A new directive from the Ministry of Education (MoE) grants most students across the UAE an extended month-long winter break this academic year, but families with children in specific curricula will find their holidays are shorter and later.
The MoE’s unified calendar for 2025–2026 sets a standardised vacation period for all public and private schools following the September-start cycle. For these students, the first term will conclude with a four-week winter break, starting on December 8, 2025, and ending on January 4, 2026. Classes are slated to resume on January 5, 2026.
Why Asian-Curriculum Schools Have Different Dates
The key difference lies with Asian curriculum schools, primarily those following Indian and Pakistani academic patterns. These institutions operate on an April-to-March cycle, a structure that differs significantly from the September-start model.
Because their academic year is already aligned with home-country examination boards and curriculum requirements, these schools will not immediately adopt the new unified holiday pattern.
This means that for the current year, Indian curriculum families will follow their traditional schedule:
- Their schools will continue regular classes into the second week of December.
- The winter break will begin later, around December 15, 2025.
- The total duration of the break will be shorter than the four weeks enjoyed by other schools.
- Classes for these students will also resume on January 5, 2026, aligning with the official resumption date.
The MoE’s unified calendar is only scheduled to become applicable to these April-start schools when their academic cycle begins in April 2026. Until then, they must adhere to their existing, earlier-approved academic calendars.
