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Smarter Education Savings Plans for Canadian Expats in the UAE

As a Canadian expat in the UAE, giving your child the best education is likely one of your biggest long-term goals—and financial responsibilities. Whether you’re aiming for university in Canada, the UK, or elsewhere, the cost of higher education is rising faster than inflation. At Bassem Fawzy Wealth Advisory, we help you build a structured, flexible education savings plan—so your child’s future is funded, not stressful.

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Why Planning Early Is Non-Negotiable

Higher education costs are projected to double every 8–9 years. That means:

  • A $25,000/year tuition today could cost $50,000/year when your child starts university

  • A 4-year undergraduate degree could cost $200,000+, including living expenses

  • International tuition fees and travel costs add further pressure for expat families

And yet, many families start saving too late or underestimate how quickly time passes. By starting early, you can take advantage of compound growth, investment flexibility, and longer accumulation periods—reducing the monthly burden later.

What Should Your Education Plan Cover?

A proper education savings plan should factor in:

  • Tuition fees (local or international)

  • Housing and living expenses

  • Travel costs for overseas education

  • Supplies, devices, extracurriculars

  • Inflation and currency fluctuation

  • Tax on withdrawals (especially if studying outside Canada)

We use forecasting tools, including a custom education savings plan calculator, to estimate your savings target based on your child's age, location, and preferred university region.

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Options for Canadian Expats

🇨🇦 Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)

A registered education savings plan is the gold standard for Canadian-resident families—but if you opened one before becoming a non-resident, you can still benefit from tax-sheltered growth. We help manage RESP strategy from the UAE and coordinate with Canadian tax professionals to plan smart, low-tax withdrawals.

Offshore & Hybrid Plans

For families looking to supplement their RESP—or start fresh abroad—we design education savings plans in Dubai and the UAE using flexible, multi-currency investment accounts (CAD, USD, GBP, or EUR). These allow you to:

  • Save monthly through an automatic savings plan

  • Allocate funds for private school and post-secondary education

  • Adjust risk levels as your child grows

  • Maintain access and control regardless of your location

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​The Best Education Savings Plan? The One That Fits Your Life

There’s no universal solution. The best child education savings plan is one that:

  • Matches your timeline and financial capacity

  • Grows tax-efficiently

  • Keeps pace with education inflation

  • Works whether you repatriate to Canada or stay abroad

We help Canadian expats blend RESPs with flexible offshore strategies to build the best education savings plans—designed around your child, your goals, and your income potential in the UAE.

Make Education Part of Your Wealth Plan

Don’t leave education to last-minute borrowing or short-term thinking. A well-built education savings plan in the UAE gives you time, clarity, and control.

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