The UAE school academic calendar has been fixed in advance for 2026–2029, giving parents, schools, and travel planners long-range clarity. The move sets start and end dates, semester breaks, and rules for final assessments — while allowing narrow exemptions for some private schools.
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MoE Confirms Three-Year Academic Calendar
The Ministry published a three-year academic calendar covering the 2026–27, 2027–28, and 2028–29 school years. The calendar applies to all public schools and most private schools following the Ministry curriculum. Officials say the plan strengthens readiness, improves resource management, and helps schools plan extracurricular and academic programmes well ahead.
Academic calendar details for 2026–2029
The Ministry has outlined fixed start and end dates for each of the next three academic years, along with confirmed mid-term, winter, and spring breaks.
2026–2027 Academic Year
- The school year will begin on August 31, 2026, and conclude on July 2, 2027.
- Students will observe a first-semester mid-term break from October 12 to October 18, 2026, with classes resuming on October 19.
- The winter break will run from December 14, 2026, to January 3, 2027, and students will return to classrooms on January 4, 2027.
- A spring break is scheduled from April 5 to April 11, 2027, with schools reopening on April 12, 2027.
2027–2028 Academic Year
- For the following year, the academic term will commence on August 30, 2027, and end on June 30, 2028.
- The mid-term break will take place from October 11 to October 17, 2027, with students returning on October 18.
- Winter holidays are scheduled from December 13, 2027, to January 2, 2028, with classes resuming on January 3, 2028.
- The spring break will fall between March 27 and April 2, 2028, and schools will reopen on April 3, 2028.
2028–2029 Academic Year
- The 2028–2029 academic year will begin on August 28, 2028, and conclude on June 29, 2029.
- Students will take their mid-term break from October 16 to October 22, 2028, returning to school on October 23.
- The winter break will run from December 11, 2028, to January 1, 2029, with classes resuming on January 2, 2029.
- Finally, the spring break is scheduled from March 29 to April 1, 2029, and students will return on April 2, 2029.
*These dates are the Ministry’s published framework. Individual schools will publish detailed term timetables and exam weeks.
Mid-Term Policy and Key Exemptions
- Mid-term break: All schools must observe the official first-semester mid-term break. Local education authorities may allow private schools that do not follow the MoE curriculum to split the mid-term break between October and February. The total split must not exceed five school days.
- Sharjah: Private schools in Sharjah remain governed by the emirate’s own regulatory framework and may operate on different dates. Parents in Sharjah should confirm with their school.
- Final week requirement: Schools must hold final assessments or complete curriculum requirements in the last week of each term to ensure attendance through the final school day. This requirement excludes grades sitting pre-scheduled international exams.
- Alternative curricula: The three-year calendar does not automatically apply to private schools following certain alternative curricula (for example, some Indian, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani systems). Those schools may issue aligned but separate timetables.
Advance Planning and Implementation
- Planning: Fixed dates mean easier vacation planning, childcare bookings, and extracurricular scheduling. Travel agents and airlines may see earlier demand windows around the winter break.
- Operational gains for schools: Advance certainty helps with staffing, exam timetables, resourcing, and budgeting for school events.
- Multiple patterns remain: Despite the unified calendar, exemptions will leave multiple holiday patterns in operation across the UAE. Parents must check each school’s announced calendar.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has also released a three-year academic calendar for universities and higher education institutions, covering the same 2026–2029 period. Universities will publish their term and semester timetables in line with that framework
