Zurich school holidays 2026: term dates and calendar

Zurich public holidays 2026

Schools in Zurich close on Swiss federal and Canton Zurich public holidays. The city also keeps two local observances, Sechselauten and Knabenschiessen. The 2026 dates are:

Sechselauten, the spring guild festival, and Knabenschiessen, the September shooting festival, are city of Zurich holidays when schools in the city close, although schools elsewhere in the canton may not. They are worth marking because they fall outside the standard school breaks.

Canton Zurich school holidays 2025-26 and 2026-27

Canton Zurich publishes a single approved holiday calendar that all state schools in the city follow, so there is no borough-level variation as in some countries. The dates for the current and next school years are:

Two features stand out. The summer holiday is only about five weeks, far shorter than in Britain or the Gulf, because the time is spread across the year. The February sports holiday is a Swiss institution, traditionally used for skiing, and it is the break that surprises new arrivals most.

International school term dates

Zurich's international schools follow a northern-hemisphere August to June year that runs close to the cantonal calendar but is organised into terms or semesters with their own break dates. The Inter-Community School Zurich and Zurich International School, both teaching the International Baccalaureate alongside other programmes, open in mid to late August and finish in June, with an autumn break around October, a winter break at Christmas, a February break that often aligns with the Swiss sports holiday and a spring break around Easter. SIS Swiss International School and the bilingual schools sit on a similar rhythm.

Because the international schools share the same broad shape as the canton, the holidays mostly line up for families with children in both systems, with the main difference being that international schools take a slightly longer summer break into late June and a Christmas break that can run two to three weeks. The February break aligns often enough that ski-week trips work across siblings. To compare programmes, see our curriculum guides, and for the wider national view our Switzerland schools guide.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Zurich families. First, international school fees are billed by term or semester, with the largest invoice due before the August start; our Zurich international school fees guide gives the ranges. Second, the February sports holiday is the busiest and most expensive week in the Swiss and Austrian mountains, so book ski accommodation by autumn or travel in a different week. Third, the short five-week summer holiday means long-haul home visits are tight; many families use the longer Christmas and spring breaks for travel instead. For the wider context, our Zurich city guide covers where international families settle.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Zurich? Canton Zurich state schools break up for summer in mid-July, in 2026 on 13 July through to 14 August. Autumn, Christmas, sports and spring breaks fall through the year.

How long is the summer holiday in Zurich? About five weeks. In 2026 it runs from Monday 13 July to Friday 14 August, with school back on Monday 17 August.

When does the 2026 school year start in Zurich? The continuous August to July year restarts on Monday 17 August 2026. International schools also begin in mid to late August.

What is the sports holiday in Zurich? A two-week February break for winter sport. In Canton Zurich it runs 9 to 20 February 2026.

Related guides

• Zurich international school fees
• Zurich city guide
• London school holidays 2026