What is the official 2026–2027 calendar in the UAE?
The UAE Ministry of Education published the 2026–2027 academic calendar for public schools and for private schools that follow the ministry curriculum. It sets 185 school days for students across three terms, along with official holidays and assessment and exam dates. 1 2
When exactly is the winter break?
According to the ministry calendar, the students' winter break runs from Monday 14 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027, and Term 2 starts on Monday 4 January 2027. Because 2 and 3 January fall on the weekend, students are out of school for three full weeks. 1 2
Gulf News presents the break as ending on Sunday 3 January 2027 and notes that these dates apply to schools whose academic year starts in September. 3
When do the three terms start and end?
The school year starts for students on 31 August 2026, and Term 1 ends before the winter break. Term 2 starts on 4 January 2027 and runs until the spring break from 5 to 9 April 2027. Term 3 then starts on 12 April 2027, and the last school day for students is 2 July 2027. 1 2
There are 67 school days in Term 1, 60 in Term 2 and 58 in Term 3, for a total of 185. 2
Do all schools follow the same dates?
The ministry calendar applies to all public schools and to private schools that follow the ministry curriculum. According to the ministry, other private schools may adjust their mid-term breaks in October or February with approval from the local education authority, by up to five days, with specific rules in Sharjah. 1
Local authorities oversee private schools, such as the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, which publishes academic calendar requirements for schools in the emirate, and the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA). Some private schools also follow an academic year that starts in April, so their term and holiday dates differ. 3
KHDA's website shows calendars for individual private schools in Dubai, such as Dubai International Private School. Its calendar also has 185 school days, a winter break from 14 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, a spring break from 5 to 9 April 2027 and a last school day on 2 July 2027, but its mid-term breaks are different: 15 and 16 October 2026, and 8 to 10 February 2027. 4
Official holidays and differences between students and staff
The ministry calendar gives Gregorian dates for official holidays, including the Eid al-Fitr holiday from 8 to 12 March 2027, the Eid al-Adha holiday from 15 to 18 May 2027, and the Islamic New Year on 6 June 2027. 2
These dates are not final, though: on school calendars, KHDA marks public holidays as "tentative and subject to official government announcements." Dubai International Private School's calendar shows the Eid al-Fitr holiday from 8 to 11 March 2027 and the Eid al-Adha holiday on 17 and 18 May 2027. 4
Some dates differ for administrative and teaching staff: specialised staff training takes place from 14 to 18 December 2026, and the staff winter break starts on 21 December 2026, while the students' break starts on 14 December. 2
What does this mean for parents and travellers?
The last school day before the break is Friday 11 December 2026, and schools reopen on Monday 4 January 2027. 3
End-of-Term 1 exams continue from 7 to 11 December 2026, the last week before the break, and Term 1 make-up exams take place from 14 to 18 December. If your child needs a make-up exam, plan to travel after 18 December. 2
These dates apply to schools that follow the ministry calendar. If your child's school follows another curriculum, check its approved calendar before booking travel. In Dubai, KHDA's website shows private schools' calendars. 1 3 4