Method
Where these dates come from
Every date on this site is traceable to something published. This page says what, how firm each one is, and when we last looked.
How firm each date is
Three levels, and every date on the site carries one of them. They are not a hedge – they are the difference between a date you can book a flight around and a date you cannot.
- Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around.
- Expected. Depends on moon sighting. Firm enough to plan around, not firm enough to book non-refundable travel around.
- Set by your school. The regulator leaves this to the individual school. Check your school’s own calendar.
The six dates that can still move
These follow the lunar calendar and are confirmed by moon sighting a day or two beforehand. They are badged as expected everywhere they appear, and carry [expected] in the downloaded calendar file, so a shifted date never lands silently in a diary.
- Eid Al Fitr break
- Eid Al Adha break
- Eid Al Fitr
- Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha
- Hijri New Year
- Ramadan
Last verified
20 August 2026. When a regulator republishes, when a moon sighting confirms a date, or when a reader reports something that does not match, the dataset changes and this date changes with it.
Report a date that looks wrong.
The year, as published
| What | Date | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Staff return | Monday 24 August 2026 | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around. |
| Students return | Monday 31 August 2026 | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around. |
| Autumn half term | 12–16 October 2026 | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around.Varies by school |
| Eid Al Etihad | 2–4 December 2026 (schools) | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around. |
| Term 1 ends | Friday 11 December 2026 | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around. |
| Term 2 begins | Monday 4 January 2027 | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around. |
| Eid Al Fitr break | around 8–12 March 2027 | Expected. Depends on moon sighting. Firm enough to plan around, not firm enough to book non-refundable travel around. |
| Spring break | 5–9 April 2027 | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around. |
| Last day of the year | Friday 2 July 2027 | Confirmed. Published by the Ministry of Education or announced by UAE government. Safe to plan around. |
How each curriculum shapes it
| Curriculum | Year shape | What overrides the local calendar |
|---|---|---|
| MOE / Ministry curriculum | August to July | Nothing – this is the reference185 days. The reference calendar everything else is measured against. |
| British | Late August or September to early July | GCSE and A Level, 3 May – 25 June 2027Half terms are school-set. GCSE and A Level windows run May to June and override the local calendar. |
| American | Late August to late June | AP examinations, 3–14 May 2027Semesters rather than terms. AP exams in May. |
| International Baccalaureate | September to late June or July | IB Diploma examinations, 29 April – 21 May 2027DP examinations are fixed internationally in May and cannot move for a local holiday. |
| Indian (CBSE / ICSE) | April to March, transitioning | Home-country break rhythms2026–27 still runs April to March for most schools, but Dubai schools now share the winter break. Year ends between 15 and 31 March 2027. |
| French and German | September to June or July | Home-country break rhythmsBreak rhythms follow the home-country curriculum more closely than the UAE frame. |
| Pakistani and Japanese | April to March | Home-country break rhythmsSit outside the unified calendar in most emirates. |
Sources
- UAE Ministry of Education, three-year academic calendar announcement
- WhichSchoolAdvisor, Official UAE School Calendar 2026-27, 2027-28, 2028-29
- Gulf News, UAE public holidays 2027
- Gulf News, UAE school calendar 2026-27
- Emirates 24|7, remaining UAE public holidays 2026
- Khaleej Times, Dubai school calendar 2026-27