School calendar
UAE school calendar 2026–27
The 2026–27 year for public schools and private schools on the Ministry of Education curriculum, from the Ministry's own calendar: three terms, every break with its length, and the exam weeks.
Applies to: Public schools, and private schools following the UAE Ministry of Education curriculum. Read on the official sources on 3 October 2026.
Next school holidayMid-term breakMonday 12 October 2026in 9 days · 7 days off (5 days of school)
Term dates
| What | Dates | Hijri (Umm al-Qura) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First day for students | Monday 31 August 2026 | 18 Rabiʻ al-Awwal 1448 AH | 18 Rabiʻ al-Awwal 1448 AH |
| Term 2 begins | Monday 4 January 2027 | 26 Rajab 1448 AH | 26 Rajab 1448 AH |
| Term 3 begins | Monday 12 April 2027 | 5 Dhu al-Qaʻdah 1448 AH | 5 Dhu al-Qaʻdah 1448 AH |
| Last day for students | Friday 2 July 2027 | 27 Muharram 1449 AH | 27 Muharram 1449 AH |
Holidays
| What | Dates | Hijri (Umm al-Qura) | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-term break | Monday 12 October 2026 – Friday 16 October 2026back Monday 19 October 2026 | 1 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH – 5 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH | 7 days off (5 days of school) | 1 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH – 5 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH · 7 days off (5 days of school) |
| National Day holiday | Wednesday 2 December 2026 – Friday 4 December 2026back Monday 7 December 2026 | 22 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 24 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH | 5 days off (3 days of school) | 22 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 24 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH · 5 days off (3 days of school) |
| Winter break | Monday 14 December 2026 – Friday 1 January 2027back Monday 4 January 2027 | 5 Rajab 1448 AH – 23 Rajab 1448 AH | 21 days off (15 days of school) | 5 Rajab 1448 AH – 23 Rajab 1448 AH · 21 days off (15 days of school) |
| Eid al-Fitr holiday | Monday 8 March 2027 – Friday 12 March 2027back Monday 15 March 2027 | 29 Ramadan 1448 AH – 4 Shawwal 1448 AH | 7 days off (5 days of school) | 29 Ramadan 1448 AH – 4 Shawwal 1448 AH · 7 days off (5 days of school) |
| Spring break | Monday 5 April 2027 – Friday 9 April 2027back Monday 12 April 2027 | 28 Shawwal 1448 AH – 2 Dhu al-Qaʻdah 1448 AH | 7 days off (5 days of school) | 28 Shawwal 1448 AH – 2 Dhu al-Qaʻdah 1448 AH · 7 days off (5 days of school) |
| Eid al-Adha holiday | Saturday 15 May 2027 – Tuesday 18 May 2027back Wednesday 19 May 2027 | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 AH – 12 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 AH | 4 days off (2 days of school) | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 AH – 12 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 AH · 4 days off (2 days of school) |
| Hijri New Year | Sunday 6 June 2027back Monday 7 June 2027 | 1 Muharram 1449 AH | falls on the weekend | 1 Muharram 1449 AH · falls on the weekend |
Hijri dates are worked out on the Umm al-Qura calendar; a holiday fixed by the moon may move by a day.
Exams
| What | Dates | Hijri (Umm al-Qura) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic exams | Monday 7 September 2026 – Friday 18 September 2026 | 25 Rabiʻ al-Awwal 1448 AH – 7 Rabiʻ al-Thani 1448 AH | 25 Rabiʻ al-Awwal 1448 AH – 7 Rabiʻ al-Thani 1448 AH |
| Mock exams | Wednesday 18 November 2026 – Friday 20 November 2026 | 8 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 10 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH | 8 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 10 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH |
| End-of-term exams | Wednesday 25 November 2026 – Friday 27 November 2026 | 15 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 17 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH | 15 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 17 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH |
| End-of-term exams, continued | Monday 7 December 2026 – Friday 11 December 2026 | 27 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 2 Rajab 1448 AH | 27 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH – 2 Rajab 1448 AH |
| Term 1 make-up exams | Monday 14 December 2026 – Friday 18 December 2026 | 5 Rajab 1448 AH – 9 Rajab 1448 AH | 5 Rajab 1448 AH – 9 Rajab 1448 AH |
| School-based summative assessment | Monday 22 March 2027 – Friday 2 April 2027 | 14 Shawwal 1448 AH – 25 Shawwal 1448 AH | 14 Shawwal 1448 AH – 25 Shawwal 1448 AH |
| Mock exams | Wednesday 9 June 2027 – Friday 11 June 2027 | 4 Muharram 1449 AH – 6 Muharram 1449 AH | 4 Muharram 1449 AH – 6 Muharram 1449 AH |
| End-of-term exams | Wednesday 16 June 2027 – Friday 25 June 2027 | 11 Muharram 1449 AH – 20 Muharram 1449 AH | 11 Muharram 1449 AH – 20 Muharram 1449 AH |
| Make-up and resit exams | Monday 5 July 2027 – Thursday 8 July 2027 | 1 Safar 1449 AH – 4 Safar 1449 AH | 1 Safar 1449 AH – 4 Safar 1449 AH |
What this calendar does not include
- Private schools on other curricula (British, American, IB, Indian…) follow their emirate's regulator — KHDA in Dubai, ADEK in Abu Dhabi, SPEA in Sharjah — and their dates may differ.
- The Eid dates are the ones the calendar plans; the holidays follow the moon sighting and the government's announcement.
Questions
- When does school start in the UAE in 2026?
- Students on the Ministry of Education calendar start on Monday 31 August 2026; teachers and staff return a week earlier.
- When is the UAE winter break 2026?
- From 14 December 2026 to 1 January 2027; school resumes on Monday 4 January 2027.
- When does the 2026–27 school year end?
- The last day for students is Friday 2 July 2027.
- Does this calendar apply to private schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
- Only to private schools that follow the Ministry of Education curriculum. Schools on other curricula follow their emirate's regulator, such as KHDA in Dubai or ADEK in Abu Dhabi.
Sources
Other Gulf school calendars
All school calendarsSaudi ArabiaAutumn breakFriday 20 November 2026in 48 days · 9 days off (5 days of school)
BahrainNational Day holidayWednesday 16 December 2026in 74 days · 4 days off (2 days of school)
KuwaitMid-year breakSunday 24 January 2027in 113 days · 14 days off (10 days of school)