What better way to begin your Thursday than soaking up some news about holidays. And that too, winter holidays (yayyy, winter is almost here!!). Right, so a number of schools in UAE have started sending out winter break circulars and guess what! Students are getting full 4 weeks of winter break, as opposed to the usual 3-week holiday. How cool is that! So, the Ministry of Education together with other regulatories in the education sector dropped in 4 weeks of holidays in the 2025-2026 academic calendar.
So, When Are The Winter Holidays?
The winter holidays will begin on December 8, 2025 and run all the way into January 4, 2026. Yup, full four weeks of bliss and entertainment, kiddos! This has been announced way in advance so that families get adequate time to plan their upcoming vacation in a way that doesn’t disrupt students’ attendance.
How Is This Different From The Usual Winter Holidays?
So, generally the winter break commences during mid-December and runs up to a few days after the new year. This time around, holidays are arriving a whole week early!
Why The Shift From 3-Weeks To 4-Weeks?
While designing the calendar, the authorities factored in the rigorous term that the children are a part of and decided to give students ample time to rejuvenate. What makes it perfect is that it alligns with the festive season, which is synonymous with family time. Kids will get to soak up more of such times this year! Schools also believe that this is a great chance for kids to involve themselves in community-oriented activities and enhance their altruistic spirit.
Does That Mean The Early Winter Break Is Starting Right After National Day Holidays?
Ooh yes! So, technically, schools will close on Friday, Dec 5, 2025. And in case, we end up getting a long weekend for Eid Al Etihad or the UAE National Day, your kid will just have to attend school for three days in December, that is Dec 3, 4 and 5, if Dec 1 and 2 are off. In case, December 1-3 are off, then they just have to attend school on Dec 4 and 5 between the national day holidays and the winter break.
Is The Early Winter Break Applicable To All UAE Schools?
The question of the century! Because as we all know, UAE is not home to schools of a single curriculum. Tou’ll find Asian boards, IB schools, American schools, and plenty more. For CBSE schools, the academic year kicks off in April, and December is the culmination of their first term. So, a 4-week break at that point isn’t the best option, especially with CBSE Grade 10 and 12 exams scheduled to take place in February 2026. In a nutshell, KHDA has confirmed that schools following Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curriculum are not impacted by the changes. However, if your child’s school follows the Ministry of Education’s curriculum or certain international curricula, then they will be entitled to a four-week winter break.
Also read: Here’s Why Some UAE Schools Will Miss The 4-Week Winter Break
So, When Does Winter Break Start For Indian, Pakistani & Japanese Curriculum Schools?
These schools will stick to the regular 3-week winter break and that will commence mid-month. Their 3-week winter vacation will begin on Monday, December 15, with the school reopening on Monday, 5 Janurary 2026 (the same day as the schools following the international curricula).
What About Indian Schools In Sharjah and Ajman?
Well, surprisingly Indian schools of northern emirates have decided to go with MOE’s decision. Students belonging to schools in Sharjah and Ajman will receive the full four-week break, since MOE guidelines are binding for all private schools across those emirates.
Indian Students Of Dubai, Here’s Something For You!
Kids, don’t sulk yet, here are a few holidays that are coming up for you. And the best part is that these are exclusive to you! Here are the days:
- Thursday, October 2 – Gandhi Jayanti & Dussehra
- Monday, October 20 and Tuesday, October 21 – Diwali (some Indian schools also give 3-days off)
- Monday, 26 Januray 2026 – Indian Republic Day
So, there! The 5 days that you miss during the winter break will come back to you in festive holidays. Pretty sweet trade, right?
Basically, the early winter break depends on your child’s school curriculum and emirate in the UAE. While some UAE schools enjoy the full four weeks, others stick to the regular three-week break, with festive holidays sweetening the deal. What’s most important is that you start planning and make the most of the holidays, whichever curriculum your school is following!
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