UAE School Calendar 2026-2029 Released: Term Dates and Holidays for Next 3 Academic Years

Dubai, UAE — The UAE Ministry of Education has unveiled a new long-term academic calendar that lays out school term dates and holiday schedules for the next three school years — 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 — for both public and private schools across the country, providing unprecedented planning clarity for families, students and educators. This landmark move is aimed at giving families, students and educators clarity and consistency when planning far ahead, and marks a significant shift toward a more stable and sustainable education framework nationwide that reduces uncertainty and supports better outcomes.

Officials say the decision to establish a multi-year calendar reflects a broader strategy to strengthen the education system in the UAE, striking a balance between instructional days and high-quality learning outcomes while also accommodating key social and developmental priorities that matter to families. In essence, the government is hoping to reduce scheduling uncertainty and support better planning for academics, events, assessments and extracurricular activities that enrich student experience.

2026-2027 School Year — Key Dates

The 2026-27 academic year will begin on 31 August 2026, with students across the UAE returning to classrooms after the summer break ready for a new year of learning. The first term will include a mid-term break from 12 October to 18 October 2026, allowing students and teachers to rest and recharge before resuming classes on 19 October with renewed energy.

Winter break — historically one of the longest holidays in the school year and a favourite time for family travel — has been scheduled from 14 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the new term starting again on 4 January 2027. This extended break accommodates both holiday celebrations and family time.

In addition, there will be a spring break between 5 April and 11 April 2027, after which schools will reopen on 12 April for the final push toward year-end assessments. The academic year is set to conclude on 2 July 2027, marking the start of summer vacation.

This clear structure of start and end dates, interspersed with holidays at predictable intervals, gives parents and students a dependable rhythm for planning family holidays, exams, extracurricular commitments and other important events well in advance. Notably, the Ministry has stressed that schools should hold final assessments or complete curriculum requirements during the last week of each term to ensure students attend right up until the final school day, maintaining academic rigour throughout.

2027-2028 — What's in Store

For the following year, the academic calendar maintains a similar pattern with slight adjustments that keep the overall structure familiar while accommodating calendar shifts. The 2027-28 school year will begin on 30 August 2027, continuing the late August start that has become standard.

The mid-term break in Term 1 will fall from 11 October to 17 October 2027, with students going back to school on 18 October. Winter vacation will run from 13 December 2027 to 2 January 2028, once again providing a substantial break over the holiday season.

Spring break will take place from 27 March to 2 April 2028, with classes resuming on 3 April. The final day of the academic year will be 30 June 2028, slightly earlier than the previous year due to calendar alignment.

This close alignment of term lengths and breaks from one year to the next gives the education system a predictable cycle and also helps with setting national exam dates, scheduling teacher professional development periods and coordinating with private schools' planning calendars. Consistency benefits everyone involved in education.

2028-2029 — Continued Structure

The third year covered by the calendar — 2028-29 — begins on 28 August 2028, continuing the pattern of late August starts. The first-term break will run from 16 October to 22 October 2028, with classes restarting on 23 October.

Winter break will be scheduled from 11 December 2028 to 1 January 2029, providing families with another substantial holiday period over the New Year. Spring break will take place from 26 March to 1 April 2029, with the new term beginning on 2 April 2029.

The final day of school for the year will be 29 June 2029, maintaining the pattern of late June conclusions that allow for summer planning.

Flexibility and Implementation

While the calendar sets compulsory mid-term breaks during the first term, the Ministry has also given local education authorities some flexibility in how they implement the break for private schools that do not follow the national curriculum. These schools may split the mid-term break between October and February as long as the total number of days does not exceed five and operational requirements are met, accommodating different pedagogical approaches.

This exception does not apply to private schools in Sharjah, which must follow the emirate's own regulatory framework under the Sharjah Private Education Authority, ensuring consistency within that emirate's education system.

Notably, the new school calendar does not extend to private schools that follow alternative curricula (such as Indian, Bangladeshi or Pakistani systems), though parents and educators in such institutions are encouraged to consult their own academic calendars for detailed scheduling information specific to their curriculum requirements.

Benefits of Multi-Year Planning

The Ministry has emphasised that adopting a three-year plan plays an important role in improving education sector preparedness, supporting resource management and enabling schools to coordinate their programmes well in advance. This long-term view allows for:

Better family planning — Parents can schedule holidays, plan childcare arrangements, and coordinate work commitments with school breaks years in advance, reducing last-minute stress.

Improved school operations — Administrators can plan teacher professional development, facility maintenance, and curriculum delivery with confidence about available time.

Enhanced student outcomes — Consistent scheduling supports learning continuity and reduces disruption from uncertain dates.

Efficient resource allocation — Government and school resources can be allocated more effectively when future dates are known.

Officials say that this vision ultimately positions schools as central pillars in shaping the future generations of the UAE, providing stability that supports both academic excellence and personal development.

Key Takeaways for Parents

For parents planning ahead, the key dates to remember across all three years are:

• School year start: Late August (31st, 30th, 28th respectively)
• Term 1 break: Mid-October (approximately 12-18th)
• Winter break: Mid-December to early January
• Spring break: Late March to early April
• School year end: Late June to early July (2nd, 30th, 29th respectively)

These predictable patterns allow for long-term planning while maintaining the rhythm of the academic year.

Also Read: The Ultimate Guide to Theme Parks and Family Fun in Dubai for 2026

Looking Ahead

The release of this multi-year calendar represents a significant step forward for UAE education, bringing predictability and stability to a sector that serves hundreds of thousands of students. By looking three years ahead, the Ministry is signalling its commitment to long-term planning and its confidence in the continued development of the nation's education system.

Parents and educators can now plan with confidence, knowing when their children will be in school and when breaks will occur for years to come.

Three-year calendar. Predictable breaks. Stable planning. UAE education moves forward.