Students at UAE schools are just weeks away from the start of the winter break. Under the 2026–2027 academic calendar, schools following a September-based calendar will begin their winter break on December 14, 2026, with classes resuming on January 4, 2027.

According to Arabian Business, December 11 will be the final school day before the break for schools operating from Monday to Friday. Students will return to classrooms on Monday, January 4, after a three-week holiday.

Official UAE Ministry of Education calendar

According to the UAE Ministry of Education calendar, the winter break begins on December 14, 2026, and continues until January 3, 2027, under the ministry’s three-year academic calendar.

However, the detailed version of the academic calendar lists the student break as running from December 14 to January 1. As January 2 and 3 fall on the weekend, the discrepancy does not affect the reopening date.

The calendar applies to public schools and private schools following the UAE Ministry of Education curriculum. The 2026–2027 academic year at these schools comprises 185 instructional days.

Students at these schools began the new academic year on August 31, 2026, while the first mid-term break ran from October 12 to 16.

Under the Ministry of Education schedule, end-of-term examinations will take place from November 25 to 27, with further exams scheduled from December 7 to 11.

The UAE Ministry of Education announced the country’s three-year academic calendar on February 23, 2026. Under the schedule, the spring break for the current academic year will begin on April 5, 2027, while the school year will end on July 2, 2027.

Winter break at Dubai private schools

Calendars published by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) also show that the private schools reviewed, whose academic year begins in September, will start their winter break on December 14, with classes resuming on January 4, 2027.

However, families are advised to check their child’s school calendar before planning winter travel, as Dubai private schools follow different international curricula and academic structures.

Some schools also begin their academic year in April rather than September. Dates allocated for staff training, examinations and other educational activities may also vary between schools.

Official public holidays are determined separately from school breaks. The UAE National Day holiday falls in December, while the January 1 public holiday coincides with the winter break at schools following a September-based calendar.

Sharjah private schools to reopen on January 4

The Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) has also announced that schools in the emirate will reopen after the winter break on January 4, 2027.

Under the authority’s calendar, the winter break for most Sharjah private schools will run from December 14 to 31, 2026. With the January 1 public holiday followed by the weekend on January 2 and 3, students will return to classrooms on Monday, January 4.

Sharjah private schools following Indian and Pakistani curricula will also have a similar winter break under the authority’s calendar, although the overall structure of their academic year differs.

Under the announced schedule, students at these schools will attend classes from August 31 to December 10, 2026. After the winter break, classes will resume on January 4 and continue until April 1, 2027.

The spring break for Sharjah private schools has been scheduled from April 5 to 8, with classes resuming on April 12, 2027.

Families advised to check school calendars

UAE education authorities set clear frameworks for school holidays, but some schools may follow different calendars because of variations in curricula and academic-year start dates.

Parents planning to travel during the winter break are therefore advised to confirm the final day of classes and the start of the new term with their child’s school before booking tickets or making travel arrangements.

This is particularly important for families whose children attend different schools or follow different curricula.

Despite possible variations between school calendars, January 4, 2027, is the common reopening date under the UAE Ministry of Education schedule and the calendars reviewed for private schools in Dubai and Sharjah.

Students at schools following a September-based academic calendar will therefore finish classes on December 11, begin their winter break on December 14 and return to classrooms three weeks later on January 4, 2027.