Relocate2UAE · Family Planning Guide
Term dates, half-terms, Eid and public holidays across every emirate and every curriculum, checked line by line against the Ministry of Education's official calendar.
Islamic holiday dates depend on moon sighting and official announcement. Individual schools set their own half-terms and training days. Always confirm with your school before booking anything non-refundable.
The MOE has published start, break and end dates through to June 2029, so you can plan more than one year ahead.
The shift began in April 2026 and changes long-standing April–March holiday patterns.
From 2026–27, children joining August/September-start schools must reach the required age by 31 December, not 31 August.
Twelve sections, ordered the way most families actually need them.
There is no single school calendar in the UAE. There are four overlapping frameworks, and the one that governs your family depends on the emirate you live in and the curriculum your child follows.
| Framework | Who it covers | Where it can differ |
|---|---|---|
| MOE unified calendar | Public schools nationwide, and private schools teaching the MOE curriculum | Very little. This is the fixed national spine. |
| KHDA (Dubai) | All private schools in Dubai, across every curriculum | October half-term, February half-term, training days |
| ADEK (Abu Dhabi) | Private schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra | Each school publishes its own ADEK-approved calendar |
| SPEA (Sharjah) | Private schools in Sharjah, not those following Indian or Pakistani curricula | Spring break and the last day of the year |
Use the national dates in this guide to work out roughly when you can travel. Use your own school's published calendar to actually book. Schools add training days, phased starts and their own half-terms that never appear in the national headlines, and a single misaligned day can cost you a rebooked flight.
Student dates under the UAE unified academic calendar, with the day of the week for each.
| Key date | 2026–2027 | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff return to school | Mon 24 Aug 2026 | Confirmed | Training week, 24–28 August |
| Prophet's Birthday holiday | Fri 28 Aug 2026 | Confirmed | Observed date; falls in the summer break |
| First day for students | Mon 31 Aug 2026 | Confirmed | Same first day back nationwide |
| Term 1 mid-term break | Mon 12 – Fri 16 Oct 2026 | Confirmed | Back on Mon 19 October |
| National Day closure | Wed 2 – Fri 4 Dec 2026 | Confirmed | Public holiday 2–3 Dec; MOE also closes Fri 4 |
| Winter break | Mon 14 Dec 2026 – Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Confirmed | Back on Mon 4 January |
| Term 2 begins | Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Confirmed | — |
| Eid Al Fitr holiday | Mon 8 – Fri 12 Mar 2027 | Expected | Subject to moon sighting; back Mon 15 March |
| Spring break | Mon 5 – Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Confirmed | Back on Mon 12 April |
| Term 3 begins | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Confirmed | — |
| Eid Al Adha holiday | Sat 15 – Tue 18 May 2027 | Expected | Only two school days lost; back Wed 19 May |
| Hijri New Year | Sun 6 Jun 2027 | Expected | Falls on a weekend, no extra day off |
| Last day for students | Fri 2 Jul 2027 | Confirmed | Summer break begins Mon 5 July |
| Next year begins | Mon 30 Aug 2027 | Confirmed | Already fixed by the MOE |
National Day. The public holiday is Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. But the MOE school calendar closes schools for 2–4 December, adding the Friday. Many online guides list only 2–3 December.
Prophet's Birthday. The Hijri date falls on Tuesday 25 August 2026. The UAE has since moved the observed public holiday to Friday 28 August 2026 under the holiday-transfer rule. Either way, students are still on summer break.
Note on how breaks are written. The MOE calendar lists mid-term and spring breaks as school days, 12–16 October and 5–9 April. Press coverage usually adds the surrounding weekend. Both describe the same break. This guide uses school days in tables and gives the real length of each break, weekends included, in section 02.
The number that matters when pricing flights is the number of nights between the last bell and the first morning back.
| Break | Last day of school | Away from school | Back on | Total days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October mid-term | Fri 9 Oct 2026 | Sat 10 – Sun 18 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | 9 |
| National Day | Tue 1 Dec 2026 | Wed 2 – Sun 6 Dec | Mon 7 Dec | 5 |
| Winter | Fri 11 Dec 2026 | Sat 12 Dec – Sun 3 Jan | Mon 4 Jan 2027 | 23 |
| Eid Al Fitr (expected) | Fri 5 Mar 2027 | Sat 6 – Sun 14 Mar | Mon 15 Mar | 9 |
| Spring | Fri 2 Apr 2027 | Sat 3 – Sun 11 Apr | Mon 12 Apr | 9 |
| Eid Al Adha (expected) | Fri 14 May 2027 | Sat 15 – Tue 18 May | Wed 19 May | 4 |
| Summer | Fri 2 Jul 2027 | Sat 3 Jul – Sun 29 Aug | Mon 30 Aug 2027 | 58 |
October, Eid Al Fitr and spring each give a clean nine days, two weekends and a full week. That is enough for long-haul, and all three sit outside European and North American school holidays, which keeps fares and crowds down.
Twenty-three days is the longest break and the most contested. Fares out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the second half of December are typically the highest of the year. Book in September at the latest.
The four-day holiday runs Saturday to Tuesday, so two of those days are the normal weekend. In practice your child misses two school days. Plan a short-haul break rather than a big trip.
In 2027 it is expected on Sunday 6 June. Under UAE rules a public holiday falling on a Saturday or Sunday is not moved to a working day, so no school day is lost.
Between the return from Eid Al Fitr (expected 15 March) and the start of the spring break (5 April) there are only three teaching weeks. Several schools use that stretch for assessments, and the MOE runs its School-based Summative Assessment window from 22 March to 2 April. If you are tempted to extend the Eid break, that is the period you would be cutting into.
Applies to public schools nationwide and to private schools teaching the Ministry of Education curriculum.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Full year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks | 13 | 12 | 12 | 37 |
| School days | 67 | 60 | 58 | 185 |
| Students start | Mon 31 Aug 2026 | Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | — |
| Staff start | Mon 24 Aug 2026 | Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | — |
This catches out teaching families in particular. Staff start a week earlier, get a shorter winter break, and finish a fortnight after the students.
| Students | Admin / teaching staff | |
|---|---|---|
| Academic year starts | 31 August 2026 | 24 August 2026 |
| October break | 12–16 October 2026 | 15–16 October 2026 (12–14 Oct training) |
| Winter break starts | 14 December 2026 | 21 December 2026 |
| Spring break | 5–9 April 2027 | 5–9 April 2027 |
| Last day of the year | 2 July 2027 | 16 July 2027 |
| Summer break starts | 5 July 2027 | 19 July 2027 |
The Ministry schedules four specialised training blocks for administrative and teaching staff. Three of them fall inside student holidays.
The 185-day total is the reason private schools have less flexibility than parents assume. A Dubai private school on a September start must also complete a minimum of 185 school days; a school on an April start must complete at least 182. Every extra training day or long half-term has to be earned back somewhere else in the year.
Including the exam and assessment windows most parent guides leave out. These are the dates that decide whether your child can actually miss a Thursday.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 24 Aug 2026 | Academic year begins for administrative and teaching staff |
| 24–28 Aug 2026 | Specialised staff training (block 1) |
| 28 Aug 2026 | Prophet's Birthday, observed public holiday |
| 31 Aug 2026 | Academic year begins for students |
| 7 Sep – 2 Oct 2026 | Arabic Baseline Assessment (ABA) |
| 7–18 Sep 2026 | Diagnostic exams |
| 5–30 Oct 2026 | Standardised Proficiency Assessment (SPA) |
| 12–16 Oct 2026 | Mid-term break for students, back on Monday 19 October |
| 18–20 Nov 2026 | Mock exams |
| 25–27 Nov 2026 | End-of-term exams |
| 2–4 Dec 2026 | National Day closure |
| 7–11 Dec 2026 | End-of-term exams continue |
| 14 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 | Winter break for students |
| 14–18 Dec 2026 | Term 1 make-up exams; staff training (block 3) |
| 21 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 | Winter break for staff |
Watch the December exam split. End-of-term exams are scheduled in two blocks, 25–27 November and 7–11 December, with the National Day closure in between. In MOE-curriculum schools, the days on either side are exam days.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 4 Jan 2027 | Term begins for students and staff |
| 6–8 Jan 2027 | Term 1 results announced |
| ~7 Feb – ~9 Mar 2027 | Ramadan (expected), adjusted school hours |
| 8–12 Mar 2027 | Eid Al Fitr holiday (expected), back Monday 15 March |
| 22 Mar – 2 Apr 2027 | School-based Summative Assessment (SSA) |
| 5–9 Apr 2027 | Spring break for students and staff |
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 12 Apr 2027 | Term begins for students and staff |
| 14–16 Apr 2027 | Term 2 results announced |
| 19 Apr – 14 May 2027 | TIMSS 2027 study (main study) |
| 3 May – 11 Jun 2027 | Standardised Proficiency Assessment (SPA) |
| 15–18 May 2027 | Eid Al Adha holiday (expected), back Wednesday 19 May |
| 6 Jun 2027 | Hijri New Year (expected), falls on a Sunday |
| 14–18 Jun 2027 | Mock exams |
| 21–30 Jun 2027 | End-of-term exams |
| 2 Jul 2027 | Last day of the academic year for students |
| 1–6 Jul 2027 | Term 3 make-up exams |
| 5 Jul 2027 | Summer break begins for students |
| 7–9 Jul 2027 | End-of-year results announced |
| 12–16 Jul 2027 | Resit exams; staff training (block 4) |
| 16 Jul 2027 | Last day of the academic year for staff |
| 19 Jul 2027 | Resit results announced; staff summer break begins |
Results come out 7–9 July and resits run 12–16 July, with resit results on 19 July. That is a two-and-a-half week tail after the last day of term. Families with a borderline student should hold off on booking travel that departs before 20 July until results are in.
| Assessment | What it is | When |
|---|---|---|
| ABA | Arabic Baseline Assessment, establishes each student's Arabic starting point | 7 Sep – 2 Oct 2026 |
| Diagnostic exams | Early-year checks used to set support and grouping | 7–18 Sep 2026 |
| SPA | Standardised Proficiency Assessment, run twice in the year | 5–30 Oct 2026; 3 May – 11 Jun 2027 |
| SSA | School-based Summative Assessment, at the close of Term 2 | 22 Mar – 2 Apr 2027 |
| TIMSS 2027 | International maths and science study, main study year | 19 Apr – 14 May 2027 |
These windows apply to MOE-curriculum schools. British, American and IB schools run their own internal assessment calendars alongside their external exam boards, see section 09.
Public holidays and school holidays are set by different authorities and do not always match. Here is both, side by side.
| Occasion | Public holiday | MOE school closure | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prophet's Birthday | Fri 28 Aug 2026 | 25 Aug 2026 (in staff training week) | Confirmed, moved from Tue 25 Aug |
| UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) | Wed 2 – Thu 3 Dec 2026 | Wed 2 – Fri 4 Dec 2026 | Confirmed, fixed Gregorian date |
| New Year's Day | Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Within the winter break | Confirmed |
| Eid Al Fitr | Around 9–12 Mar 2027 | Mon 8 – Fri 12 Mar 2027 | Expected, moon sighting |
| Arafah Day & Eid Al Adha | Around Sat 15 – Tue 18 May 2027 | Sat 15 – Tue 18 May 2027 | Expected, moon sighting |
| Hijri New Year | Sun 6 Jun 2027 | Falls on a weekend | Expected, moon sighting |
Since the start of 2025, UAE rules have allowed the Cabinet to move a public holiday that falls mid-week to the beginning or end of the working week, creating a longer continuous break. Three things follow:
The MOE academic calendar is fixed months in advance and prints the calculated Hijri dates. When the Cabinet later transfers a holiday, government offices move but school calendars may not. If a transfer is announced during term time, check your school's notice.
| Period | What you get | How to stretch it |
|---|---|---|
| 28–30 Aug 2026 | Three-day weekend for working parents, before school starts | Keep it local, this is the back-to-school weekend |
| 2–6 Dec 2026 | Five days off school, Wednesday to Sunday | Taking Mon 30 Nov and Tue 1 Dec as leave gives nine days, but clashes with exams in MOE schools |
| 1–3 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day on a Friday, inside the winter break | Already covered by the 23-day school break |
| 15–18 May 2027 | Four days for Eid Al Adha, spanning a weekend | Adding Wed 19 to Fri 21 May turns it into nine days |
Ramadan is expected to begin around 7 February 2027 and end around 9 March 2027, subject to moon sighting. It sits squarely inside Term 2.
For families new to the UAE, this is the single biggest change to the daily rhythm of the school year, and it is not a holiday. Schools stay open throughout, but the day shortens and the timetable is rebuilt around it.
Ramadan 2027 ends right as the Eid Al Fitr school holiday begins on 8 March. That gives a clean nine days away from school, but it is also the peak period for regional travel and for families flying home. Fares to South Asia, the Levant and East Africa rise sharply. If Eid travel matters to you, book by December.
The Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian one. Ramadan began around 19 February in 2026 and is expected around 7 February in 2027, moving into late January by 2029.
Every private school in Dubai works to a calendar approved by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. The headline dates are national; the half-terms are not.
| Date | September-start schools | April-start schools |
|---|---|---|
| First day back | Mon 31 August 2026, the same for every Dubai private school | Same return |
| October mid-term | 12–18 Oct or 19–23 Oct 2026, school's choice | Not a standard break |
| Winter break | Mon 14 December 2026 – Sunday 3 January 2027, back on Monday 4 January, applies to all Dubai private schools | |
| February half-term | Optional and school-specific | |
| Spring break | 5–11 April 2027, back on 12 April | School-specific |
| Year ends | Fri 2 July 2027 | Between 15 and 31 March 2027 |
| Minimum school days | 185 | 182 |
The KHDA calendar lists the 12–18 October mid-term break as applying to MOE-curriculum private schools. For other September-start Dubai schools there is no single common October holiday: schools choose 12–18 October or 19–23 October, and some redistribute the allocation across the year instead. Two Dubai families on the same street can be on holiday in different weeks in October.
Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curriculum schools in Dubai run an April–March year. Their 2026–27 academic year began on 6 April 2026, they returned from the summer break on 31 August 2026 alongside everyone else, and they share the same winter break. Their year ends between 15 and 31 March 2027. Your April-start and September-start children will share the winter break, but not the end of the year.
Every Dubai private school's approved dates are published on its KHDA school profile at web.khda.gov.ae, alongside its inspection rating and fee band. That page, not a news article, is the authoritative version.
Private schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra are regulated by the Department of Education and Knowledge. ADEK approves each school's calendar individually, so the right document for your family is always the one on your own school's website. Public schools and private schools teaching the MOE curriculum follow the national calendar in section 03.
A useful illustration of how an ADEK-approved calendar differs from the national one in small but expensive ways.
| Event | BISAD 2026–27 | MOE unified calendar |
|---|---|---|
| First day of Term 1 | Tue 1 September 2026 | Mon 31 August 2026 |
| Autumn half-term | Mon 12 – Fri 16 October 2026 | Mon 12 – Fri 16 October 2026 |
| Winter holiday | Mon 14 Dec 2026 – Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Mon 14 Dec 2026 – Fri 1 Jan 2027 |
| Term 2 begins | Mon 4 January 2027 | Mon 4 January 2027 |
| Spring half-term | Mon 8 – Fri 12 March 2027 | Eid Al Fitr holiday, same dates |
| Spring holiday | Mon 5 – Fri 9 April 2027 | Mon 5 – Fri 9 April 2027 |
| Term 3 begins | Mon 12 April 2027 | Mon 12 April 2027 |
| Last day of Term 3 | Fri 2 July 2027 | Fri 2 July 2027 |
One day's difference at the start of the year, and a school that has aligned its spring half-term with the expected Eid Al Fitr holiday. The school notes that Islamic holiday dates depend on moon sighting.
The Sharjah Private Education Authority publishes its own calendar for the emirate's private schools. It broadly tracks the national framework but is not identical, and it does not cover schools following the Indian and Pakistani curricula.
| Event | Sharjah (SPEA) | Difference from national |
|---|---|---|
| First day | Mon 31 August 2026 | Same |
| Winter break | From Mon 14 December 2026 | Same, back on Monday 4 January |
| Spring break | Mon 5 – Thu 8 April 2027 | Shorter on paper; students still return Monday 12 April |
| Year ends | Thu 1 July 2027 | One day earlier than the national date |
The northern emirates do not have separate private-school regulators of their own. Public schools and MOE-curriculum private schools follow the national calendar directly through the Ministry's educational zones; private schools on international curricula operate within the same MOE framework and publish their own approved dates. The school's own published calendar remains the version to book around.
Calendar differences between emirates are small, a day here, a shorter spring break there. Differences within an emirate, between two schools on different curricula, are far larger. Do not choose an emirate for its calendar; choose a school and then read its calendar carefully.
Curriculum, not emirate, is the biggest single driver of how your school year will actually look.
| Curriculum | Year runs | Ends | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOE | Aug–Jul | 2 Jul 2027 | The national spine; 185 school days; fixed exam windows |
| British | Sep–Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | Half-terms vary; GCSE, IGCSE and A Level series run May–June |
| American | Aug/Sep–Jun | Jun 2027 | Semesters, fall and Thanksgiving breaks, AP exams in May |
| IB | Sep–Jun/Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | DP exams in May are internationally fixed |
| French | Sep–Jun/Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | Holiday rhythm follows the French system |
| German | Sep–Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | School-specific; Abitur timing affects senior years |
| Indian | Apr–Mar | 15–31 Mar 2027 | Transitioning to the unified calendar; board exams Feb–Mar |
| Pakistani | Apr–Mar | Mar 2027 | Excluded from the Sharjah calendar; check the school |
| Japanese | Apr–Mar | Mar 2027 | April-start group in Dubai; shares the national winter break |
| Bangladeshi | Varies | Varies | Check the school directly |
Indian-curriculum schools in the UAE have historically run an April–March year with their own summer break and holiday pattern. From April 2026, Indian-curriculum schools began moving onto the Ministry's unified academic calendar.
The winter break now lines up, which it did not always used to. The end of the year does not: one child finishes in March, the other in July. Families in this position generally plan their main trip around winter and treat the March finish as a local period.
The most common international curriculum in the UAE, and the one with the most variation between schools. A three-term year with two half-terms per term is standard, but the dates are not. GCSE, IGCSE, AS and A Level examinations run from May into June. Results days fall in August, during the summer break.
Two semesters rather than three terms, with a US-shaped rhythm adapted to UAE requirements. Expect a fall break, a Thanksgiving closure in late November, a winter break, and a spring break. AP examinations run in May. American schools generally finish in June.
Most IB schools in the UAE track the national calendar closely for the main school. IB Diploma examinations are set internationally and run in May, so Year 13 students finish well before the rest of the school.
Both generally start in September and finish in June or July, but their holiday structure is shaped by their home education systems as much as by the UAE framework. French schools in particular can have break patterns that align to neither the UAE nor the British calendar.
Ask for next year's calendar, not this year's, and check four things: the October half-term dates, whether there is a February break, the last day of the summer term, and how many training days are scheduled. Those four answers determine what your flights will cost for the next decade.
| Window | Days | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Winter — 12 Dec – 3 Jan | 23 | The only genuinely long break before summer. Long-haul and family visits. Also the most expensive week to fly out of the UAE. |
| October — 10–18 Oct | 9 | The best-value week of the year. Europe is still warm, and it falls outside most Western school holidays. |
| Spring — 3–11 Apr | 9 | Peak UAE weather. Strong for Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. |
| Eid Al Fitr — 6–14 Mar | 9 | Excellent length, but heavy regional demand. Book early or travel against the flow. |
| Summer — 3 Jul – 29 Aug | 58 | Relocation, extended home visits, camps. Peak season everywhere in the northern hemisphere. |
| # | Check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your school's own published calendar | National dates are a guide. Your school's PDF is the contract. |
| 2 | October and February half-terms specifically | These are where schools have real discretion and families most often get caught. |
| 3 | Exam and assessment dates | Older students may sit exams outside published term dates. |
| 4 | Training and INSET days | Some fall on a Sunday or Thursday, extending a weekend. |
| 5 | Whether dates are Islamic-calendar dependent | Eid is confirmed only close to the date. Book flexible fares. |
The Ministry has fixed the national calendar for three years. If you are planning a relocation, a long trip home or a wedding, these dates are already set.
| Year | Starts | Winter break | Spring break | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026–27 | Mon 31 Aug 2026 | 14 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 | 5–11 Apr 2027 | Fri 2 Jul 2027 |
| 2027–28 | Mon 30 Aug 2027 | 13 Dec 2027 – 2 Jan 2028 | 27 Mar – 2 Apr 2028 | Fri 30 Jun 2028 |
| 2028–29 | Mon 28 Aug 2028 | 11 Dec 2028 – 1 Jan 2029 | 29 Mar – 1 Apr 2029 | Fri 29 Jun 2029 |
Mid-term breaks: 11–17 October 2027 (back on 18 October) and 16–22 October 2028 (back on 23 October). Islamic holidays in these years remain subject to moon sighting and are not yet fixed.
If you are relocating with school-age children, do not choose a school on curriculum and fees alone. The calendar quietly shapes your family's year for as long as you stay.
Every date in this guide was checked against a primary or official source in August 2026.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| UAE Ministry of Education, Academic Calendar 2026–2027 | Term structure, school-day counts, student and staff dates, exam windows, National Day closure, Eid and Hijri New Year school dates |
| UAE Ministry of Education, three-year calendar announcement | 2027–28 and 2028–29 dates |
| KHDA | Dubai private school dates, October break windows, April-start school dates, minimum school days, admissions age cut-off |
| ADEK and school calendars | Abu Dhabi approach; BISAD worked example |
| SPEA | Sharjah private school dates and curriculum exclusions |
| UAE Government Media Office | Prophet's Birthday observed date; public holiday framework and transfer rule |
Where to verify before you book: moe.gov.ae · khda.gov.ae · adek.gov.ae · spea.shj.ae · u.ae
School calendars change. The dates in this guide reflect the UAE's published 2026–2027 academic framework, regulatory guidance and school calendars available on 15 August 2026. Individual schools may have different start dates, half-terms, training days, examination arrangements or holiday periods. Islamic holiday dates are subject to official confirmation and moon sighting. Always confirm the final calendar directly with your child's school before booking travel or making other non-refundable arrangements. Your school's own published calendar takes precedence over anything in this document.
Private schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra are regulated by the Department of Education and Knowledge. ADEK approves each school's calendar individually, so the right document for your family is always the one on your own school's website. Public schools and private schools teaching the MOE curriculum follow the national calendar in section 03.
A useful illustration of how an ADEK-approved calendar differs from the national one in small but expensive ways.
| Event | BISAD 2026–27 | MOE unified calendar |
|---|---|---|
| First day of Term 1 | Tue 1 September 2026 | Mon 31 August 2026 |
| Autumn half-term | Mon 12 – Fri 16 October 2026 | Mon 12 – Fri 16 October 2026 |
| Winter holiday | Mon 14 Dec 2026 – Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Mon 14 Dec 2026 – Fri 1 Jan 2027 |
| Term 2 begins | Mon 4 January 2027 | Mon 4 January 2027 |
| Spring half-term | Mon 8 – Fri 12 March 2027 | Eid Al Fitr holiday, same dates |
| Spring holiday | Mon 5 – Fri 9 April 2027 | Mon 5 – Fri 9 April 2027 |
| Term 3 begins | Mon 12 April 2027 | Mon 12 April 2027 |
| Last day of Term 3 | Fri 2 July 2027 | Fri 2 July 2027 |
One day's difference at the start of the year, and a school that has aligned its spring half-term with the expected Eid Al Fitr holiday. The school notes that Islamic holiday dates depend on moon sighting.
The Sharjah Private Education Authority publishes its own calendar for the emirate's private schools. It broadly tracks the national framework but is not identical, and it does not cover schools following the Indian and Pakistani curricula.
| Event | Sharjah (SPEA) | Difference from national |
|---|---|---|
| First day | Mon 31 August 2026 | Same |
| Winter break | From Mon 14 December 2026 | Same, back on Monday 4 January |
| Spring break | Mon 5 – Thu 8 April 2027 | Shorter on paper; students still return Monday 12 April |
| Year ends | Thu 1 July 2027 | One day earlier than the national date |
The northern emirates do not have separate private-school regulators of their own. Public schools and MOE-curriculum private schools follow the national calendar directly through the Ministry's educational zones; private schools on international curricula operate within the same MOE framework and publish their own approved dates.
Calendar differences between emirates are small, a day here, a shorter spring break there. Differences within an emirate, between two schools on different curricula, are far larger. Do not choose an emirate for its calendar; choose a school and then read its calendar carefully.
Curriculum, not emirate, is the biggest single driver of how your school year will actually look.
| Curriculum | Year runs | Ends | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOE | Aug–Jul | 2 Jul 2027 | The national spine; 185 school days; fixed exam windows |
| British | Sep–Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | Half-terms vary; GCSE, IGCSE and A Level series run May–June |
| American | Aug/Sep–Jun | Jun 2027 | Semesters, fall and Thanksgiving breaks, AP exams in May |
| IB | Sep–Jun/Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | DP exams in May are internationally fixed |
| French | Sep–Jun/Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | Holiday rhythm follows the French system |
| German | Sep–Jul | Jun/Jul 2027 | School-specific; Abitur timing affects senior years |
| Indian | Apr–Mar | 15–31 Mar 2027 | Transitioning to the unified calendar; board exams Feb–Mar |
| Pakistani | Apr–Mar | Mar 2027 | Excluded from the Sharjah calendar; check the school |
| Japanese | Apr–Mar | Mar 2027 | April-start group in Dubai; shares the national winter break |
| Bangladeshi | Varies | Varies | Check the school directly |
Indian-curriculum schools in the UAE have historically run an April–March year with their own summer break and holiday pattern. From April 2026, Indian-curriculum schools began moving onto the Ministry's unified academic calendar.
The winter break now lines up, which it did not always used to. The end of the year does not: one child finishes in March, the other in July. Families in this position generally plan their main trip around winter and treat the March finish as a local period.
The most common international curriculum in the UAE, and the one with the most variation between schools. A three-term year with two half-terms per term is standard, but the dates are not. GCSE, IGCSE, AS and A Level examinations run from May into June. Results days fall in August, during the summer break.
Two semesters rather than three terms, with a US-shaped rhythm adapted to UAE requirements. Expect a fall break, a Thanksgiving closure in late November, a winter break, and a spring break. AP examinations run in May. American schools generally finish in June.
Most IB schools in the UAE track the national calendar closely for the main school. IB Diploma examinations are set internationally and run in May, so Year 13 students finish well before the rest of the school.
Both generally start in September and finish in June or July, but their holiday structure is shaped by their home education systems as much as by the UAE framework. French schools in particular can have break patterns that align to neither the UAE nor the British calendar.
Ask for next year's calendar, not this year's, and check four things: the October half-term dates, whether there is a February break, the last day of the summer term, and how many training days are scheduled. Those four answers determine what your flights will cost for the next decade.
| Window | Days | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Winter — 12 Dec – 3 Jan | 23 | The only genuinely long break before summer. Long-haul and family visits. Also the most expensive week to fly out of the UAE. |
| October — 10–18 Oct | 9 | The best-value week of the year. Europe is still warm, and it falls outside most Western school holidays. |
| Spring — 3–11 Apr | 9 | Peak UAE weather. Strong for Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. |
| Eid Al Fitr — 6–14 Mar | 9 | Excellent length, but heavy regional demand. Book early or travel against the flow. |
| Summer — 3 Jul – 29 Aug | 58 | Relocation, extended home visits, camps. Peak season everywhere in the northern hemisphere. |
| # | Check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your school's own published calendar | National dates are a guide. Your school's PDF is the contract. |
| 2 | October and February half-terms specifically | These are where schools have real discretion. |
| 3 | Exam and assessment dates | Older students may sit exams outside published term dates. |
| 4 | Training and INSET days | Some fall on a Sunday or Thursday, extending a weekend. |
| 5 | Whether dates are Islamic-calendar dependent | Eid is confirmed only close to the date. Book flexible fares. |