The 2021-2022 academic school year will mark the Universal American School’s 45th Anniversary of excellence in education. Founded in 1976, the Universal American School-Kuwait began its tradition of greatness in academics, in athletics and in fine arts. It opened its doors in September 1975 to approximately 300 students. Today we serve a learning community nearing 1800 international learners representing over 45 nations.

At the School’s inauguration, Mr. Abdul Aziz Thunayan Al Ghanim, founder of UAS, stated, “The new Universal American School in Kuwait will hold high the dreams of the future in projecting an image of traditional greatness.” As a non-profit school, UAS-Kuwait serves its mission to educate students in an international environment, to be responsible, productive and ethical citizens within a climate that allows them to acquire essential skills to reason critically, communicate effectively and learn continuously.

Within a 45-year span, UAS-Kuwait has grown to approximately 1750 students and over 350 staff members with a diverse and inclusive international membership. It maintains accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) an the Council of International Schools (CIS).

MILESTONES DURING THE JOURNEY OF 45 YEARS

1976
  • UAS is established in Yarmouk
  • Abdul Aziz Thunayan Al Ghanim, founder of UAS, states, “The new Universal American School in Kuwait will hold high the dreams of the future in projecting an image of traditional greatness.”
  • Kuwait wins Gulf Cup for the 4th time
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1982
  • Rouhiya Al Ghanem takes over UAS
  • Our first graduating class has five boys and one girl
  • Our yearbook is titled “Caravan”
  • Anbar Mallalah Faraj, from the Ministry of Education officially opens our new Library and Chemistry Lab
  • David Tower introduces guitar lessons to our students
  • Students win 64-60 in the first Teachers vs. Students basketball game
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1986
  • Our yearbook is published in color
  • We acquired accreditation from Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
  • National Honor Society establishes a chapter at UAS
  • Our NHS students act as ushers at the graduation
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1987
  • Badminton makes its debut at UAS
  • Joan Khaja joins UAS as a Third Grade teacher, making her the longest standing staff member. She’s currently our Acting Superintendent
  • UAS launches a Computer Club, Chess Club, Debate Society and the Model United Nations
  • Our seniors made up their own mantra “Our shoulders held high, our grip reaches heaven, we are the class of ‘87”
  • Kuwait TV invites our UAS Band for a live performance
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1990
  • UAS Varsity and Junior Varsity Basketball and Volleyball teams win first place in KFSAC tournaments
  • We establish our first Debate Team
  • Our Performing Arts students, performs a comedy called “Hey, Teach!”
  • We inaugurate our new Laboratory Building, under the auspices of Dr. Yaqoub Al Sharah, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education
  • Iraq invades Kuwait
  • The Salwa Campus becomes a headquarter for the Iraqi troops
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1991
  • UAS reopens with 291 students
  • Abdul Latif Al Shamali, leads the School as its director, along with Dr. Dale Koch as Principal
  • USA Ambassador, Edward Gunaim, visits UAS
  • We establish the first Parent’s Council
  • Grade 6 students go on a field trip to the Blood Bank
  • We rebuild our Computer Lab with new IBM compatible computers
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1992
  • EMAC and KFSAC reinstates our membership
  • We perform an adaptation of “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”
  • Our yearbook is titled “Sandprints”
  • Our first post liberation class graduates with 3 boys and 2 girls
  • Our logo changes from Lions to EAGLES!
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1994
  • UAS publishes its first newspaper called The Universal Press
  • MUN hold a flea market for charity
  • Our graduation is at the Le Meridian Hotel
  • Grade 3 students perform a play called “The Pilgrims”
  • Our student body increases to 650 students from 30 countries
  • Our staff increases to 92 teachers
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1996
  • Nora Al Ghanim becomes Administrative Director of UAS
  • We host our Third Annual Model United Nations
  • Middle School performs “The Wiz”
  • Our yearbook is called “The Phoenix”
  • UAS becomes a member of “Roots & Shoots”, an international environmental protection program
  • We start our charity work with a walkathon to raise funds for the construction of a school in Tanzania
  • Sheikh Sabah Al Sabah, who was Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, gives the commencement speech at our Graduation
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2002
  • UAS celebrates its 25th Anniversary
  • UAS Varsity Soccer team wins KFSAC and ISAC championships
  • Our Advanced Placement Programs expands to include 3 AP Sciences, 2 AP Mathematics, 2 AP English, AP Art and AP History
  • Grade 3 students send letters to pen pals in the United States
  • Nursery kids have a busy year of field trips, visiting The Zoo, the dentist, Salwa Park, Sara Lee Cake Factory and the Fire Station
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2006
  • Sheikh Jaber Al Sabah passes away
  • UAS moves to Hawalli
  • UAS joins UNESCO’s international educational program, under the Ministry of Education’s auspices
  • Our yearbook is called “The Pearls of Wisdom”
  • Women cast their votes for the first time in Kuwait, in a municipal by-election
  • UAS High School students visit the Parliament
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2011
  • UAS establishes the Alumni Association and hosts its first get together at the Regency Hotel
  • Our NHS students donate KD500 to Bayt Abdulla and visit sick children in Al Amiri Hospital
  • The Library hosts its first “Night at the Library”
  • We establish our Green Ambassador’s Club
  • UAS Kuwait participates in the First Pre-Engineering Design Competition, sponsored by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Shell Companies, winning a spot in the top three.
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2014
  • UAS launches our Instagram account
  • We introduce the Accelerated Reader Program for our Middle School students
  • UAS students win top five prizes in the Religion and Arabic Language competitions sponsored by the Ministry of Education
  • Author Robin Price visits our School from Authors’ Abroad in the UK
  • UAS Varsity Basketball team wins First place in both Kuwait Schools Activities Association (KSAA) and International School Activities Conference (ISAC) tournaments
  • We collect 1000 books to donate to the American Cooperative School in Tunis
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2016
  • Capstone program becomes part of the High School curriculum
  • The class of 2017 is the largest graduating class with 128 graduates
  • NHS introduces the “Random Acts of Kindness” program and raise KD1000 for Leukemia
  • UAS Middle School has its first Student Council elections
  • UAS celebrates 40th Anniversary
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