Snapshot: School holidays in the UAE

The UAE has over a million students going to school every day and with the strong educational community in the UAE, it is crucial that parents, teachers and students receive the necessary communication in the clearest way possible.

The Ministry of Education announces the school year for both public and private sectors well in advance to ensure everyone who is part of the education sector is aware of the holidays, the total number of academic days as well as how long the annual breaks should be. Here is all you need to know about school holidays in the UAE.

Private schools following foreign curricula are allowed a flexibility margin of no more than one week from the dates approved by Ministry of Education. However, such schools must first acquire a permission from the relevant educational zone in their emirate for such an amendment.

All schools in the UAE are closed in July and August. All public and private schools enjoy two days as the weekend, which include Fridays and Saturdays.

Students and teachers receive three breaks. One is a four-week winter break for students and two weeks for teachers.

Another break is the two-week spring break for students and one week for teachers.

There is also an almost two-month break between academic years for students and six weeks for teachers.