UAE students to enjoy 135 days off under new 2025–26 school calendar

Dubai: Students in the UAE will receive 135 days off in the upcoming 2025–26 academic year, according to a school calendar released by the Ministry of Education, giving them one of the region’s more generous holiday schedules.

The official calendar shows the academic year will span 313 days, of which 178 will be instructional days or about 57 percent of the year while the remaining 43 percent will be distributed as weekends, public holidays, and term breaks.

In detail, students will have 68 weekend days, four public holidays, seven days off during the midterm break in the first semester, a 30-day winter holiday, five days off in the second-semester midterm, a 14-day spring break, and a further seven days off during the midterm of the third semester. 

The calendar also aligns certain major religious holidays with these scheduled breaks: Eid Al Fitr with the spring holiday, Eid Al Adha with the third-term midterm, and New Year’s Day with the winter holiday.

Teachers and school officials said that such breaks are an essential part of the academic rhythm. They stated that they allow students to rest, recharge mentally and physically, and return to school with renewed focus. 

Vacations, they added, offer opportunities to develop new skills, spend more time with family, and engage in social or recreational activities that complement academic growth.

They also noted that aligning major religious holidays with scheduled breaks preserves instructional time, curbs absenteeism during so-called “dead days” before long vacations, and lets families plan trips more easily. In past years, end-of-term exams often fell directly after major breaks, limiting students’ ability to enjoy them.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education said the new calendar was designed to support both students and families, while also aligning with wider community goals.

The ministry said the unified schedule would “provide a balanced educational environment, support family cohesion, and allow parents to engage more smoothly with the academic system without the complications of mismatched schedules among siblings.”

The ministry added that the national school calendar would also help cultural and tourism organizations plan their activities in tandem with school breaks, enhancing the connection between education and society.