The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award. Home.
NLCS Dubai students carrying full expedition packs walk out of the sun on a mountain track, washed in the Award's red
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award · NLCS Dubai

There is more in you than you think.

Discover what you're capable of. One of the most valued parts of school life at NLCS Dubai, with over 250 participants across Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Find your level How to join
Two students shoulder their expedition packs at the head of a rocky wadi trail
Bronze qualifying expedition · Hajar Mountains
Since 1956. At NLCS Dubai since 2019.

Built on a
simple conviction

That was the conviction of Kurt Hahn, the educator who shaped what would become the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award. Hahn believed that every young person carries more courage, more strength and more compassion than they realise and that the right kind of challenge, in service, in adventure and in skill, was what brought it to the surface.

Hahn's Moray Badge at Gordonstoun grew into the County Badge scheme. In 1956 his former pupil Prince Philip, working with the mountaineer John Hunt, took the idea national: the Award was born. It is no coincidence that the same spirit runs through the International Baccalaureate. DofE and the IB's CAS programme are siblings, built about a decade apart on the same belief that education is about far more than what can be examined.

At NLCS Dubai, we have been running the Award since 2019. Today, with over 250 active participants across Bronze, Silver and Gold, it is one of the most valued parts of school life.

What is the Award?

No winners.
No losers. Only you.

The Award is not a competition. There are no winners or losers, only personal goals set, pursued and achieved. Across four sections, students learn to push themselves, contribute to others and grow in ways that stay with them long after the certificate is framed.

  • Volunteering

    Give your time to something that matters and make a genuine contribution to the community around you.

  • Physical

    Commit to a sport or physical activity, set a clear goal and show real progression.

  • Skill

    Learn or develop something that genuinely interests you, from an instrument to a language to code.

  • Adventurous Journey

    Navigate a real expedition as a team, carrying everything you need. The part most students remember longest.

The evidence speaks for itself

The Award in 2024

  • 0participants worldwide
  • 0Awards gained globally
  • 0hours of voluntary service contributed
  • 0of participants feel more confident
  • 0develop stronger teamwork skills
Which award is right for me?

Three levels.
Three climbs.

Bronze Your first step. Bigger than you think.
Year group
Grade 8
Duration
6 months
Expedition
2 days, 1 night · Hajar Mountains
Start here Silver More distance. More challenge.
Year group
Grade 9
Duration
6 months
Expedition
3 days, 2 nights · Switzerland
Go further Gold The summit. Earned, not given.
Year group
Grade 11
Duration
12 months
Expedition
4 days, 3 nights · unaccompanied
Reach the top
Students rest on a rocky summit above the haze, packs down beside them
Summit rest · Bronze expedition
DofE and the IB

Made for
each other

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the International Baccalaureate share a common belief: that education is about far more than academic results. At NLCS Dubai, DofE activity counts towards the IB's CAS requirements at Diploma level and aligns directly with the MYP's Service as Action strand.

The more students do, the more they grow. Every expedition navigated, every hour volunteered and every skill developed adds to a richer, fuller picture of who they are.

How the two connect
How does registration work?

Places are limited.
Interest isn't.

Bronze registration opens each Term 3 for the following academic year. Silver and Gold participants are invited to register on completion of their previous award.

Speak to the DofE Coordinator Read the FAQ