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UAE schools to reopen after 3-day weekend: When is the next holiday?
Plan ahead! Get all the key dates for summer, winter and spring breaks in Dubai private schools for the 2026-27 academic year
- PUBLISHED: Thu 13 Aug 2026, 10:16 PM UPDATED: Fri 14 Aug 2026, 6:00 AM
[Editor’s Note: This article is part of Khaleej Times’ Schools and Parents, a dedicated section designed to support families in the UAE as they explore educational choices. The section offers explainers, guidance from education leaders, expert advice and insights from parents to help readers make informed decisions about schools, curricula and communities.]
Families in the UAE will get one final three-day weekend before children head back to classrooms for the 2026-27 academic year, with the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday holiday falling on Friday, August 28.
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The paid public holiday applies to federal government and private-sector employees, meaning those on a regular Saturday-Sunday weekend will have three days off from August 28 to 30.
The timing could prove useful for parents squeezing in a final staycation, family outing or back-to-school preparations, because schools across the UAE reopen the next day.
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Is the first day back to school the same for all schools?
Yes, irrespective of when the academic year begins, the first day back at school after the summer break is Monday, August 31.
According to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), August 31 is the first day of the 2026-27 school year for Dubai private schools that follow a September-start academic calendar.
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Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curriculum schools, which started their academic year in April, will resume classes on August 31 after the two-month summer holiday.
When is the next school holiday?
That depends on the school.
For MOE private schools, the first mid-term break begins on Monday, October 12, according to the KHDA calendar. Classes resume on Monday, October 19, giving pupils a week-long mid-term break.
However, KHDA specifically lists this October break as applying to MOE private schools only.
For other Dubai private schools following a September-start calendar, the KHDA calendar does not list a common October mid-term holiday.
When is the winter break? Are the dates the same for all Dubai private schools?
The next scheduled holiday that applies to all Dubai private schools is the winter break.
It begins on Monday, December 14, 2026, with pupils returning to class on Monday, January 4, 2027. The dates apply to both April-start and September-start private schools in Dubai.
What comes after the winter break?
For September-start schools, the next common break is the spring holiday.
April 5, 2027: Spring break begins
April 12, 2027: Classes resume
The 2026-27 academic year for September-start schools is scheduled to end on Friday, July 2, 2027.
These schools must complete a minimum of 185 school days during the academic year.
What about April-start schools?
Dubai private schools following an April-start academic year have a different structure. Their 2026-27 academic year began on April 6.
Their year ends sometime between March 15 and March 31, 2027, depending on when the school fulfils the required minimum of 182 school days.
In a nutshell: Key dates for Dubai parents
August 28-30: Three-day public holiday weekend for eligible working parents
August 31: Classes begin/resume after the summer break for all Dubai private schools
October 12: Mid-term break begins for MOE private schools only
October 19: MOE private school classes resume
December 14: Winter break begins for all Dubai private schools
January 4, 2027: Classes resume after winter break
March 15-31: April-start schools end their academic year, depending on completion of the required 182 school days
April 5: Spring break begins for September-start schools
April 12: September-start schools resume classes
July 2: Academic year ends for September-start schools
As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team of reporters that asks the questions to get news and headlines that matter.