Academic year facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

An academic year or school year is the time schools, colleges, and universities use to measure how much study happens. It's like a big chunk of time for learning!

School holidays (also called vacations or breaks) are times when schools are closed, and there are no classes or required activities. The dates and lengths of these holidays can be very different around the world, and sometimes even within the same country. The holidays mentioned below are mostly for kids in primary and secondary school. College breaks are often a bit longer.

Kids celebrating the last day of school in Tanzania.

Types of School Holidays

School holidays are important for students to relax, spend time with family, or catch up on studies. Many families travel during these breaks. This can sometimes make travel and hotels more expensive because lots of people are trying to go on holiday at the same time!

Summer Break

This is usually the longest holiday of the year.

In the northern half of the world (like North America, Europe, and most of Asia), summer break happens in the middle of the year, during June, July, and August. It can last from six weeks to three months.
In the southern half of the world (like Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America), the longest break is at the end and beginning of the year, during their summer months (December to March). It can also last up to 14 weeks.

Winter Break

This holiday usually happens around Christmas and New Year's Day. It often lasts for about two weeks, giving students time to celebrate with family.

Spring Break

This break usually takes place in March or April. In many countries with Christian traditions, it's linked to the Easter holiday. In the United States, it's often called "Spring Break."

Autumn Break

Some countries have a shorter break in the autumn, usually in October or November. This can be around holidays like All Saints' Day or Thanksgiving.

School Holidays Around the World

Here's a look at how school holidays are set up in different parts of the world.

Africa

Nigeria

In Nigeria, the longest holiday is from mid-July to early September for secondary schools.

South Africa

South Africa's main holiday is from early December to mid-January (about 5-6 weeks). They also have shorter breaks in late March/early April, late June/early July, and late September/early October. Schools are closed on all public holidays.

Americas

Brazil

In Brazil, summer holidays are from early December to late January or early February. Winter holidays are usually the whole month of July. Schools must have at least 200 school days.

Canada

The school year in Canada is typically 185 to 190 days long.

Summer holiday: July and August. Students return in late August or early September.
Winter break: Two weeks around Christmas and New Year's Day.
Spring break: One to two weeks long, usually in March.
Thanksgiving break: A three-day break in mid-October.

Chile

Chile's school year is split into two semesters.

The first semester runs from late February/early March to July, followed by a two or three-week winter break.
School then continues until early or mid-December, leading into 10–12 weeks of summer vacation.
There's also a one-week break for National Holidays in mid-September and a short Easter break.

United States

In the United States, there are usually 160-180 school days in a year.

Thanksgiving/Fall Break: Happens at the end of November, usually for a few days around Thanksgiving Day.
Christmas/Winter Break: Varies in length, usually starting mid-December and ending a day or two after New Year's Day.
Martin Luther King Day: A one-day holiday on the third Monday of January.
Spring/Easter Break: Usually one or two weeks in March or April.
Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day: A holiday on the second Monday in October, though some schools don't observe it.
Summer Vacation: Lasts about 11–16 weeks, from late May/June to late August/early September.

Asia

China

Summer holidays usually last from early July to the end of August. The winter holiday is about one month long and its timing depends on the Chinese New Year date.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, summer holidays are from mid-July to the end of August. Christmas, Lunar New Year, and Easter holidays usually last about one and a half weeks.

India

South India: Summer vacations are from late March/early April to early/mid-June. Diwali break is in October or November for about a week. Christmas break is late December to early January.
North India: Summer vacation is mid-May to end of June. Navaratri break is usually 10 days. Christmas holidays are sometimes combined with a winter break in late December/early January.
National Holidays: All schools in India are closed on Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15), and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2).

UAE (United Arab Emirates)

Summer Break: Late June/early July to late August/early September.
Diwali Break: One or two days in October/November.
Winter Break: Three weeks from mid-December to early January, including New Year's Day.
Spring Break: Two to three weeks from late March to mid-April.
Schools also have holidays for Islamic occasions like Eid.

Indonesia

Indonesia has four main school holidays:

New school year holiday: 2–3 weeks between late June and early July.
Mid-term holiday: Two weeks between late December and early January, including Christmas and New Year.
Eid al-Fitr holiday: Around two weeks, dates vary by Islamic calendar.
Fasting Holiday / Ramadan Holiday: About one month, dates vary by Islamic calendar. This often overlaps with Eid al-Fitr.

There are also shorter holidays for Independence Day, religious breaks, and Teacher's Day.

Japan

The new academic year in Japan starts in April.

Spring break: One or two weeks from late March to early April.
Summer break: About a month from late July to the end of August.
Winter break: Two weeks from late December to early January.
Golden Week: A cluster of national holidays between April 29 and May 5.

Korea

The school year in Korea starts in March.

Spring break: About one week in May.
Summer break: About one month from mid-July to mid-August.
Chuseok/Fall break: About one week in late September.
Winter break: About two months from October to early January.

Malaysia

Malaysia has two main semester holidays and additional mid-term and year-end breaks.

Mid-year holidays: Two weeks from late May to mid-June.
Year-end holidays: Six weeks from mid-November to early January.
Mid-term breaks: One week in March and one week in August or September.

Schools also close for national and state public holidays, and sometimes for special events like school anniversaries.

Philippines

Most school calendars in the Philippines start in June and end in March or early April.

Summer break: Late March/early April to June.
Semestral break: Late October to early November.
Christmas break: Mid-December to early January.

There's also a three-day long weekend around National Heroes' Day in late August.

Singapore

Singapore's school year has four terms.

March Holidays: One week after Term 1.
June Holidays: Four weeks after Term 2.
September Holidays: One week after Term 3.
December Holidays: Five or six weeks after Term 4.

Students also get days off for public holidays, Children's Day, Youth's Day, Teacher's Day, and the day after National Day.

Turkey

Winter Break: Two weeks in late January or early February.
Summer Break: 13 weeks from early/mid-June to mid-September.
Autumn Break: One week in mid-November (since 2019).
Spring Break: One week in mid-April (since 2019).

Turkey also has holidays for national days and religious feasts like Ramadan Feast and Sacrifice Feast, whose dates change each year.

Australia and New Zealand

Schools in Australia and New Zealand divide the year into four 10-week terms.

The main summer holiday is between academic years, covering most of December and all of January. It includes Christmas, New Year, and Australia Day (January 26).
There are two-week breaks after Term 1 (in April) and Term 3 (in late September/early October).
There's a three-week break in the middle of the year (late June/early July) in Australia, and two-week breaks between each term in New Zealand.

Europe

Austria

Summer holidays are usually from early July to early September.

Christmas break: December 24 to January 6.
Easter break: 10 days.
Mid-term break: One week in February.
Whitsun break: Four days.

There are also days off for religious holidays.

Belgium

The school year starts on the first weekday of September and ends on the last weekday of June.

Summer holiday: July and August.
Autumn break: One week around All Saints’ Day (November 1).
Winter/Christmas holiday: Two weeks, including Christmas and New Year's Day.
Spring break: One week.
Easter holiday: Two weeks.

Croatia

Croatian public schools have three to five major breaks. A school year must have at least 175 working days.

Summer break: Mid-June to early September (about 11 weeks).
Winter (Christmas) break: Starts December 24 and ends after January 6 (three weeks). Some areas split this into two parts.
Spring (Easter) break: About 10 days around Easter.

Some schools also have an Autumn break around All Saints' Day (November 1).

Czech Republic

Summer holidays: End of June to September 1.
Autumn holidays: Two days plus October 28.
Winter (Christmas) holidays: Usually December 22 to January 3.
Half-term holiday: One day on January 31.
Spring holidays: One week in February or March, depending on the region.
Easter holidays: Around Easter.

There are also free days for national holidays.

Denmark

Summer holiday lasts 6–7 weeks. Most schools also have one week of winter holiday (February) and one week of autumn holiday (October). The Christmas break lasts two weeks.

Estonia

Summer holidays last for three months (June to August).

Autumn holiday: One week in October.
Winter Holiday: Two weeks from late December to early January.
New holiday: One week in late February/early March (since 2017).
Spring holiday: One week in late April/early May.

France

French school holidays are planned by the Ministry of Education and are staggered by dividing the country into three zones to reduce overcrowding at tourist spots.

All Saints and Christmas/New Year holidays are the same for everyone.
Other holidays like winter and spring breaks vary by zone.

Germany

Germany has about 75 school-free days a year. The exact dates are set by each of the 16 states.

Christmas: About two weeks.
Easter: About two weeks.
Summer: Six weeks.
Autumn: About two weeks.

Some states also have holidays around Pentecost or in winter.

Greece

Summer holidays: June to September.
Christmas holidays: Around December 23 to January 8 (about two weeks).
Easter holidays: Two weeks around Orthodox Easter.

There are also three one-day national holidays.

Ireland

School year starts: Late August or early September.
Halloween Break: One week at the end of October.
Christmas Break: Two weeks, including Christmas and New Year.
Spring Break: One week in mid-February.
St Patrick's Day: March 17 is a public holiday; schools close.
Easter Break: Two weeks.
Summer Holidays: Secondary schools finish early June; primary schools finish end of June.

Italy

Most school holidays are set by the Ministry of Education.

Summer holidays: Early/mid-June to the second week of September (three months).
Christmas (Winter) holidays: December 23 to early January.
Easter (Spring) holidays: One week around Easter.

There are also one-day holidays for Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), All Saints (November 1), Liberation Day (April 25), Republic Day (June 2), and Workers' Day (May 1). Local authorities can add more days for local festivals.

Latvia

Summer holidays last for three months (June to August). Christmas holidays last for two weeks, and autumn and spring holidays are each one week.

Lithuania

Summer holidays last almost three months. For students in 9th and 11th grade, it starts a few days later due to exams.

The Netherlands

Summer holidays: Six weeks, usually mid-July to late August. The country is divided into three regions with staggered start dates.
Autumn holiday: One week in mid-October.
Christmas holidays: Two weeks in December.
"Crocus/Spring holidays": One week in February.
"May holidays": One or two weeks, spanning national holidays like King's Day (April 27) and Liberation Day (May 5).

North Macedonia

Summer break: June 10 to September 1.
Winter (Christmas) break: After New Year's Eve to after January 20.

Other free days include public holidays.

Norway

School holidays vary by region. The school year starts around mid-August.

Autumn break: One week in early October.
Christmas holidays: Before Christmas Eve to early January.
Winter vacation: One week in late February.
Easter holiday: Palm Sunday to Easter Monday.
Summer holidays: Start before midsummer (late June) and last about eight weeks.

Poland

All Saints Day: November 1 (one day).
Independence Day: November 11 (one day).
Epiphany: January 6 (one day).
First Winter Break: Two weeks around Christmas and New Year.
Second Winter Break: Two weeks in January or February (varies by region).
Easter (Spring) Break: Maundy Thursday to the Tuesday after Easter Monday.
May Break: May 1-3.
Corpus Christi: Four days in May or June.
Summer Break: First Saturday after June 20 to the end of August or early September.

Romania

Summer breaks: Late May/mid-June to early/mid-September (13–15 weeks).
Spring breaks: One to two weeks between late March and early May, depending on Easter dates.
Winter break: Three weeks (late December to mid-January).
Fall break: One week in late October/early November (now for all students).

Russian Federation

Winter Break: Two weeks in early January.
Spring Break: One week in late March to early April.
Fall Break: One week in late October to early November.
Summer Break: Late May to August 31.

There are also holidays for national days like Defender's Day (February 23), International Women's Day (March 8), Spring and Labour Day (May 1), Victory Day (May 9), and Unity Day (November 4).

Slovakia

Summer holidays: End of June to early September.
Autumn holidays: End of October.
Winter (Christmas) holidays: December 23 to January 7.
Half-term holiday: One day on January 31.
Spring holidays: One week in February or March, depending on the region.
Easter holidays: Around Easter.