Geneva school holidays 2026: term dates calendar

Swiss public holidays 2026 in Geneva

Geneva schools close on Swiss federal and Geneva cantonal public holidays. Switzerland sets holidays at canton level, so Geneva keeps its own dates, including the Jeune genevois and the Restoration of the Republic that other cantons do not observe.

Several of these dates sit inside the school breaks, so the practical impact on the school calendar is limited. Ascension on a Thursday is usually paired with a bridging Friday, which the cantonal calendar formalises in May.

Geneva cantonal term dates 2025-26 and 2026-27

The canton of Geneva sets a single calendar for its public primary and secondary schools, covering the city and surrounding communes from Carouge and Lancy to Cologny and Meyrin. The confirmed 2025-26 dates are below.

The full 2026-27 cantonal calendar follows the same shape, with the back-to-school date in late August 2026. Individual schools keep to the cantonal framework, so these dates are reliable for travel planning, but always confirm against your school's published calendar.

International school term dates

Geneva has one of the densest international school markets in Europe, serving the United Nations, diplomatic and multinational communities. These schools run their own calendars rather than the cantonal one:

• British and IB schools open in late August or early September and finish in mid to late June, with terms broken by October, February and spring breaks that broadly track the cantonal dates.
• IB Diploma schools add a May exam window that shapes the final term for the leaving cohort.
• Schools following the French national calendar align to the French academic year, which differs from the Geneva cantonal dates by up to a week or two.

Families with children in different schools, or with one child commuting across the border into France, can find the breaks misalign by a week or more. To understand each programme see our curriculum guides, and for national context our Switzerland country hub.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Geneva families. First, the February break lands squarely in the Alpine ski season, with resorts an hour or two away, so accommodation books up well ahead. Second, the long summer holiday from late June gives nine weeks, which suits extended travel but means childcare planning across July and August. Third, international school fee instalments usually fall at the start of each term in late August, January and after Easter, so plan payment around those dates. Our Geneva international school fees guide sets out the tiers and timing. For families moving between European postings, our London school holidays 2026 calendar shows where the dates overlap.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Geneva for summer 2026? Cantonal schools break up from Monday 29 June 2026. International schools usually finish a little earlier, in mid to late June.

How long is the summer holiday in Geneva? About nine weeks, from late June to the late-August back-to-school date.

When does the 2026 school year start in Geneva? In late August. The 2025-26 year opened on 18 August 2025, so 2026-27 begins in the equivalent week.

What are the Geneva school breaks in 2026? February 23 to 27, Easter 3 to 17 April, Ascension 14 and 15 May, Whit Monday 25 May, then summer from 29 June.

Do international schools follow the cantonal calendar? Not exactly. They keep their own British, IB or French calendar, broadly tracking but not matching the cantonal dates.

Related guides

• Geneva international school fees
• Geneva city guide
• Switzerland country guide