UAE School Calendar Revised: Shorter Breaks Announced

Feb 25, 2026

61 min

Feb 25, 2026 13:32

New UAE school calendar: Are winter, summer and spring breaks shorter now?

## New Academic Calendar Overview

The UAE Ministry of Education has unveiled a fixed three-year school calendar applicable to public and most private schools, covering the academic years from 2026 to 2029. This change aims to provide families with a clear schedule of term dates and holidays.

## Changes in School Holidays

The new calendar introduces shorter holiday periods. The winter break, previously four weeks long, will now be reduced to three weeks each year. Similarly, the spring break is shortened from two weeks to one week, scheduled from April 5 to April 11, 2027, with classes resuming on April 12.

The summer break will be slightly longer due to the academic year starting six days later and ending one day earlier compared to the 2025–26 school year.

## Applicability and Exemptions

Not all schools are affected by this new calendar. Private schools in Sharjah and those following alternative curricula, such as Indian, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani systems, may not be included. These schools might have different start and end dates, as well as varied term break structures. Local education authorities may allow some schools to split a mid-term break between October and February, provided it does not exceed five school days.

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