Background: Adolescent depression is a significant health problem which can lead to detrimental consequences on the adolescents, their families and their communities; presence of elevated depressive symptoms is a significant predictor of depression.Objectives: To study the prevalence of depressive symptoms among secondary school students and investigate associated factors.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 20 secondary schools in Dubai, involving students of the 10th, 11th and 12th grades. Self-administered children depression inventory (CDI) was used for assessing depressive symptoms using cutoff point of 19. Socio-demographic data questionnaire was used to investigate the associated factors.Results: The study revealed that based on the children depression inventory (CDI score > 19), about 17.5% of students have elevated depressive symptoms (95% Confidence Intervals = 15.43-19.57), and out of 27 factors affecting depressive symptoms only 9 factors showed a statistically significant predictive effect by stepwise logistic regression analysis. Those were: being Governmental schools with 1.8 odds ratio (95% CI: 1.17-2.85), more than 5 siblings with 1.84 odds ratio (95% CI: 1.19-2.86), bad relationship with parents with 4.89 odds ratio (95% CI: 1.71-14..07), bad relation with colleagues with 2.57 odds ratio (95% CI: 1.66-3.99),no family support with 4.21 odds ratio (95% CI: 2.15-8.29), no colleague support with 1.21 odds ratio (95% CI: 1.14-2.94), physical abuse with 13.2 odds ratio (95% CI: 3.56-48.970), verbal bullying with 4.03 odds ratio (95% CI: 1.89-8.59), and physical inactivity with 2.33 odds ratio (95% CI: 1.52-3.58).Conclusion: Depressive symptoms were found to be common among secondary school students and significantly related to socio-demographic variables. There is a pressing need to prioritize mental health of school students through implementing effective and integrative mental health programs