The verdict in three sentences
For a private school group with 3 campuses in Dubai, a serious redesign costs between USD 12,000 and USD 27,000 excluding VAT, with a realistic timeline of 10 weeks. The line item that actually wins enrolments is the online pre-registration form with document upload, designed mobile-first, since 35% of visits arrive in the evening from a phone. Everything else (gallery, news, curriculum pages) must serve that journey, otherwise the budget goes into a showcase with no return.
What the redesign costs, campus by campus
A multi-campus website is not three websites. The core (branding, templates, form, back office) is paid once, then each campus adds its own pages: grades offered, transport, catering, leadership team, calendar. Here is a 2026 order of magnitude for a group of 2,400 students.
| Line item | Shared core (USD) | Per campus (USD) | Total 3 campuses (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping, sitemap, mockups | 2,400 to 4,000 | 350 to 600 | 3,450 to 5,800 |
| Template and back-office development | 3,400 to 7,400 | 0 | 3,400 to 7,400 |
| Pre-registration form with uploads | 2,000 to 4,700 | 200 to 400 | 2,600 to 5,900 |
| Campus pages (grades, transport, catering) | 0 | 550 to 1,200 | 1,650 to 3,600 |
| On-site photos and video | 0 | 270 to 800 | 810 to 2,400 |
| Arabic version (translation and RTL) | 350 to 1,000 | 0 | 350 to 1,000 |
| Project total | 12,000 to 26,000 | ||
| Hosting, backups, certificate | 600 per year |
The upper range fits a group that wants a full Arabic version, a video shoot per campus and a back office where each campus principal approves their own content. The lower range assumes good existing photos and an English-only website.
Online pre-registration: the core of the project
Parents compare schools between January and May, in the evening after work, on their phones. A form that requires a computer or a visit to the admissions office loses part of those families. The form must accept scanned or photographed school reports, birth certificate and student photo, then send an instant acknowledgement.
| Form feature | Basic version | Recommended version | Estimated impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fields matched to the grade applied for | Single form | Conditional fields per cycle | Fewer drop-offs |
| Attachments | 1 PDF file | 4 files, photos accepted, 8 MB max | Complete files on submission |
| Save in progress | No | Draft resumed via email link | Parents finish later |
| Acknowledgement | None | Automatic email and SMS | Fewer calls to admissions |
| Routing to the right campus | Single inbox | Sent to the selected campus | Processed within 48 h |
| Application tracking board | Manual Excel export | Statuses: received, complete, interview, admitted | Visibility for leadership |
Budget USD 2,000 to 4,700 for the recommended version. This is the line to defend at board level, because it is the only one measured directly in applications received.
The 10-week schedule
A redesign launched in September goes live before the December open days and the January admissions campaign. Typical breakdown: 2 weeks of scoping and sitemap, 2 weeks of mockups approved by all three campus leaderships, 4 weeks of development and content integration, 2 weeks of testing on entry-level Android phones and training the admissions teams. The most common delay comes from content: curriculum texts and photos supplied late by the campuses.
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Mr Haddad, administrative director of a private school group in Dubai, receives 520 enquiries a year, 290 of which become pre-registration files. With a complete mobile form and automatic acknowledgement, he targets a 65% conversion rate instead of 56%, about 47 extra files. If 40% of those files lead to enrolment, that is 19 additional students. With average annual fees of USD 15,000, the gain reaches roughly USD 285,000 a year, for a redesign budgeted at USD 22,000 plus USD 600 of hosting. The project pays for itself in the first school year, according to this estimate.
FAQ
One website per campus or a single website?
A single website with a section per campus costs about 40% less than three separate sites and concentrates SEO on one domain. Each campus keeps its pages, contacts and its own application workflow.
Is student data protected?
Attachments must be stored in an encrypted space, accessible only to authorised admissions staff, in line with UAE Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021 on personal data. Plan automatic deletion of unsuccessful files after 12 months.
Can application fees be collected online?
Yes, by card or Apple Pay, for an extra integration cost of USD 1,000 to 2,000. Many groups start without payment and add it in year two.
What does maintenance cost after launch?
Allow USD 600 a year for hosting and backups, plus USD 100 to 270 a month for an updates and support contract. Admissions teams publish news themselves after a 2-hour training session.
Does the website need Arabic?
If a significant share of your families reads Arabic first, yes: the right-to-left Arabic version adds USD 350 to 1,000. It can be limited to key pages and the form.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of campuses, grades offered and admissions calendar: we price the redesign line by line, with an indicative budget and a 10-week schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
