UAE announces winter vacation in schools

DUBAI:The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced winter vacation in schools. 

According to the approved academic calendar by the Ministry of Education for the 2025-2026 school year,  school students across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will start their winter vacation on December 8, kicking off a break that will run until January 4, 2026.

Teaching and administrative staff will begin their break a week later, on December 15 in the UAE.

The calendar outlines a packed schedule for December. Make-up examinations are scheduled from December 8 to 12, coinciding with the first days of the student holiday.

The second semester will begin on January 5, 2026, with schools set to review and publish first-semester results between January 7 and 9. During the same period, from December 8 to 12, teachers and administrative staff will undergo the third round of specialized professional training.

The first semester comprises 67 instructional days over 14 weeks. The second semester will be the shortest term of the academic year, with 47 instructional days over roughly nine weeks.

The third semester is scheduled to start on March 30, 2026, covering 64 instructional days over about 13 weeks and including five official holidays in UAE.

In total, the 2025–2026 academic cycle will consist of approximately 178 instructional days, with the school year concluding no earlier than June 26, 2026.