is withdrawn during the second week of the Academic Year.
• No fee refund if the child is withdrawn any time after the second week of the Academic Year.

1.4. Timing for students

• Center timings starts at 7.30 am and ends at 12.00 pm.
• The After Care program will start from 12:30 to 2:20 pm.

1.5. After Care program (N/A):

The Early Childhood Center provides a paid After Care program (priority for QU Faculty). It includes educational activities that are freely targeted according to children’s’ interests and preferences. The center provides a safe and distinctive environment that is comfortable and enjoyable for children to practice a range of educational activities aimed freely according to their interests and preferences.

1.6. Annual Calendar

• The Early Childhood Center follows the annual academic calendar of Qatar University in terms of working hours and official holidays.
• ECC Academic Calendar 2022- 2023

1.7. Children's Uniform:

The Early Childhood Center has a children's uniform for both girls and boys. The guardian must buy directly from the approved company.

1.8. Transportation

Parent/ guardian shall be responsible for drop off /pick up the child to the center.

1.9. Health Care

• In order to maintain the safety of children, ECC provides a specialized nurse, who is available in a nursing room throughout the working hours, and conducts regular health check-ups for children (personal hygiene, healthy food), as well as supervises the cleanliness and safety of center’s halls used by children.

2. Creative Curriculum

The Early Childhood Center follows an ideal curriculum; the Creative Curriculum for Preschool in both Arabic and English which is as an integrated curriculum applied globally in early childhood to serve children with cultural diversity taking in consideration their individual differences. It is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum, characterized by exploration and discovery as means of learning, enabling children to develop confidence, creativity and lifelong critical thinking skills The creative curriculum is based primarily on play, incorporating big ideas, diverse and engaging activities to motivate children, teachers as well as parents. The curriculum includes five studies of fascinating topics familiar to children in addition to Beginning of the Year study as Balls, Trees, Clothes, Buildings, and Reduce, Recycle, Reuse. These studies help children to become enthusiastic, independent, curious, and confident as they encourage them to be active and creative explorers who are not afraid to try out of the box ideas.

2.1. Daily Schedule:

The schedule is balanced and includes variety of integrated activities as per the Creative curriculum and open for children’s suggestions. It contains concepts, skills and values in the areas of Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Sport and Technology in Arabic and English that take in consideration children’s individual differences. Time duration for each activity vary from one level to another depending on the age group, including:

• The morning circle
• Shared writing.
• Small groups.
• Physical Education.
• Breakfast.
• Play in educational Centers.
• Mighty minutes.
• Reading aloud.
• Free play.

2.2. Child Evaluation

• ECC applies the Gold Assessment as per the Creative Curriculum.