Beijing School Holidays 2026

China public holidays 2026

Every school in Beijing closes on China's national public holidays. The State Council confirmed the 2026 schedule in November 2025; the statutory dates, several extended by adjacent make-up working weekends, are below.

The 2026 Spring Festival break is nine days, the longest in the modern calendar. Several Saturdays, including 14 February and 28 February, are designated make-up working days to offset the extended breaks, so confirm whether your school treats them as teaching days.

Beijing local term dates 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027

Beijing local schools work a two-semester year. The autumn semester started on 1 September 2025. The typical municipal shape for the rest of the year is below; exact dates are set by the Education Commission and vary slightly by district.

The detailed 2025-26 winter and 2026-27 dates had not been published by the Beijing Municipal Education Commission at the time of writing, so the winter and September figures above are indicative and follow the established pattern. For 2024-25 the compulsory-school summer ran from 7 July to 31 August, an eight-week guide for what 2026 is likely to resemble. China's national framework is set out in our China country guide.

International school term dates

Expat families in Beijing mostly choose international schools, which do not follow the municipal two-semester calendar. The dominant patterns are:

• British and IB schools (Dulwich, BSB Shunyi, Yew Chung and similar) run a three-term northern-hemisphere year from late August to mid June, with October and spring breaks.
• American schools (International School of Beijing, Western Academy of Beijing) work a two-semester model from late August to mid June, with a fall break and a winter break.
• All international schools build the statutory Spring Festival week and the National Day Golden Week into their calendars, so these national holidays close every school in the city.

The key difference from the local sector is the summer. International schools finish in mid June and restart in late August, a longer summer than the eight-week local break but shifted earlier. For the curriculum landscape behind these calendars, see our curriculum guides.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Beijing. First, the Spring Festival week in February is the single busiest travel period in China; book domestic and outbound flights months ahead or plan to stay in the city while it empties out. Second, international school fees are billed by semester, so the late-August restart is when the larger invoice falls; our international school fees in Beijing guide covers the tiers and timing. Third, the National Day Golden Week in early October is a natural week for regional travel but coincides with peak prices, so the October half term at international schools is often a better window. IB and A-level exam season runs through May, overlapping Labour Day, so confirm any clash before booking.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Beijing? Local schools break for winter around mid to late January 2026 and for summer in early July. International schools break for summer in mid June.

How long is the summer holiday in Beijing? Local compulsory schools take about eight weeks from early July to the end of August. International schools take roughly ten weeks from mid June to late August.

When does the 2026 school year start in Beijing? The local autumn semester starts on or around 1 September. International schools start in mid to late August. The 2026-27 dates were not yet published and are shown as indicative.

How does Spring Festival affect Beijing schools? The winter vacation is built around the Spring Festival, which falls on 15 to 23 February 2026. Local schools take three to four weeks; international schools close for at least the statutory week.

Related guides

• Beijing city guide
• International school fees in Beijing
• China country guide