UAE school holidays 2026-27: October half-term dates and key breaks
THE new school year has started in the UAE, and students will soon have a short break from classes.
Several private schools in Dubai have told parents that their October half-term holiday has been moved forward by a week, bringing the five-day break in line with the UAE's Ministry of Education (MoE) academic calendar.
Here’s what parents need to know about the October school break, the next public holiday and key school dates for the rest of 2026.
October mid-term break dates
Schools following the unified academic calendar will close for their October mid-term break from Monday, October 12, to Friday, October 16, 2026. This means students will have five days away from school.
However, when you include the weekends immediately before and after the break, the school holiday effectively spans from October 10 to October 18, providing students with a nine-day vacation.
Students will return to class on Monday, October 19.
Some schools had previously announced October 19 to 23 as their half-term holiday.
Schools said the revised dates follow guidance to align their academic calendars with those set by the MoE and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
The majority of public and private schools in the UAE follow a unified academic calendar, which sets standard dates for the start of the school year, terms and major holidays.
For the 2026-27 academic year, the key dates are:
Academic year begins: August 31, 2026
First-term mid-term break: October 12-16, 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
The UAE has also introduced multi-year academic calendar frameworks, giving schools and parents greater visibility of key dates in advance.
Which schools do not follow the UAE unified calendar?
Not every private school follows the unified calendar.
Private schools in Sharjah operate under the emirate’s own regulatory framework, while schools following alternative curricula, including some Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi curricula, may have different academic years and term dates.
Parents should check directly with their child’s school before making travel or holiday arrangements.
Some private schools may also be permitted to split a mid-term break between October and February, provided the total break does not exceed five school days and meets operational requirements.
When does the winter school holiday begin?
Under the MoE’s 2026-27 calendar, the winter break begins on Monday, December 14, 2026, and runs until Sunday, January 3, 2027. Schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday, January 4, 2027.
The change to the October half-term dates may require some families to revise travel and childcare arrangements. Parents should check the latest holiday dates directly with their child’s school before finalising plans.
