Warsaw school holidays 2026

Polish public holidays 2026

Every Warsaw school closes on Polish national public holidays. Two of them move with Easter; the rest are fixed.

The early May cluster of Labour Day and Constitution Day, often bridged with the weekend, creates the majowka long weekend, one of the most popular short-break windows in Poland. Corpus Christi in early June is another reliable bridging day.

Warsaw term dates 2025-26 and 2026-27

The Polish Ministry of Education sets a national calendar, with the winter break dates split into groups of regions so that demand on the mountains is spread out. Warsaw sits in the Masovian region. The headline 2025-26 dates for Warsaw are below.

The two-week ferie zimowe is the distinctive Polish break, and because Warsaw shares its dates with only some other regions each year, January ski prices in the Tatras swing sharply with the rotation. The 2026-27 calendar had not been published in full at the time of writing. Expect the year to open at the start of September 2026, with the Masovian winter break dates confirmed by the Ministry later; treat any 2026-27 figure as indicative until then.

International school term dates

Warsaw's international schools (the American School of Warsaw, the British School Warsaw, the International European School, Akademeia and others) set their own term dates aligned to their home curriculum rather than the Ministry calendar. British schools run three terms with two half terms, American schools a two-semester model, and the IB schools a calendar close to the British pattern.

The largest divergence is the winter. International schools take a one to two week break around the Western Christmas and a separate ski week in February, while the Polish system runs a single moveable two-week winter break in January or February instead. All of them still close on the Polish national public holidays in the table above. For the cost picture across the market see our international school fees in Warsaw guide, and to weigh the curricula read the curriculum guide.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Warsaw families. First, the Masovian winter break in late January is the prime domestic ski window; book mountain accommodation by autumn, because the rotation means rooms fill fast when Warsaw and the larger regions share dates. Second, the early May majowka long weekend is the unofficial start of the Polish travel season and a good, cheaper alternative to a longer trip. Third, the Polish state exams, including the matura, run in May, so keep family travel out of that window if you have a child in an exam year. For the cost of living and visa context behind a move read the Poland country guide, and to compare districts return to the Warsaw city guide.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Warsaw for summer 2026? State schools finish the year on Friday 26 June 2026, the last Friday in June. International schools generally finish a little earlier, in mid June.

How long is the summer holiday in Warsaw? The Polish state summer break runs from the end of June to the end of August, about nine weeks. International schools take a similar break.

When is the winter break in Warsaw in 2026? For 2025-26 the Masovian winter break (ferie zimowe) runs from 19 January to 1 February 2026. The dates rotate by region each year.

When does the 2026 to 2027 school year start in Warsaw? The Polish school year starts on 1 September, or the next working day if that is a weekend, so expect early September 2026.

Do international schools in Warsaw follow the Polish calendar? No. They set their own term dates aligned to their home curriculum but still close on Polish national public holidays.

Related guides

• International school fees in Warsaw 2026
• Warsaw city guide
• London school holidays 2026