On Wednesday, July 23, the United Arab Emirates announced the new academic calendar for the academic year 2025–2026 for all public and private higher education institutions.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) made major changes to the end-of-term breaks in order to give universities in the United Arab Emirates a more flexible and consistent academic calendar.

The news follows the publication of a new academic calendar framework for schools beginning in 2025–2026 by the UAE Ministry of Education.

Under the new arrangement, significant holidays will coincide with the school calendar, and the university academic year will begin on August 25, 2025.

Additionally, there will be a two-week spring vacation from March 16 to 29, 2026, with classes starting on March 30, 2026, and a four-week winter break from December 8, 2025, to January 4, 2026, with classes starting on January 5, 2026.

With a more defined and well-rounded schedule that promotes study and well-being, the academic year will conclude on July 3, 2025.

The new academic calendar, according to Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, demonstrates the Ministry's dedication to establishing an integrated university environment that provides for the needs of students, improves academic life, and raises student achievement.

International universities that match with their home calendars are exempt from the requirement that all higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates adhere to a single academic year start and end date.

The mandate also permits flexibility in deciding when the academic year begins in accordance with the requirements of university programs and specializations, as well as in deciding when the academic year ends in accordance with the schedule of summer semesters.

With the condition that the holiday duration stays the same, this also permits flexibility to change the holiday dates by up to one week before or after the designated dates.

Through a fair distribution of study and break times, the framework supports students and promotes family harmony in line with the "Year of Community" goals.