Hey Raha blog · Dubai school life

Dubai School Holidays 2026-27: Term Dates, Public Holidays and Ramadan

By Marie Adly · 7 October 2026

Dubai private schools on the September calendar start on Monday 31 August 2026 and finish on Friday 2 July 2027. The breaks are the October mid-term (12–16 October 2026), winter break (14 December 2026 – 3 January 2027) and spring break (5–11 April 2027). Ramadan is expected to start on 8 February 2027 and Eid Al Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March 2027, both subject to the moon sighting.

Last updated: 7 October 2026

Every September I promise myself I'll put every school holiday in the family calendar on day one. By October I'm usually texting another mum to ask, "Is it this Monday or next?" If that sounds familiar, this one's for you.

Here are the 2026-27 dates for Dubai private schools, the public holidays that land in term time, and what we know so far about Ramadan 2027. One thing first: your school's own approved calendar is the final word. Use this as a map and check it against your school's dates.

The 2026-27 Dubai school calendar at a glance

For the first time, the UAE has a unified academic calendar, approved by the Ministry of Education for 2026 to 2029 and covering public and private schools. KHDA has told Dubai private schools to follow it. For September-start schools, the key dates are:

Want it on the fridge? Download our free printable school calendar, one A4 page with every break shaded.

Holiday changes, early finishes and training days usually arrive by school email. Hey Raha reads your school emails and sends you and your helper one clear daily WhatsApp plan. Try Hey Raha free for 14 days.

About that October break. If your school first published 19–23 October, you're not imagining it. Several Dubai private schools, especially British curriculum ones, emailed parents in September to move the break forward a week to 12–16 October. KHDA reminded all private schools to stick to the unified calendar and to tell families about any changes clearly. So if you booked flights for the later week, now is the time to check.

Why your school's calendar might look different

Not every Dubai school runs on exactly the same dates:

• Schools following some other curricula (for example Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi systems) may start and end their year at different times and set different breaks. KHDA made this point when it reminded schools about the unified calendar.
• April-start schools run on a different academic year (more on this below).
• Staff training days, phased starts and early-finish days are set by each school. Some schools also add short extra breaks. For example, Dubai American Academy's published calendar includes a two-day February break.

You can look up any school's approved calendar on its KHDA profile. Children in other emirates? See our Abu Dhabi term dates and Sharjah term dates.

Public holidays that fall in term time

UAE public holidays are set by Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. Islamic holidays depend on moon sighting, so the 2027 dates below are expected dates from the UAE's Astronomy Centre and will be confirmed closer to the time.

Commemoration Day – Monday 30 November 2026. This is a day of remembrance, not a public holiday. The 2026-27 academic calendar doesn't close schools for it, and schools usually mark it with assemblies and a minute of silence.

National Day (Eid Al Etihad) – Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. These are the official public holiday dates. Several Dubai private schools list Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 December as closed on their calendars. The Cabinet can move this holiday to the start or end of a week, so wait for your school to confirm.

New Year's Day – Friday 1 January 2027. This falls in the winter break.

Eid Al Fitr – expected Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027. Eid is the first three days of Shawwal. If Ramadan lasts 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan is added as a holiday too. That means Eid lands in term time this year. The Ministry's calendar for its own curriculum schools lists an Eid Al Fitr holiday of 8–12 March 2027.

Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha – expected mid-May 2027. The Astronomy Centre expects Arafah on 15 or 16 May and Eid Al Adha to start on 16 or 17 May. That's another term-time break to plan for.

Hijri New Year – expected around 5–7 June 2027, depending on moon sightings.

Ramadan 2027 and the school day

Ramadan 2027 is expected to start on Monday 8 February 2027, subject to the official moon sighting, and to last 29 or 30 days. All of it falls within term time.

KHDA hasn't announced Ramadan 2027 school hours yet. In Ramadan 2026, it capped the school day at five hours, asked schools to finish by 11.30am on Fridays, and excused fasting pupils from PE. Expect your school's timetable, and your drop-off and pick-up times, to change for about a month. We've written a full guide to Ramadan school timings in Dubai.

April-start schools

If your child is at an April-start school, the academic year began on 6 April 2026, the summer break started on 6 July, and classes resumed on 31 August. These schools share the same winter break (14 December 2026 – 3 January 2027), and the year ends between 15 and 31 March 2027, with a minimum of 182 school days.

How I plan the year (without a spreadsheet meltdown)

1. Put the big breaks in now: mid-term, winter, spring and the last day of school. Those are fixed.
2. Pencil in the moon-dependent holidays (Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha) with a day either side, and firm them up when they're announced.
3. Block out Ramadan as a "different timetable" month, roughly 8 February to 9 March 2027.
4. Tell your helper early. Holidays change pick-ups, meals and their own days off, so share the dates the moment you have them. Our guide on briefing your nanny or helper on the school week has a simple template, and check this month in Dubai schools for exam weeks and dress-up days.
5. Read the circulars. Changes like this year's October break move often arrive by email. Here's how I manage school emails and class WhatsApp groups without missing them.

For other changes this term, see our round-up of new Dubai school rules for October 2026.

Sources

• KHDA: Academic calendar for Dubai's private schools
• UAE Ministry of Education: Academic Calendar 2026-2027 (PDF)
• UAE Legislation: Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 concerning public holidays
• UAE Government portal: Public holidays
• Dubai American Academy: Academic calendar 2026-27 (example of a school calendar)
• Gulf News: Dubai private schools revise October mid-term break dates for 2026-27 (4 Sep 2026)
• Emirates 24|7: Dubai private school calendar 2026–27: key term dates and holidays
• Khaleej Times: Likely dates for Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha 2027 (updated 1 Sep 2026)
• The National: Ramadan 2027 and Eid Al Fitr holiday: potential dates
• Gulf News: Dubai caps Ramadan school day at five hours (9 Feb 2026)

Frequently asked questions

When is the October 2026 half-term in Dubai?
For schools on the unified calendar, it's Monday 12 to Friday 16 October 2026, and classes resume Monday 19 October. Some schools moved it from 19–23 October, so check your school's latest email.

When does winter break start for Dubai schools in 2026?
Monday 14 December 2026. Classes resume Monday 4 January 2027.

When is the last day of school in Dubai for 2026-27?
Friday 2 July 2027 for September-start schools. April-start schools finish between 15 and 31 March 2027.

Will Eid Al Fitr 2027 fall during term time?
Yes. Eid Al Fitr is expected to start on 9 or 10 March 2027, depending on the moon sighting, which falls in term time.

Do all Dubai private schools follow the same calendar?
Most do, because KHDA requires them to follow the unified calendar. Schools following some other curricula and April-start schools can have different dates, so always check your school's approved calendar.

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