Dubai school holidays: term dates and calendar for families

Last reviewed: November 2026 by Emma from ISA. Dates come from official and school calendars; Islamic holidays depend on moon sighting, so always confirm with the school.

Khaleej Times notes that the winter break often brings peak travel demand across the UAE, with high seasonal prices and limited availability. The good news is that Dubai school holidays are more predictable than they used to be: the UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) published a three-year academic calendar in February 2026, and Dubai's private school regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), set its 2026-27 calendar in line with it.

What still varies is the detail: April-start schools run a different year, October half-terms differ, and Ramadan and Eid move with the lunar calendar. This guide separates the fixed dates from the provisional ones.

What is the school year in Dubai?

For most private schools, the school year in Dubai runs from late August to early July. In 2026-27 the first day was Monday 31 August 2026 and the last is Friday 2 July 2027, matching the MOE calendar for public and private schools across the UAE. Schools on this September calendar must complete at least 185 school days.

A second group follows an April-to-March year. Khaleej Times names Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curriculum schools among them. These schools started 2026-27 on 6 April 2026, broke for summer on 6 July, returned on 31 August and will finish between 15 and 31 March 2027, after a minimum of 182 school days. Both tracks share the winter break.

Dubai school calendar 2026-27: term dates at a glance

Source: UAE Ministry of Education calendar (February 2026) and the KHDA 2026-27 calendar for Dubai private schools, as reported by Emirates 24|7 and Khaleej Times in August 2026. Each school's approved version can add training days or move short breaks.

The October break varies most. The MOE asked schools to keep the mid-term break from 12 to 18 October 2026, but private schools outside the MOE curriculum may split it between October and February, up to five school days in total. Gulf News reported in August 2026 that several Dubai private schools moved their half-term forward a week, to 12 to 16 October, to match.

When are the Dubai school holidays in December?

December brings two separate breaks. The UAE's National Day public holiday falls on 2 and 3 December, a Wednesday and Thursday in 2026, according to the official list on the UAE government portal. Some schools turn it into a long weekend: Repton Dubai and Dunecrest American School both mark 2 to 4 December 2026 as provisional holidays. The last school day before the winter break is Friday 11 December, and classes resume on Monday 4 January 2027.

Under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, a public holiday that falls on a weekend is not moved to another day, the same portal explains.

Ramadan, Eid and public holidays in 2027

Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar and are confirmed by moon sighting, so every date below is a forecast. The official UAE list gives Eid Al Fitr from 1 to 3 Shawwal, Eid Al Adha from 10 to 12 Dhu Al Hijjah and Hijri New Year on 1 Muharram. Provisional dates for 2027:

• Ramadan: expected around 8 February 2027, according to the Repton and Dunecrest calendars; Khaleej Times gives 7 February and expects shorter school hours.
• Eid Al Fitr: both schools pencil in 8 to 12 March 2027.
• Eid Al Adha: Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 May 2027 are marked as school holidays by both.
• Islamic New Year: Repton lists Saturday 5 June 2027, which falls on a weekend.

September-calendar schools therefore get two short breaks four weeks apart in spring 2027. Keep Eid bookings flexible until your school confirms them.

How three Dubai schools set their 2026-27 calendars

The KHDA framework is shared, but each approved calendar adds its own detail, as three schools with different curricula show.

Repton Dubai

Repton, in Nad Al Sheba, teaches a curriculum aligned with the English National Curriculum, with Arabic and Islamic Studies, according to the school. Its 2026-27 year has three terms: 31 August to 11 December, 4 January to 2 April and 12 April to 2 July, with half-term from 12 to 16 October. The school labels government holidays as tentative and asks parents not to book travel until it confirms them.

Dunecrest American School

Dunecrest, in Wadi Al Safa 3 near Al Barari, follows a US curriculum, is accredited by the Middle States Association and offers the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12, the school says. Its calendar shows how the October allowance can be split: Wellness Days from 14 to 16 October 2026 and again on 8 and 9 February 2027. Spring break runs from 5 to 9 April, and the year is divided into four quarters, ending on 30 October, 5 February, 16 April and 2 July.

GEMS Modern Academy

GEMS Modern Academy, also in Nad Al Sheba, prepares students for the ICSE examination in Grade 10 and the ISC in Grade 12, set by India's Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, and runs an IB programme alongside. Its year began on 6 April 2026 for Grades 1 to 12, with summer from 6 July. The calendar lists Diwali holidays on 9 and 10 November 2026, subject to KHDA approval, and a last working day on Friday 19 March 2027.

Dubai school holidays 2027-28: what is already known

The MOE calendar covers 2027-28 too. Classes start on Monday 30 August 2027, the first-semester mid-term break runs from 11 to 17 October 2027, winter break lasts from 13 December 2027 to 2 January 2028, spring break from 27 March to 2 April 2028, and the year ends on Friday 30 June 2028. Dubai private schools need KHDA approval for their own calendars, so treat these dates as a framework, not a promise.

What do the dates mean for a mid-year move or a school choice?

Moving mid-year. In September-calendar schools, the natural entry points are the start of Term 2 on 4 January 2027 and of Term 3 on 12 April 2027. April-start schools begin a new year in April, so a child arriving from a September system lands about five months out of step: ask the school how it would place your child before you accept an offer. Our guide to moving to Dubai with kids covers visas, Emirates ID and the order of paperwork.

Booking flights. Khaleej Times advises planning six to nine months ahead for the winter and spring breaks, working from your school's calendar rather than the MOE outline.

Choosing a school. Both tracks have their long break in July and August. An April-start school suits families who may return to India, but a later switch to a British or American school means bridging the five-month offset. Costs vary far more than calendars, as our guide to international school fees in Dubai shows.

Before you book:

1. Download your school's KHDA-approved calendar, not a generic one.
2. Check whether the school splits its mid-term break between October and February.
3. Treat Ramadan and Eid dates as provisional until the school confirms them.
4. In an April-start school, ask for the exact last day: it can fall anywhere from 15 to 31 March 2027.

Compare schools in Dubai

To compare curricula, fees and locations across the city, see our ranking of the best international schools in Dubai.

Sources: UAE Ministry of Education (academic calendar for 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29, 23 February 2026); KHDA 2026-27 calendar for Dubai private schools, as reported by Emirates 24|7 (20 August 2026) and Khaleej Times (13 August 2026); Khaleej Times (Dubai school calendar 2026-27, June 2026); Gulf News (October half-term and winter break, August and November 2026); UAE government portal (public holidays, updated 29 October 2026); 2026-27 calendars and curriculum pages of Repton Dubai, Dunecrest American School and GEMS Modern Academy.

More guides to schools in Dubai

• Best international schools in Dubai
• International school fees in Dubai
• International school admissions in Dubai
• How to choose an international school in Dubai
• Bilingual schools in Dubai
• ranking of the best international schools in Dubai

Frequently asked questions

Do all Dubai schools have the same holidays?

No. The winter break from 14 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 is set for both September-start and April-start Dubai private schools, but April-start schools end their year in March, October half-terms vary and some schools split their five mid-term days between October and February. Always plan from your own school's KHDA-approved calendar rather than the MOE outline.

When do Indian schools in Dubai start the academic year?

Indian curriculum schools in Dubai generally follow an April-to-March year. In 2026-27 that year began on 6 April 2026 and ends between 15 and 31 March 2027, with at least 182 school days. GEMS Modern Academy, for example, started on 6 April and lists Friday 19 March 2027 as its last working day.

Is there a February half-term in Dubai schools in 2027?

Only in some schools. The MOE lets private schools outside its curriculum divide a mid-term allowance of up to five school days between October and February. Dunecrest American School takes Wellness Days from 14 to 16 October 2026 and on 8 and 9 February 2027, while Repton Dubai takes a single half-term in October.