UAE school timings 2026-27: Start and dismissal times from September 7
On Fridays, student arrival and morning activities begin at 7:30am and continue until 8am
The Ministry of Education has announced the full-school-day timings for students and teaching staff across schools in the UAE, with the approved schedule taking effect from September 7 through the end of the academic year.
The schedule sets out the start and end times of the school day for kindergarten and the first, second and third cycles, with timings varying according to the educational stage and between boys and girls, in addition to special timings for Fridays.
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According to the approved schedule distributed to schools, the school day will begin as early as 7.15am for some stages, while the latest finishing time will be 3.15pm for girls in Cycles 2 and 3 from Monday to Thursday. Kindergarten students will be received from 7.30am, with their school day ending at 1pm.
Kindergarten: Monday to Thursday
The Ministry has set kindergarten timings from Monday to Thursday, with student arrival and morning activities beginning at 7:30am and continuing until 8am. The morning assembly will then take place from 8am to 8:15am, followed by the first lesson at 8:15am.
The school day consists of five 45-minute lessons, along with two breaks. The first, for breakfast, runs from 9:45am to 10:05am, while the second, for play, is from 10:05am to 10:25am.
Lessons then resume until the fifth and final lesson ends at 12:40pm, followed by a period from 12:40pm to 1pm for storytelling and dismissal.
On Fridays, student arrival and morning activities begin at 7:30am and continue until 8am, followed by a five-minute morning assembly. The first lesson starts at 8:05am, with four lessons scheduled during the day. The period from 11:15am to 11:30am is allocated for storytelling and dismissal.
Kindergarten students will have a total of 24 lessons per week. Each lesson will last 45 minutes from Monday to Thursday and 40 minutes on Fridays.
Two options for school timings in Cycle 1
The schedule provides two options for school timings in Cycle 1.
Under the first option, the school day begins with the morning assembly at 7:15am for 10 minutes, followed by the first lesson at 7.25am. From Monday to Thursday, the school day comprises seven lessons, with two breaks — the first lasting 20 minutes and the second 15 minutes.
The seventh and final lesson begins at 12.40pm and ends at 1.25pm.
On Fridays, under the first option, the morning assembly begins at 7.10am, followed by the first lesson at 7.20am. Students attend four lessons, with the final lesson ending at 10.30am.
Under the second option, the morning assembly from Monday to Thursday begins at 8am, followed by the first lesson at 8.15am. The school day comprises seven lessons, with the final lesson starting at 1.35pm and ending at 2.20pm.
On Fridays, under the second option, the morning assembly begins at 8am, followed by the first lesson at 8:10am. The fourth and final lesson ends at 11.30am.
Cycle 1 students will have a total of 32 lessons per week, with each lesson lasting 45 minutes.
Boys in cycles 2 and 3
For boys in Cycles 2 and 3, the school day from Monday to Thursday begins with the morning assembly at 7.15am for 10 minutes, followed by the first lesson at 7.25am.
The school day consists of eight lessons. The eighth lesson begins at 1:30pm and ends at 2.15pm. Two breaks are scheduled during the day: the first from 9am to 9.20am, lasting 20 minutes, and the second from 11:45am to noon, lasting 15 minutes.
On Fridays, the morning assembly begins at 7:10am and lasts five minutes, followed by the first lesson at 7:15am. The fourth and final lesson ends at 10.25am.
Students in Cycles 2 and 3 will have a total of 36 lessons per week, with each lesson lasting 45 minutes.
Girls in cycles 2 and 3
The schedule sets different timings for girls in Cycles 2 and 3. From Monday to Thursday, the morning assembly begins at 8am and lasts 15 minutes, followed by the first lesson at 8.15am.
The school day consists of eight lessons, with the eighth and final lesson beginning at 2:30pm and ending at 3.15pm — the latest school dismissal time under the approved schedules.
Two breaks during the school day
Two breaks are scheduled during the school day. The first runs from 9.50am to 10.10am for 20 minutes, while the second runs from 12.35pm to 12.50pm for 15 minutes.
On Fridays, the morning assembly begins at 8am, followed by the first lesson at 8:10am. Classes continue until the fourth and final lesson ends at 11.30am. Girls in Cycles 2 and 3 will have a total of 36 lessons per week.
Overall, school dismissal times from Monday to Thursday will range from 1pm for kindergarten students, to 1.25pm for Cycle 1 under the first option and 2:20pm under the second option, and 2.15pm for boys in Cycles 2 and 3, reaching 3.15pm for girls in Cycles 2 and 3. Shorter school-day timings will apply on Fridays.
