The UAE Ministry of Education has officially released the UAE academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. Notably, the calendar covers all schools, including private and public, in the country. Moreover, the announcement was made through the official X account of the ministry to give a clear schedule for term dates, holidays, and mid-term breaks to ensure consistency across the education system.
Unified Academic Schedule Across the UAE with the UAE Academic Calendar
This new calendar set a unified start and end date for each term. Therefore, it aims to enhance the educational efficiency and give students balanced periods of rest and study. So, we have listed the schedules for each term below:
- First Term: Begins 25 August 2025 and ends with a four-week winter break from 8 December 2025 to 4 January 2026. Classes resume on 5 January 2026.
- Second Term: Runs from 5 January to 15 March 2026, followed by spring break from 16 to 29 March. Classes resume 30 March 2026 for most schools, except Sharjah, where they resume 23 March.
- Third Term: Starts 30 March and ends 3 July 2026 (2 July for private schools in Sharjah).
Mid-Term Breaks for Student Well-being
The academic calendar also has the mid-term breaks for private and public schools in the nation, following the MoE curriculum. However, it aims to reduce academic pressures and improve mental health. So, you can find the details related to the mid-term breaks below:
- First Term: 13–19 October 2025
- Second Term: 11–15 February 2026
- Third Term: 25–31 May 2026 (aligned with Eid Al-Adha)
Private schools that are not following the Ministry syllabus can only schedule mid-term breaks in October and February. However, these breaks must be only last for a maximum of five days.
Strict Adherence to Final Weeks and Exams
The Ministry has mandated that all schools must follow the UAE academic year. Moreover, they must conduct final assessments and complete the curriculum requirements during the last week of each term. So, it will ensure the student attendance until the last day of school, except for those taking pre-scheduled international exams.
Private schools that follow the Ministry curriculum must also comply with the central examination schedule applied in private schools. Moreover, the Ministry aims to empower knowledge retention, support the student well-being, and match the nation’s education system under a single framework through this calendar.
Read more:
UAE Releases Official 2025–2026 Dubai School Calendar for Public and Private Schools
Sharjah’s SPEA Unveils 2025–2026 Academic Calendar for Private Schools
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