January 2026
Student-free day
Term 1 starts
Confirmed government school dates
ACT School Holidays and Term Dates 2026
ACT public schools use different Term 1 starts for new students and continuing students. New students include children starting a school for the first time and students transitioning to the next school type.
Next listed holiday:Winter school holidays, 4 July 2026 to 20 July 2026. Students return Tuesday 21 July 2026.
ACT holiday and term dates
The official source publishes the following calendar variants. Select the one that applies to your school.
ACT
New students
| Period | Official dates | Student-free period | Student return date | Status and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn school holidays | 3 April 2026 to 20 April 2026 | Not separately published | Tuesday 21 April 2026 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. |
| Winter school holidays | 4 July 2026 to 20 July 2026 | Not separately published | Tuesday 21 July 2026 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. |
| Spring school holidays | 26 September 2026 to 12 October 2026 | Not separately published | Tuesday 13 October 2026 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. |
| Summer 2026-27 school holidays | 19 December 2026 to 31 January 2027 | Not separately published | Monday 1 February 2027 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. Derived from 2026 Term 4 finish and 2027 new student start on the same official page. |
| Term | Student dates | Official term start | Teacher start | Development days and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Friday 30 January 2026 to 2 April 2026 | — | Thursday 29 January 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. New students include students starting at a school for the first time or transitioning to a new school type. |
| Term 2 | Tuesday 21 April 2026 to 3 July 2026 | — | Monday 20 April 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 21 July 2026 to 25 September 2026 | — | Monday 20 July 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. |
| Term 4 | Tuesday 13 October 2026 to 18 December 2026 | — | Monday 12 October 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. |
ACT
Continuing students
| Period | Official dates | Student-free period | Student return date | Status and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn school holidays | 3 April 2026 to 20 April 2026 | Not separately published | Tuesday 21 April 2026 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. |
| Winter school holidays | 4 July 2026 to 20 July 2026 | Not separately published | Tuesday 21 July 2026 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. |
| Spring school holidays | 26 September 2026 to 12 October 2026 | Not separately published | Tuesday 13 October 2026 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. |
| Summer 2026-27 school holidays | 19 December 2026 to 1 February 2027 | Not separately published | Tuesday 2 February 2027 | Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date. Derived from 2026 Term 4 finish and 2027 continuing student start on the same official page. |
| Term | Student dates | Official term start | Teacher start | Development days and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Monday 2 February 2026 to 2 April 2026 | — | Thursday 29 January 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. |
| Term 2 | Tuesday 21 April 2026 to 3 July 2026 | — | Monday 20 April 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 21 July 2026 to 25 September 2026 | — | Monday 20 July 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. |
| Term 4 | Tuesday 13 October 2026 to 18 December 2026 | — | Monday 12 October 2026 | Student-free days: 29 January 2026, 20 April 2026, 20 July 2026, 12 October 2026. |
When does school go back in ACT?
ACT students return Tuesday 21 July 2026 after the next listed holiday period.
ACT school holiday seasons
Calculated student-free period : 3 April 2026 to 20 April 2026. Students return Tuesday 21 April 2026.
Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
Calculated student-free period : 4 July 2026 to 20 July 2026. Students return Tuesday 21 July 2026.
Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
Calculated student-free period : 26 September 2026 to 12 October 2026. Students return Tuesday 13 October 2026.
Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
Calculated student-free period : 19 December 2026 to 31 January 2027. Students return Monday 1 February 2027.
Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
ACT student-free and development days
- New and continuing students have different Term 1 starts.
- Teacher start days are student-free days when published.
- College exam periods are managed by individual schools.
- New students start before continuing students in Term 1.
- The first day of each term is a student-free day for teachers.
School calendar scope
This page covers the source-backed calendar scope stated above. Individual schools can set different term dates, closure days and finishing times; confirm important dates directly with the school.
Official source
ACT Government - Public holidays, school terms and daylight saving
ConfirmedACT Government. Last verified 19 June 2026.
Source checked for 2026 public school term dates, new student start, continuing student start and daylight saving note.
FAQ
When are the next school holidays in ACT?
The next listed ACT government school calendar break is Winter school holidays, from 4 July 2026 to 20 July 2026. Students return Tuesday 21 July 2026
When does Term 3 start in ACT?
Term 3 for ACT government schools starts Tuesday 21 July 2026.
When do students go back to school in ACT?
After Winter school holidays, ACT government school students return Tuesday 21 July 2026.
Are Catholic and private school dates the same in ACT?
Not necessarily. This page covers ACT government school dates; Catholic, independent and individual school calendars can differ.
Are student-free days included?
They are listed separately where the official source publishes them. Local school-only closure days are not assumed to be school holidays.