Oslo school holidays 2026

Norwegian public holidays 2026

Every Oslo school closes on Norway's national public holidays. The Easter cluster moves each year; the rest are fixed.

Constitution Day on 17 May is the great national celebration, with the children's parade past the Royal Palace, and Oslo effectively stops for it. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday. The May cluster of Labour Day, Ascension, Constitution Day and Whit Monday makes late spring a patchwork of long weekends.

Oslo term dates 2025-26 and 2026-27

Oslo kommune sets the municipal school calendar by regulation. The 2025-26 year runs from mid August with an autumn break, the long February winter holiday and an Easter break. The headline dates are below.

The February winter holiday in week 8 is the defining Norwegian break and the busiest ski week of the year, when cabins across the country fill up. The 2026-27 calendar had not been confirmed in full at the time of writing; expect the year to open in the third week of August 2026 with an autumn break around week 40, but treat any 2026-27 figure as indicative until Oslo kommune publishes the regulation.

International school term dates

Oslo's international schools, including the Oslo International School, the British International School of Oslo and the Children's International School branches, set their own term dates aligned to their home curriculum rather than the municipal skoleruta. British-pattern schools run three terms with two half terms, the IB schools follow a close variant, and the result is a year that broadly tracks, but does not exactly match, the Oslo kommune calendar.

The closest point of overlap is the February winter holiday, which international schools keep in line with the Norwegian week 8 so that families across both systems share the main ski break. The largest divergence is the Christmas period, where international schools typically take a fuller two-week break, and the summer, which can start a few days earlier than the municipal mid-June finish. All of them still close on the Norwegian national public holidays in the table above. To weigh the different programmes read the curriculum guide.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Oslo families. First, the February winter holiday in week 8 is the single most important date to book early, because demand for mountain cabins and flights peaks sharply that week. Second, the autumn break in early October is a calmer, cheaper alternative for a family trip, and pairs well with the shoulder-season prices. Third, the dense run of May public holidays around Constitution Day means several short weeks late in the spring term, so plan exam revision and any travel around them. For the cost of living, residence and visa context behind a move read the Norway country guide, and to compare districts and schools return to the Oslo city guide.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Oslo for summer 2026? Municipal schools finish on Friday 19 June 2026, which starts the summer break. International schools finish around the same time or a few days earlier.

How long is the summer holiday in Oslo? The Norwegian summer break runs from the third week of June to mid August, about eight to nine weeks.

When is the winter holiday in Oslo in 2026? The winter holiday (vinterferie) runs from Monday 16 to Friday 20 February 2026, week 8.

When is the Easter holiday in Oslo in 2026? The Easter holiday runs from Monday 30 March to Monday 6 April 2026.

Do international schools in Oslo follow the Norwegian calendar? No. They set their own term dates aligned to their curriculum but keep a February break close to week 8 and still close on Norwegian national public holidays.

Related guides

• Oslo city guide
• Stockholm school holidays 2026
• London school holidays 2026