Bahrain School Holidays 2026

Bahrain public holidays 2026

Every school in Bahrain, government or private, closes on national public holidays. The headline 2026 dates, with Islamic holidays subject to moon sighting, are below.

Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha depend on the lunar calendar and are confirmed by the government one to two days ahead, so build flexibility into return flights when a holiday falls beside the weekend. Bahrain's working week runs Sunday to Thursday, which shapes how breaks line up against the Friday and Saturday weekend.

Ministry term dates 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027

Bahrain's Ministry of Education sets a two-term academic year for government schools. For 2025-26 staff returned on 1 September 2025 and students started on 3 September. The confirmed shape for the rest of the year is below.

The 2026-27 government calendar had not been published at the time of writing, so the September start above is indicative and based on the established pattern. We will update it once the Ministry confirms the dates. First-term final exams for general and technical secondary streams began on 21 December 2025.

International school term dates

Most expat families in Bahrain choose private or international schools, and these do not follow the Ministry's two-term calendar. The dominant patterns are:

• British curriculum schools (British School of Bahrain, St Christopher's, Nadeen and others) run a three-term northern-hemisphere year from early September to early July, with October, February and spring breaks and two half terms.
• American and IB schools (Bahrain Bayan, Ibn Khuldoon National School and similar) work to a two-semester model from late August to mid June, with a fall break and a winter break.
• All sectors overlay the national public holidays above, so Eid, National Day and Ashura close every school regardless of curriculum.

The biggest practical difference is the summer. Government schools break up in late May while British schools teach into early July, so families with children in both sectors juggle two different finish dates. For the curriculum landscape behind these calendars, see our curriculum guides.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Bahrain. First, the long government summer from late May suits families travelling early, before Gulf peak-season airfares to Europe climb in July. Second, international school fees are usually billed per term or semester, so the late-August or early-September restart is when the largest invoice lands; our international school fees in Bahrain guide sets out the tiers and payment timing. Third, exam season for secondary students sits in late May and June, overlapping Eid al-Adha and Ashura, so confirm any clash with your school before booking travel. Bahrain's compact size and the King Fahd Causeway also make weekend trips to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia an easy half-term option.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Bahrain? Government schools end the first term on 12 January 2026 and break for summer after the last teaching day on 25 May. International schools usually finish in late June or early July.

How long is the summer holiday in Bahrain? Government schools take roughly 14 weeks from late May to early September. International schools on a British or American calendar take a shorter summer of about seven to eight weeks.

When does the 2026 to 2027 school year start in Bahrain? Government schools generally resume in the first week of September. International schools start in late August or early September. The 2026-27 dates were not yet published and are shown as indicative.

Does Ramadan change the holiday calendar? Ramadan, expected from around 18 February to 19 March 2026, shortens the school day but does not add or remove holidays. The Eid al-Fitr that follows is a public holiday for every school.

Related guides

• Bahrain city guide
• International school fees in Bahrain
• Compare curricula