Eid Al Adha 2026: UAE students to enjoy extended nine-day holiday
Key June dates outlined for assessments and holidays
DUBAI – The UAE’s Ministry of Education has confirmed an extended school break for Eid Al Adha 2026, offering students, teachers and administrative staff a nine-day holiday.
The midterm break for the third academic term will run from May 25 to May 29, falling from Monday to Friday. When combined with the weekends immediately before and after, the holiday stretches into a longer period away from classrooms.
The announcement forms part of the ministry’s approved academic calendar for the third and final term of the current academic year. The schedule provides clarity on important milestones, including examination dates, results announcements and official holidays, ensuring schools and families can plan ahead with certainty.
The break arrives at a pivotal time in the academic cycle. As the first major pause ahead of final assessments, it offers students a window to rest before entering a demanding period that will determine overall performance for the year.
Term break
Students across the UAE will step away from their studies for five official days, with the midterm break coinciding directly with Eid Al Adha celebrations. The inclusion of surrounding weekends effectively transforms the pause into a nine-day holiday, giving families additional time to travel, gather and mark the occasion.
The Ministry of Education confirmed that the break applies uniformly to students as well as teaching and administrative staff. The alignment with Eid Al Adha ensures that the academic calendar accommodates one of the most significant dates in the Islamic calendar while maintaining the integrity of the school term structure.
Following the holiday, students will return to classrooms on June 1 to resume the third term. The remaining weeks of the academic year are structured to prepare students for final evaluations, with a focus on readiness and performance improvement.
Exam timeline
Preparations for end-of-term assessments will begin shortly after the return to school. Mock examinations are scheduled for June 15 and 16, designed to measure students’ academic preparedness and highlight areas that may require additional attention. These assessments enable schools to implement targeted support strategies before final examinations commence.
An official holiday marking the Islamic New Year will follow on June 17, providing a brief pause before the final examination phase. End-of-term exams are set to begin on June 24 and will continue until July 3, representing the most critical period for evaluating academic achievement across all grade levels.
The structured timeline outlined by the Ministry ensures a balanced progression from rest to revision and ultimately to assessment, with each stage clearly defined within the academic calendar.