Autumn school holidays
Between Term 1 and Term 2
3 April 2026 - 20 April 2026
18
days off
Australian Capital Territory School Holidays 2026 & Term Dates
Current School Term Status
Term 3 is currently running
16
days left
Term 3 ends on Friday, 25 September 2026.
Next break: Spring school holidays starts after Friday, 25 September 2026.
Live School Term Tracker
Australian Capital Territory school term countdown 2026
Live countdown, current school week and a date checker - calculated from the official dates on this page.
17 days until the Spring holidays begin
Term 3 is running now. After it, the Spring holidays run 26 Sep 2026 to 12 Oct 2026.
Week 8 of 10 - Term 3
Last day of schoolFriday, 25 September 2026Term 3 ends
Holidays beginSaturday, 26 September 2026Spring holidays
Counting down to the Spring holidays
17
Days
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Pick a date to see whether schools are in term or on holidays then - and which week of term it falls in.
Pick a date above to check its school-term status.
📅 2026 Australian Capital Territory School Term Dates
Use the table below as the main reference for Australian Capital Territory 2026 school term dates.
| Term | Starts | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 30 January 2026 | 2 April 2026 | 9 weeks |
| Term 2 | 21 April 2026 | 3 July 2026 | 11 weeks |
| Term 3 | 21 July 2026 | 25 September 2026 | 10 weeks |
| Term 4 | 13 October 2026 | 18 December 2026 | 10 weeks |
🏖️ School Holidays ACT 2026
These are the main school holiday breaks between terms in Australian Capital Territory for 2026. Use them as a planning guide and confirm details with your school when needed.
Winter school holidays
Between Term 2 and Term 3
4 July 2026 - 20 July 2026
17
days off
Spring school holidays
Between Term 3 and Term 4
26 September 2026 - 12 October 2026
17
days off
Summer school holidays
After Term 4 2026
19 December 2026 - 1 February 2027
45
days off
Australian Capital Territory 2026 school year at a glance
- Total school terms: 4
- Total instructional time: 40 weeks across the four terms
- Longest term: Term 2 (11 weeks)
- Shortest term: Term 1 (9 weeks)
- Total school holiday time: 97 days across the four holiday breaks
- Longest break: Summer school holidays, at 45 days
Total instructional time is the same every year in the 5 years shown on this site: 40 weeks across the four terms. Its 45-day summer holidays are the shortest of the years with confirmed dates on this site.
Compared to 2027: Term 1 2026 falls 2 days earlier than Term 1 2027, Term 4 2026 falls 1 day later than Term 4 2027, and total school holiday time is 7 days fewer in 2026 than in 2027 (97 vs 104) — Summer school holidays run 7 days shorter in 2026 (45 days vs 52 days in 2027); all other breaks are the same length in both years.
These figures are calculated directly from the term and school holiday dates listed on this page.
Plain-English summary for Australian Capital Territory 2026
Australian Capital Territory school students generally have four school terms in 2026, with autumn, winter, spring and summer holiday breaks between terms.
- School year starts: 30 January 2026.
- School year ends: 18 December 2026.
- Important note: Government, Catholic, independent and private schools may use different student dates, so families should confirm dates with their school.
The detailed term dates and school holiday tables above remain the main reference. This section is only a quick plain-English explanation.
Download and print ACT 2026 school calendar
Download the Australian Capital Territory 2026 school calendar as an iCal file, import it into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar, or print this page for offline planning.
23 calendar items included. The file includes available term dates, school holiday breaks and public holidays that appear on this page. Always confirm dates with the official source and your school.
2026 Public Holidays in Australian Capital Territory
ACT public holidays apply to the territory, but schools may still set staff development or student-free days separately.
| Public holiday | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday, 1 January 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Australia Day | Monday, 26 January 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Canberra Day | Monday, 9 March 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Good Friday | Friday, 3 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Easter Saturday | Saturday, 4 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday, 5 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Easter Monday | Monday, 6 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| ANZAC Day | Saturday, 25 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| ANZAC Day Additional Holiday | Monday, 27 April 2026 | Additional public holiday. |
| Reconciliation Day | Monday, 1 June 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| King’s Birthday | Monday, 8 June 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Labour Day | Monday, 5 October 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Christmas Day | Friday, 25 December 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Boxing Day | Saturday, 26 December 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Boxing Day Additional Holiday | Monday, 28 December 2026 | Additional public holiday. |
Use this table as a planning guide only. Confirm public holidays, regional holidays and school-specific arrangements with the official ACT government source and your school.
See the full ACT 2026 public holiday list, with types and long weekends →
Good to know: Australian Capital Territory planning notes for 2026
The ACT has two public holidays not observed in most other states: Canberra Day (second Monday in March) and Reconciliation Day (around 27 May, or the nearest Monday). Although the ACT sits inside NSW geographically, it sets its own school term dates independently, so ACT and NSW calendars can differ even though the regions are close together — don’t assume they line up. Government school dates are the main reference on this page; Catholic and independent schools in the ACT may vary by a few days. ACT pupil-free days are called Student Free Days, and each school sets its own within ACT Education Directorate guidelines rather than following one territory-wide list, so dates can differ between schools even within Canberra. Because the ACT sets its school calendar independently of New South Wales despite sitting inside it geographically, families crossing the border for school or work should check both calendars separately rather than assume they line up.
Frequently asked questions about 2026 school dates
When do Australian Capital Territory schools go back in 2026?
The first day of Term 1 starts on 30 January 2026.
When are school holidays ACT 2026?
School holidays ACT 2026 are the breaks listed above between each school term. The final summer holiday starts after Term 4 ends on 18 December 2026.
What are the term dates Australian Capital Territory 2026?
Term dates Australian Capital Territory 2026 are: Term 1 runs from 30 January 2026 to 2 April 2026, Term 2 runs from 21 April 2026 to 3 July 2026, Term 3 runs from 21 July 2026 to 25 September 2026, Term 4 runs from 13 October 2026 to 18 December 2026.
Are these dates the same for every Australian Capital Territory school?
No. These dates are based on Australian Capital Territory government schools. Independent, private and Catholic schools may set different student dates or pupil-free days.
Do ACT school terms follow the same dates as NSW?
Not necessarily. Even though the ACT is surrounded by New South Wales, it sets its own school term dates independently, so the two calendars can differ. Always check the ACT-specific dates on this page rather than assuming they match NSW.
Are Catholic and independent school dates different in the ACT?
They can be. Catholic Education ACT and independent ACT schools set their own calendars and pupil-free days, which may differ slightly from the government school dates shown on this page. Confirm with your school directly.
Where can I confirm official ACT school term dates?
The ACT Education Directorate publishes official term dates at act.gov.au, linked from the source note on this page. Check there directly for the latest confirmed dates.