UAE School Calendar 2026–2029: Term Dates, Holidays and Dubai Checks

UAE school calendar at a glance

The UAE Ministry of Education has approved the main academic calendar for 2026–2027, 2027–2028 and 2028–2029. For schools following the August-start calendar, the next academic year begins on Monday, 31 August 2026 and ends on Friday, 2 July 2027.

The three-year schedule gives families confirmed planning dates for the start and end of each academic year, the first-semester mid-term break, winter break and spring break. It does not fix every school closure. Public holidays tied to the Hijri calendar, staff-development days and school-specific dates can still affect attendance.

Dubai parents should use the Ministry calendar as the national baseline and then check the individual school calendar published through KHDA. This is especially important for private schools that begin their academic year in April rather than August.

UAE school term dates for 2026–2027

Students on the standard August-start calendar return on 31 August 2026. The first-semester mid-term break runs from Monday, 12 October through Sunday, 18 October, with classes resuming on Monday, 19 October.

Winter break begins on Monday, 14 December 2026 and continues through Sunday, 3 January 2027. Schools resume on Monday, 4 January 2027.

Spring break for students runs from Monday, 5 April through Sunday, 11 April 2027. Classes resume on Monday, 12 April. The final day of the academic year is Friday, 2 July 2027.

These dates provide the national framework. A school may communicate additional staff training, assessment or operational dates to its own community, while public holidays remain subject to the relevant government announcement.

UAE school term dates for 2027–2028

The 2027–2028 academic year begins on Monday, 30 August 2027. The first-semester mid-term break is scheduled from Monday, 11 October through Sunday, 17 October, and students return on Monday, 18 October.

Winter break runs from Monday, 13 December 2027 through Sunday, 2 January 2028. Classes resume on Monday, 3 January 2028.

Spring break is scheduled from Monday, 27 March through Sunday, 2 April 2028. Students return on Monday, 3 April. The academic year ends on Friday, 30 June 2028.

Families planning travel far in advance should still choose flexible bookings. A confirmed school-break window does not confirm an airline schedule, public-holiday extension or each school's last lesson, exam and reporting arrangements.

UAE school term dates for 2028–2029

Students begin the 2028–2029 academic year on Monday, 28 August 2028. The first-semester mid-term break runs from Monday, 16 October through Sunday, 22 October, with classes resuming on Monday, 23 October.

Winter break is scheduled from Monday, 11 December 2028 through Monday, 1 January 2029. Schools resume on Tuesday, 2 January 2029.

The Ministry's English calendar lists spring break from Thursday, 29 March through Sunday, 1 April 2029, with classes resuming on Monday, 2 April. The Arabic Ministry announcement describes the spring-break start as 26 March. Because the two official language versions are not aligned on that start date, families should verify the live calendar and their school's approved schedule before booking.

The school year ends on Friday, 29 June 2029. Treat the spring-break discrepancy as a reason to reconfirm, not as permission to choose the longer period.

Do all Dubai private schools follow these dates?

KHDA says the UAE Government issues the academic calendar and all private schools in Dubai must follow the dates specified in the approved calendar. However, Dubai's private-school sector includes different curriculum cycles and individual approved calendars.

Many British, American, IB and other international-curriculum schools use an August or September start. A number of Indian, Pakistani and other schools use an April-start academic year. An April-start school will not simply copy the August-start term structure shown above.

KHDA provides a school-specific calendar tool. Search for the exact school and academic year to see its approved start, end, winter break, spring break, staff-development days and other closures. Use the school's current parent communication for arrival times, induction, assessments and class-specific attendance.

The mid-term break flexibility rule

The Ministry requires schools to observe the first-semester mid-term break in the approved calendar. Local education authorities may allow a private school that does not follow the Ministry curriculum to divide that break between October and February.

Where the flexibility is approved, the combined break cannot exceed five school days and must suit the school's operational needs. The Ministry announcement says the arrangement does not apply to Sharjah private schools, which continue under the emirate's established regulatory framework.

Parents should not assume that another Dubai school's October or February closure applies to their child. Check the exact KHDA-approved calendar and the school's notice before arranging leave.

Are UAE public holidays included?

National and religious public holidays can close schools, but some Islamic dates depend on official sighting and government confirmation. A school calendar may display an expected date while marking it tentative.

Do not convert an estimated Hijri date into a non-refundable trip without checking the final announcement. The date observed by schools can also be affected by the official holiday decision and the school's normal weekend.

The most reliable sequence is: check the federal announcement, check KHDA or the responsible local education authority, then read the school's parent notice. A forwarded calendar or travel-site graphic is not the final authority.

How to check your child's exact Dubai calendar

Start at KHDA's academic-calendar page and open the school calendar tool. Search using the school's full registered name rather than a brand abbreviation, because branches can have separate entries.

Select the correct academic year and confirm whether the school is August-start or April-start. Note the first and last student days, winter and spring breaks, mid-term breaks, professional-development dates and public holidays marked tentative.

Compare the result with the latest school email or parent portal. Contact the registrar if the school communication and KHDA page differ, particularly before buying travel or arranging a child's first day.

Planning travel around school holidays

Use the official break dates as boundaries, not automatic travel days. The last scheduled school day may include lessons, an assessment or an attendance requirement. Returning after classes resume can create an unauthorised absence under the school's policy.

Check passport validity, visa or residency requirements and the destination's entry rules before paying. Leave enough time for airport demand during major UAE school breaks and choose changeable bookings when a public-holiday date has not been formally confirmed.

If siblings attend different schools, compare both approved calendars line by line. Different curriculum cycles, professional-development days or authorised mid-term arrangements can reduce the period when the entire family is free.

Back-to-school planning for 31 August 2026

Confirm the school's first-day time, gate, bus route and uniform instructions rather than relying only on the national start date. New students may have an induction schedule, while some year groups can be asked to arrive at different times.

Update emergency contacts, medical information and authorised pickup details in the parent portal. Check the school-transport provider directly if bus routes or collection times are not visible.

Allow extra travel time during the first week. School zones are busier, routes can change and the UAE's Accident-Free Day road-safety campaign coincides with the beginning of the academic year.

The bottom line

For the standard UAE calendar, students return on 31 August 2026, with a mid-term break in October, winter break from 14 December to 3 January, spring break from 5 to 11 April and the year ending on 2 July 2027. The Ministry has also published the main dates through June 2029.

The national calendar is the right starting point, but the individual school calendar is the final practical check. Dubai families should confirm their school through KHDA, distinguish August-start from April-start schedules and wait for official announcements on tentative public holidays.