The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has officially released the academic calendar for the 2025–2026 school year, outlining key dates for Dubai’s private schools starting in both April and September. The detailed framework sets the tone for term dates, holidays, and the minimum required number of school days — offering clarity to parents, students, and educators alike.
For schools starting in April, the academic year will start in the first week of April 2025 and is likely to end by late March 2026. Institutions with the September intake will begin in the last week of August 2025 and finish by the end of June 2026. In both systems, the KHDA requires a minimum of 188 teaching days, providing uniformity and quality in academic delivery.
In breaks, schools will have a minimum winter break of three weeks and two weeks of spring break, along with provisions for a summer break that could run up to eight weeks. Dates for Islamic celebrations like Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, and other national commemorations will be finalized in due course, as per moon sighting. Nevertheless, schools are urged to schedule around these preliminary public holidays in deciding their term dates.
Parents are encouraged to refer to individual school calendars since slight differences might exist according to curriculum (British, Indian, IB, etc.). However, the KHDA framework guarantees that all private schools, irrespective of the term system they operate, meet uniform academic standards and operational schedules. This transparency enables families to make informed choices when scheduling vacations, exams, and extracurricular activities across the school calendar.
