The 2028 school year has not started yet
Term 1 starts on Tuesday, 25 January 2028.
Students return after the current school holiday break.
Northern Territory school term countdown 2028
Live countdown, current school week and a date checker - calculated from the official dates on this page.
503 days until the 2028 school year starts
The 2028 school year begins with Term 1.
Counting down to the first day of school
Check any date
Pick a date to see whether schools are in term or on holidays then - and which week of term it falls in.
Northern Territory school term dates 2028
Term dates for NT government schools. Independent, Catholic and private schools may vary.
| Term | Starts | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 25 January 2028 | 7 April 2028 | 10w 3d |
| Term 2 | 19 April 2028 | 23 June 2028 | 9w 2d |
| Term 3 | 18 July 2028 | 22 September 2028 | 9w 3d |
| Term 4 | 10 October 2028 | 14 December 2028 | 9w 2d |
Northern Territory school holidays 2028
School holiday breaks between each school term.
| Holiday break | Starts | Ends | Length / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn school holidays | 8 April 2028 | 18 April 2028 | 11 days |
| Winter school holidays | 24 June 2028 | 17 July 2028 | 24 days |
| Spring school holidays | 23 September 2028 | 9 October 2028 | 17 days |
| Summer school holidays | 15 December 2028 | 29 January 2029 | 46 days |
Northern Territory 2028 school year at a glance
- Total school terms: 4
- Total instructional time: 41 weeks across the four terms
- Longest term: Term 1 (11 weeks)
- Shortest term: Term 2 (10 weeks)
- Total school holiday time: 98 days across the four holiday breaks
- Longest break: Summer school holidays, at 46 days
2028 has the most total instructional time of the 5 years shown on this site, at 41 weeks across the four terms — 1 more than the shortest year (40 weeks). Its 46-day summer holidays are the shortest of the years with confirmed dates on this site.
Compared to 2029: Term 1 2028 falls 5 days earlier than Term 1 2029, Term 4 2028 falls 1 day later than Term 4 2029, and total school holiday time is identical (98 days each), with every individual break the same length in both years.
These figures are calculated directly from the term and school holiday dates listed on this page.
Northern Territory school holidays by year
Move between available NT year pages.
Good to know: Northern Territory planning notes for 2028
The Northern Territory has two public holidays not seen in most other jurisdictions: May Day (first Monday in May) and Picnic Day (first Monday in August). Because the NT covers such a large and remote geographic area, some regional and remote community schools can run modified term arrangements, so it’s worth confirming directly with an individual school if you’re outside a major centre like Darwin or Alice Springs. Government school dates are the main reference on this page; Catholic and independent schools in the NT may vary. NT pupil-free days are called Pupil Free Days and are set at each school’s discretion, so there is no single territory-wide list to check. The Northern Territory also has several regional show-day public holidays through July and August — including Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin — each falling on a different date and applying only to that town’s council area. See our 2026 long weekends guide for the full list.
Public Holidays
Public holiday dates for 2028 are gazetted by the NT government closer to the year itself, so a full list isn’t published on this page yet. Fixed national dates — New Year’s Day, Australia Day, ANZAC Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day — can be expected as usual. For NT-specific public holidays and how they tend to fall relative to school terms, see the fully confirmed NT 2026 page as a guide, and check the official source link above for this year once it is published.
Frequently asked questions
What are May Day and Picnic Day in the Northern Territory?
May Day (first Monday in May) and Picnic Day (first Monday in August) are both public holidays unique to the Northern Territory and generally aren’t observed elsewhere in Australia.
Do all NT schools follow the same term dates?
Most government schools follow the territory-wide dates shown on this page, but some remote and regional community schools set modified arrangements given the NT’s size and geography. Confirm with an individual school if you’re outside a major centre.
Are Catholic and independent school dates different in the NT?
They can be. NT Catholic and independent schools set their own calendars and pupil-free days, which may differ from the government school dates shown on this page. Confirm with your school directly.
Where can I confirm official NT school term dates?
The NT Department of Education publishes official term dates at nt.gov.au, linked from the source note on this page. Check there directly for the latest confirmed dates.
Other states and territories
Download and print NT 2028 school calendar
Download the Northern Territory 2028 school calendar as an iCal file, import it into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar, or print this page for offline planning.
8 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.
Source and disclaimer
Source: NT official school dates/source page. Please refer to the official source and your school for final confirmation. No responsibility is taken for errors or omissions.