UAE schools reopen August 31, 2026 with unified term dates and key holiday breaks

Most schools across the UAE reopen on August 31, 2026, marking the start of the 2026–27 academic year. The majority of public and private schools follow a unified calendar that sets standard dates for terms and major holidays, giving families a consistent framework to plan around.

For schools on the unified calendar, the key dates are: Academic year begins August 31, 2026; First-term mid-term break October 12–18, 2026; Classes resume October 19, 2026; Winter break December 14, 2026 – January 3, 2027; Classes resume January 4, 2027; Spring break April 5–11, 2027; Classes resume April 12, 2027; Academic year ends July 2, 2027.

Sharjah's private schools also begin on August 31, 2026, but follow their own regulatory framework through the Sharjah Private Education Authority. Their winter break matches the unified calendar, but spring break runs April 5–8, with classes resuming April 12 and the year wrapping up a day earlier, on July 1, 2027.

Not every school follows the standard calendar. Private schools in Sharjah operate under the emirate's own rules, and schools following certain Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi curricula may run entirely different academic years, some starting in April rather than September and finishing in March, provided they hit a minimum of 182 instructional days. Public holidays worth marking include Eid Al Fitr (March 8–12, 2027), Eid Al Adha (May 15–18, 2027), and the Hijri New Year (June 6, 2027).