The Ministry of Health’s School Health Department (الصحة المدرسية) opens a student health file for every new pupil in Kuwait. It is an in-person check of height, weight, vision and hearing plus a vaccination review, and schools need it before the child can start. Book the appointment online through MOH e-services – the system assigns the School Health centre that matches the address on your Civil ID – and bring the school’s health-file letter, Civil IDs, birth certificate, vaccination record and two photos. The service is free for Kuwaiti and expatriate students.
On this page
- What the School Health Department does
- Who needs a student health file
- How to book a School Health appointment
- Documents to bring
- School Health centres by governorate
- Vaccinations required for school entry
- Health screening during the school year
- Transfers, mid-year arrivals and fitness reports
- Common mistakes that delay the health file
- Tips for expatriate parents
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
What the School Health Department does
School Health is a department of the Ministry of Health that looks after the health of students in government and private schools. For most expatriate parents, the first contact is the student health file (الملف الصحي) needed for admission. After that, school health teams continue to work in the background through school nurses, screening and vaccination campaigns.
- Opens and maintains the student health file for new admissions, transfers from abroad and moves between governorates.
- Checks and completes childhood vaccinations according to the Kuwait schedule, including MMR, DTaP boosters, hepatitis B, varicella, HPV for girls in intermediate school and flu campaigns.
- Runs school nurses and clinics in public schools, vision and hearing screening, growth and BMI monitoring and dental programmes (the School Oral Health Programme has its own registration).
- Issues the medical fitness report needed for sports teams, scholarships and some school transfers.
Who needs a student health file
| Situation | Health file needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First admission to KG or Grade 1 in Kuwait | Yes | Opened after the school accepts the child |
| Arriving from abroad into any grade | Yes | Bring the vaccination record from your home country |
| Moving to a school in another governorate | Usually transferred | Ask the new school whether a new appointment is needed |
| Changing school in the same area | Usually transferred | Keep your copy of the stamped file |
| Joining a sports team or applying for a scholarship | Fitness report | Requested by the school or sponsoring body |
The rule applies to both government and private schools, including Indian, Pakistani, British, American and other international schools. Private schools give you a request letter after admission, just like government schools.
How to book a School Health appointment
- Get the health-file request letter from the school after admission. It states the school, the grade and your area.
- Book online through the MOH e-services appointment page for School Health. The centre is assigned by the address on the child’s Civil ID.
- If you have moved, update the address with PACI first so the system sends you to the right centre.
- Choose the date and time, and save the confirmation.
- Attend with the documents below. The nurse records height, weight, vision, hearing and the vaccination history.
- Missing vaccine doses are given on the spot or scheduled for a later visit.
- The stamped file goes back to the school. Keep a copy for yourself.
Book as soon as you receive the school letter. Appointments in late August and September fill quickly because thousands of new pupils need a file before classes begin.
Documents to bring
| Document | Original or copy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Health-file letter from the school | Original | Issued after admission |
| Child’s Civil ID (or PACI receipt) and passport | Original plus copy | New arrivals may use the PACI receipt until the card is printed |
| Guardian’s Civil ID | Original plus copy | Father, mother or legal guardian |
| Birth certificate | Original plus copy | Attested and translated if not in Arabic or English |
| Vaccination record | Original | Home-country card or Kuwait child health card |
| Two passport photos | – | Recent, plain background |
Translated and stamped copies of vaccination cards from India, Egypt, the Philippines and other countries are accepted, but bring the original card too. Missing pages are the most common reason for an extra visit.
School Health centres by governorate
The online booking will send you to the centre that serves your residential area. This table shows which centre covers which areas:
| Health region | Centre | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Hamad Al-Saqr School Health Centre (Adailiya); North-West Sulaibikhat centre | Kuwait City, Sharq, Bneid Al Gar, Qadsiya, Surra, Jaber Al Ahmad, Sulaibikhat, Doha |
| Hawally | Bayan Block 8; Salwa Block 5 | Hawally, Salmiya, Jabriya, Bayan, Mishref, Salwa, Rumaithiya |
| Farwaniya | Al-Ruqay centre; Mutaab Al-Shallahi centre (Ishbiliya) | Farwaniya, Khaitan, Jleeb, Ardiya, Riggae, Abdullah Al Mubarak |
| Mubarak Al-Kabeer | School Health centre, Adan Block 2 | Sabah Al Salem, Qurain, Adan, Messila, Abu Fatira |
| Ahmadi | Fahaheel centre; Sabah Al-Ahmad Sector D (mornings only) | Fahaheel, Mangaf, Mahboula, Abu Halifa, Fintas, Egaila, Wafra |
| Jahra | Jahra Health Complex | Jahra, Saad Al Abdullah, Naeem, Qasr, Oyoun |
Centres work Sunday to Thursday. In the admission season (roughly August to October) they usually run a morning shift from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM and an evening shift from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Outside the season, many centres open mornings only, so check your appointment time carefully.
Vaccinations required for school entry
Kuwait follows the MOH national immunisation schedule. By school age a child should have completed BCG, hepatitis B, DTaP, polio (IPV), Hib, pneumococcal, two doses of MMR, varicella and the pre-school boosters at 4–6 years.
| Stage | Vaccines checked or given | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| School entry (KG / Grade 1) | Full infant series, MMR x2, varicella, 4–6 year boosters | Catch-up doses given free if missing |
| Intermediate school | HPV for girls (Grade 7–8) and age boosters | Offered through school campaigns |
| All grades | Seasonal flu and other campaign vaccines | Parents are informed by the school |
Children arriving from abroad with incomplete records receive catch-up doses free at the School Health centre. If your child has had a vaccine reaction before, or has a condition that affects vaccination, bring a doctor’s report and tell the nurse before any dose is given.
Health screening during the school year
- Vision and hearing: screening finds children who need glasses or a hearing review; you will receive a referral letter if a problem is found.
- Growth and BMI: height and weight are tracked, and families of children who are underweight or overweight may be advised.
- Dental: the School Oral Health Programme checks teeth and offers preventive care in many schools.
- Chronic conditions: tell the school nurse if your child has asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or a severe allergy, and provide medicines and a care plan.
For dental treatment outside school, see our MOH dental appointment guide.
Transfers, mid-year arrivals and fitness reports
Families who arrive in Kuwait during the school year follow the same process as at the start of the year: the school issues the request letter, you book the School Health appointment and the file is opened before or shortly after the child starts classes. Ask the school how long a new pupil may attend while the file is pending, because policies differ between schools.
When a child moves to a school in another governorate, the file is normally transferred between School Health offices. Bring your copy of the stamped file to the new school, and keep any vaccination doses given in Kuwait recorded on the Kuwait child health card. For a medical fitness report for sports teams, scholarships or competitions, the school or sponsoring body sends a request and the School Health centre examines the student and issues the report.
Common mistakes that delay the health file
- Booking before the school issues the request letter.
- An old Civil ID address that sends you to a centre on the other side of the country.
- Forgetting the original vaccination card or bringing only a phone photo.
- Arriving late for an evening slot when the centre is crowded.
- Not keeping a copy of the stamped file, which you will need if the child changes school.
Tips for expatriate parents
- Start collecting documents before you travel: a full vaccination record and an attested birth certificate save a lot of time.
- If your child’s Civil ID is not ready yet, ask the school whether the PACI receipt is accepted for the appointment.
- Check the Kuwait school calendar so you book well before the first day of school.
- Keep all medical letters in one folder – schools in Kuwait often ask for them again at transfer time.
- Health insurance through the residency covers government clinics, but school health services are already free.
Frequently asked questions
Is the school health check mandatory in Kuwait?
Yes. Government and private schools cannot complete enrolment without the MOH student health file.
How much does the school health file cost?
It is free for all students, Kuwaiti and expatriate, including catch-up vaccinations.
Can I open the health file at any centre?
No. The online booking assigns the centre for your Civil ID address. Update your PACI address if it is out of date.
What are School Health working hours?
Centres work Sunday to Thursday. In the admission season they usually open 7:30 AM–1:30 PM and 4:00–9:00 PM.
Which documents do I need for the school health file?
The school letter, the child’s and guardian’s Civil IDs with copies, birth certificate, vaccination record and two photos.
My child has missing vaccines from abroad. What happens?
The School Health nurse gives the missing doses free, either on the same day or at a scheduled follow-up visit.
Do private and international schools need the health file?
Yes. The requirement applies to all schools in Kuwait, including Indian, British and American schools.