Hey Raha blog · School calendars

Saudi school holidays 2026-27: the 1448 school calendar in English

By Marie Adly · Last updated: 22 October 2026

Saudi public schools started the 1448 school year (2026-27) on Sunday 23 August 2026, with two semesters. The next breaks are an extra holiday on Sunday 25 October, the autumn break from Friday 20 November and the mid-year break from Friday 8 January 2027, and the summer holiday begins at the end of Thursday 24 June 2027. The Ministry of Education's academic calendar confirms when each break starts; when breaks end, and some regional extra holidays, are as reported by Saudi news outlets, so check those with your school.

Last updated: 22 October 2026

In August 2025 the Ministry of Education confirmed that public schools return to two semesters from 1447 and that a four-year calendar framework applies. It also confirmed two points that matter for families: private and international schools can choose their own system, and education departments in the Makkah and Madinah regions and in Jeddah and Taif have powers to adjust dates around the Hajj and Umrah seasons. So the dates below are the national public school calendar, and your school's own calendar comes first.

Saudi school calendar 1448 at a glance

The Ministry's calendar lists the date each break starts; the end dates above are as reported by Sabq. Sabq lists the extra holidays for Riyadh by default and notes that they can differ between regions; the Qassim education department has published the same four dates on the Ministry's site. If a date in this table changes, it will be announced by the Ministry or your regional education department, and your school will usually pass it on by message or email.

Long weekends (extra holidays) and why they differ by region

The Saudi calendar includes single extra days off (إجازة إضافية), usually placed next to a weekend so families get three days. In 1448 the Qassim education department lists 25 October and 29 November 2026, 7 January and 11 April 2027 on the Ministry's site, and Sabq reports the same dates for Riyadh and most regions. Regional education departments can set different days, and the Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Taif departments have their own powers around the pilgrimage seasons. If you have just moved, ask your school which regional calendar it follows.

Ramadan and the two Eid breaks

• Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, subject to the moon sighting. For 1447, Gulf News reported about 14 school days in Ramadan with shorter hours; your school will confirm the 2027 hours. For a comparison, see how UAE schools handle Ramadan hours and our Ramadan school timings guide for Qatar.
• Eid al-Fitr break: starts Friday 26 February 2027 in the Ministry calendar and is reported to run to Saturday 13 March, which means a long break that starts before Eid and covers the end of Ramadan. Students would return on Sunday 14 March.
• Eid al-Adha break: starts Friday 7 May 2027 in the Ministry calendar and is reported to run to Saturday 22 May, back on Sunday 23 May.
• Founding Day is 22 February, a Monday in 2027, and the school break starts on Friday 19 February (Ministry calendar) and is reported to run to Monday 22 February.

International and private schools

The Ministry lets private and international schools choose their own academic system, and many publish a calendar closer to their curriculum (British, American, IB or Indian) than to the public school dates. For example, the International Indian Public School in Riyadh lists winter holidays from Sunday 20 to Thursday 31 December 2026, back on Sunday 3 January 2027, which is a different shape from the public mid-year break in January.

That means a family can easily have two calendars at once: one child at an international school and one at a public school or nursery. If your children follow the IB or an Indian curriculum, our guides to IB school calendars in the Gulf and CBSE school calendars in the Gulf explain how those years run.

When the calendar changes, Raha tells you

Saudi dates move more than most: a long weekend is added, a region adjusts a holiday, Eid is confirmed close to the date or the day shortens for Ramadan. The update usually arrives by school message or email, often in Arabic and English. Hey Raha reads your school emails, read-only, and spots the change. She updates your family plan and tells you on WhatsApp, and your nanny or helper gets her own version without fees or private notes. Try Hey Raha free for 14 days.

If school email has got out of hand, our guide to too many school emails can help.

Planning with a nanny, helper or driver

• Share the whole year now and mark every date "expected" until your school confirms it.
• Flag the long weekends. They are easy to miss, and they change pick-up plans for the driver as well as childcare.
• Agree leave around Eid. The Eid al-Fitr break is reported at more than two weeks, which is a natural time for a helper's leave, so agree dates early.
• Plan Ramadan routines. Shorter school days mean earlier pick-ups.

Our guide to briefing your nanny or helper on the school week has a template you can adapt. Neighbouring countries run different calendars: see the Qatar school calendar 2026-27, UAE school holidays for Eid and National Day and Kuwait school holidays 2026-27.

Saudi school holidays FAQ

When is the autumn break 2026 in Saudi schools?
The autumn break starts on Friday 20 November 2026, according to the Ministry of Education's calendar, and is reported to run to Saturday 28 November. Sunday 29 November is an extra day off in Qassim (confirmed by the Ministry's regional site) and is reported for Riyadh and most regions.

When is the mid-year break in Saudi Arabia 2027?
The mid-year break starts on Friday 8 January 2027, according to the Ministry of Education's calendar, and is reported to run to Saturday 16 January, with semester 2 starting on Sunday 17 January. Thursday 7 January is an extra day off in Qassim and is reported for Riyadh and most regions.

How long is the Eid al-Fitr school holiday in Saudi Arabia in 2027?
The Ministry's calendar starts the Eid al-Fitr break on Friday 26 February 2027, and it is reported to run to Saturday 13 March, with students back on Sunday 14 March. Eid itself depends on the moon sighting, so the end of the break is UNCONFIRMED.

Do international schools in Saudi Arabia follow the Ministry calendar?
Not necessarily. The Ministry allows private and international schools to choose their own academic system, so many publish their own term dates and holidays. Check your school's calendar.

When does the 2027-28 (1449) school year start in Saudi Arabia?
Students return on Sunday 22 August 2027 and teachers on Sunday 15 August 2027, according to the Ministry of Education's academic calendar. The 1448 year ends at the end of Thursday 24 June 2027.

Sources

• Ministry of Education, academic calendar (Arabic, content updated 16/04/1448, read 22 October 2026)
• Ministry of Education, Qassim education department, extra holidays for 1448-1449 (Arabic, 26 August 2026)
• Ministry of Education, Cabinet approves two semesters and the four-year calendar framework (Arabic, 5 August 2025)
• Saudi Press Agency, Cabinet approves general timeframe for the academic calendar (22 June 2024)
• Gulf News, Saudi Arabia returns to two-semester school year (5 August 2025, news)
• Sabq, school calendar 1448 dates (Arabic, news site, updated 16 October 2026)
• Sabq, two semesters and calendars for 1447 and 1448 (Arabic, 5 August 2025, news)
• International Indian Public School Riyadh, vacation schedule 2026-27

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