In this article
Colombia public holidays 2026
Every Bogota school closes for Colombia's national public holidays, of which there are eighteen in 2026, one of the highest counts in the world. Many are shifted to the nearest Monday under the Emiliani Law to create long weekends, which schools fold into their planning. The main dates are below.
| Holiday | Date 2026 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday 1 January |
| Epiphany | Monday 12 January |
| St Joseph's Day | Monday 23 March |
| Maundy Thursday | Thursday 2 April |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April |
| Labour Day | Friday 1 May |
| Ascension | Monday 18 May |
| Corpus Christi | Monday 8 June |
| Sacred Heart | Monday 15 June |
| St Peter and St Paul | Monday 29 June |
| Independence Day | Monday 20 July |
| Battle of Boyaca | Friday 7 August |
| Assumption | Monday 17 August |
| Day of the Races | Monday 12 October |
| All Saints' Day | Monday 2 November |
| Independence of Cartagena | Monday 16 November |
| Immaculate Conception | Tuesday 8 December |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December |
Holy Week, around the end of March and start of April, is a major break in both calendars. The October national recess week is built into the Calendario A school year as a fixed holiday.
Calendario A term dates 2026
The Bogota Secretariat of Education sets the Calendario A school year for state schools. Under Resolution 2433 of October 2025 the 2026 year runs for 40 effective teaching weeks, with classes for pupils from 26 January to 29 November 2026. The breaks are below.
| Period | Dates |
|---|---|
| Classes begin | Monday 26 January 2026 |
| Holy Week | Monday 30 March to Sunday 5 April 2026 |
| Mid-year holiday | Monday 22 June to Monday 6 July 2026 |
| National recess week | Monday 5 to Monday 12 October 2026 |
| Classes end | Sunday 29 November 2026 |
| End of year holiday | from Monday 30 November 2026 |
After classes end on 29 November the long end of year holiday runs through December and January until the next Calendario A year begins in late January 2027. This is the summer style break of the southern calendar, lining up with the December festive season rather than mid year.
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Calendario B and international schools
Many of Bogota's international and bilingual schools follow Calendario B instead, a northern hemisphere year that starts in August 2025 and finishes in June 2026, with the long summer holiday across June, July and August. A representative Calendario B shape is below.
| Period | Dates (Calendario B, indicative) |
|---|---|
| First semester | mid August to mid December 2025 |
| Winter break | late December 2025 to early January 2026 |
| Second semester | January to mid June 2026 |
| Summer break | mid June to mid August 2026 |
Calendario B schools still close for Colombian national holidays, so the long weekends created by the Emiliani Law appear in both calendars. American and IB schools in Bogota typically run this pattern, while British schools add October and February breaks. For how the curricula compare, see our curriculum guides.
Planning the year
Two planning notes. First, the Calendario A mid year break in late June and early July is short, around two weeks, so it is not a long travel window, whereas the December to January break is the real summer holiday for those schools. Calendario B families instead get the long break in June to August. Second, the many Monday public holidays make for frequent long weekends across the year, which are ideal for short trips out of Bogota to the coffee region or the coast. When you are ready to compare schools by calendar and curriculum, the Bogota schools directory lists them side by side.
Exam season and where families settle
Assessment timing splits along the two calendars. Calendario B international schools sit IB Diploma and IGCSE examinations in May and June, so the long summer break follows the most intense stretch of the year for senior students. Calendario A schools assess at the end of each academic period across the January to November year, with the heaviest weeks in the second half. Expatriate and diplomatic families in Bogota tend to settle in the north of the city, around Usaquen, Chico, Rosales and the Chia and Cajica municipalities just beyond the city limits, where many of the larger bilingual and international campuses sit. Reading the exam season against the calendar your school uses tells you whether the real free window is the mid year break, the December holiday or the northern summer.
Common questions
When do schools break up in Bogota? Calendario A state schools end the year on 29 November 2026 and break until late January 2027, with a short mid year break from 22 June to 6 July. Calendario B international schools break up for the summer in June 2026.
How long is the summer holiday in Bogota? Calendario A schools take their long break from late November to late January, around nine weeks across the festive season. Calendario B schools break from June to August, around ten weeks.
When does the 2026 school year start in Bogota? Calendario A classes begin on 26 January 2026. Calendario B schools start their 2026 to 2027 year in August 2026.
What is the difference between Calendario A and Calendario B? Calendario A runs January to November and is used by state and most national schools. Calendario B runs August to June in the northern hemisphere style and is used by many international and bilingual schools.
When is the October recess in Bogota? The national recess week for Calendario A schools runs from 5 to 12 October 2026 and is a fixed part of the school year.