Dubai international school holidays and term dates 2026

The school year in 2025 to 2026

Almost all expat families in Dubai choose international schools, and every private school in the emirate sits within the unified academic calendar set by KHDA and the UAE Ministry of Education. For the wider picture of schools and stages, see our international schools in Dubai directory, and for fee timing across the year our guide to international school fees in Dubai. The unified framework for the 2025 to 2026 year runs as follows.

This is the unified framework that KHDA confirms for the emirate. Private schools keep some flexibility over staff training days, the phased return at the start of the year and the exact half-term pattern, provided they meet the Ministry's minimum of 182 school days, so treat the precise start and finish as indicative until each school publishes its own calendar.

The 2026 to 2027 year

The UAE has published the unified calendar for the years ahead, and the 2026 to 2027 year tightens the winter and spring breaks compared with 2025 to 2026. The next academic year begins on 31 August 2026 and ends on 2 July 2027.

The headline change is a shorter winter break of around three weeks rather than four, and a one-week rather than two-week spring break, so families who travel in those windows should note the difference when booking ahead.

Public holidays that close schools

Whatever calendar a school follows, the UAE public holidays close every school in Dubai. The dates that matter most for families in 2026 are below. Islamic holidays depend on the sighting of the moon and are only confirmed close to the time, so treat those dates as expected rather than fixed.

The spring break in mid to late March often falls close to Eid Al Fitr, and the Eid Al Adha holiday in late May can extend into a long weekend, so families who travel should watch both windows. Schools publish how any extra Eid days are applied once the dates are confirmed.

How international schools vary

The unified calendar is the spine, but British, IB and American schools in Dubai often run a northern-hemisphere year that finishes in mid June rather than early July, with their own October and February half-term patterns. All of them still close for the UAE public holidays above. If you are comparing schools, expect the broad shape to match while the precise start, finish and half-term dates differ by a few days, so always check the individual school calendar before booking travel. If you are also choosing a school, the school finder filters Dubai schools by curriculum, area and stage.

Planning the 2026 year

Three practical points for families planning the year in Dubai. First, the spring break in March is the main mid-year travel window and often sits near Eid Al Fitr, so book flights early as demand peaks across the UAE. Second, international school fees are usually billed by term, and the August restart is when the larger invoice falls; our guide to international school fees in Dubai covers the bands and timing. Third, A-level and IB examinations run through May, overlapping the Eid Al Adha period, so senior families should check for any clash before booking travel. Families with younger children can also see stage-specific timing in our Dubai primary schools guide, and those planning a mid-year move should read our Dubai admissions deadlines 2026 page.

Dubai school holidays 2026: FAQ

Related reading

• Dubai admissions deadlines 2026
• International schools in Dubai: the directory
• International school fees in Dubai
• Dubai primary schools