revised academic calendar in the UAE: a summary of adjustments and enhancements since the previous year
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a unified academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school and university year, encompassing all public and private schools and higher education institutions (HEIs) across the country [1][3]. This reform aims to standardise key dates, term structures, and holiday durations, with the goal of improving student well-being, supporting families, and fostering national unity [3].
The academic year will commence on Monday, 25 August 2025, marking a day earlier start compared to the previous year's start on August 26, 2024 [1]. The year will conclude on 3 July 2026, with Sharjah private schools ending a day earlier on 2 July [1][3].
The first term will run from 25 August to 7 December 2025 [3][4]. The winter break will extend to four weeks, from 8 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, providing students and families with an extended period of rest and relaxation [1][2][3]. The second term will span from 5 January to 15 March 2026 [3], followed by a spring break of two weeks, from 16 to 29 March 2026 [1][2][3]. The third term will run from 30 March to 3 July 2026, with Sharjah private schools resuming earlier on 23 March after the spring break [1].
The calendar also includes three shorter mid-term breaks, providing students with additional opportunities for rest [3]. However, the exact dates for these breaks have not been specified yet.
Schools and universities retain some flexibility to adjust holiday dates by up to one week, as long as the total duration of breaks remains unchanged. HEIs may also adapt start and end dates for summer semesters and specialized programs [2]. Schools must complete a minimum of 182 instructional days [1].
This calendar represents a significant shift towards national standardization, reducing discrepancies between emirates and school systems, and is part of the UAE’s “Year of Community” initiative [3]. The changes are designed to support student and family well-being, facilitate community engagement, enable better academic planning, and provide flexibility for institutions with unique academic needs, especially in higher education [1][3].
- The winter break in the 2025-2026 academic year will last four weeks, from December 8, 2025, to January 4, 2026. - The changes in the updated calendar include several key adjustments in term dates and holiday durations. - The end dates for each term and the duration of the mid-year breaks were not specified in the given paragraph. - Details about the changes in winter break durations were not provided in the given paragraph. - In contrast, private schools in Sharjah will have a shorter spring break of only one week, from March 6 to March 22, 2026. - The academic year will conclude on July 3, 2026, compared to June 30, 2025, when it ended in the previous academic year. - These mid-term breaks must fall within designated months and cannot be extended or rescheduled. - The 2025-2026 school year will follow a unified academic calendar structure, applicable to all government and private schools following the government curriculum.
The changes in the unified academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school year include a day earlier start on August 25, 2025, compared to the previous year's start on August 26, 2024 [1]. The winter break will extend for four weeks, from December 8, 2025, to January 4, 2026, providing students with an extended period of rest and relaxation [1][2][3]. Education-and-self-development platforms, such as news and learning websites, may provide updates on the exact dates for the mid-term breaks and changes in winter break durations [1]. This calendar, a significant shift towards national standardization, is part of the UAE’s “Year of Community” initiative, designed to support student and family well-being, facilitate community engagement, enable better academic planning, and provide flexibility for institutions with unique academic needs, especially in higher education [1][3].
