Australian School Holidays

Confirmed government school dates

NT School Holidays and Term Dates 2026

These dates apply to most Northern Territory government schools. Gunbalanya School operates a flexible school year with dates communicated separately.

Next listed holiday:Mid-year break, 20 June 2026 to 13 July 2026. Students return Tuesday 14 July 2026.

NT holiday and term dates

These dates apply to most government schools. Individual school calendars may differ.

NT

Most government schools

Add all dates Holidays only Term dates

Calendar view

NT 2026 calendar view

  • School holiday
  • Students return
  • Term start or finish

January 2026

Student-free day
Student-free day
Term 1 starts

April 2026

Term 1 ends
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 break
Mid-semester 1 breakStudent-free day
Students returnTerm 2 starts

June 2026

Term 2 ends
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break

July 2026

Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year break
Mid-year breakStudent-free day
Students returnTerm 3 starts

September 2026

Term 3 ends
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break

October 2026

Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 break
Mid-semester 2 breakStudent-free day
Students returnTerm 4 starts

December 2026

Term 4 ends
End of year breakStudent-free day
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
End of year break
Northern Territory 2026 school holidays for Most government schools
Period Official dates Student-free period Student return date Status and notes
Mid-semester 1 break 3 April 2026 to 13 April 2026 Not separately published Tuesday 14 April 2026 Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
Mid-year break 20 June 2026 to 13 July 2026 Not separately published Tuesday 14 July 2026 Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
Mid-semester 2 break 19 September 2026 to 5 October 2026 Not separately published Tuesday 6 October 2026 Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
End of year break 11 December 2026 to 26 January 2027 Not separately published Wednesday 27 January 2027 Calculated date — Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.
Derived from 2026 student finish and 2027 student return dates published on the official NT page.
Northern Territory 2026 term dates for Most government schools
Term Student dates Official term start Teacher start Development days and notes
Term 1 Thursday 29 January 2026 to 2 April 2026 — Tuesday 27 January 2026 Student-free days: 27 January 2026, 28 January 2026, 13 April 2026, 13 July 2026, 5 October 2026, 11 December 2026.
Term 2 Tuesday 14 April 2026 to 19 June 2026 — Monday 13 April 2026 Student-free days: 27 January 2026, 28 January 2026, 13 April 2026, 13 July 2026, 5 October 2026, 11 December 2026.
Term 3 Tuesday 14 July 2026 to 18 September 2026 — Monday 13 July 2026 Student-free days: 27 January 2026, 28 January 2026, 13 April 2026, 13 July 2026, 5 October 2026, 11 December 2026.
Term 4 Tuesday 6 October 2026 to 10 December 2026 — Monday 5 October 2026 Student-free days: 27 January 2026, 28 January 2026, 13 April 2026, 13 July 2026, 5 October 2026, 11 December 2026.

When does school go back in NT?

NT students return Tuesday 14 July 2026 after the next listed holiday period.

NT school holiday seasons

Calculated student-free period : 3 April 2026 to 13 April 2026. Students return Tuesday 14 April 2026.

Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.

Calculated student-free period : 20 June 2026 to 13 July 2026. Students return Tuesday 14 July 2026.

Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.

Calculated student-free period : 19 September 2026 to 5 October 2026. Students return Tuesday 6 October 2026.

Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.

Calculated student-free period : 11 December 2026 to 26 January 2027. Students return Wednesday 27 January 2027.

Calculated from the official term finish and the following student start date.

NT student-free and development days

  • Gunbalanya School has a flexible school year.
  • Teacher start and student return dates may differ.
  • Regional school arrangements should be confirmed with the school.
  • The official source says most government schools follow the same term dates.
  • Gunbalanya School operates on a flexible school year with separate consultation.

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

Northern Territory Government - School term and holiday dates in NT

Confirmed

Open official source

Northern Territory Government. Last verified 19 June 2026.

Source checked for 2026 teacher starts, student starts, student finishes and Gunbalanya exception note.

FAQ

When are the next school holidays in NT?

The next listed NT government school calendar break is Mid-year break, from 20 June 2026 to 13 July 2026. Students return Tuesday 14 July 2026

When does Term 3 start in NT?

Term 3 for NT government schools starts Tuesday 14 July 2026.

When do students go back to school in NT?

After Mid-year break, NT government school students return Tuesday 14 July 2026.

Are Catholic and private school dates the same in NT?

Not necessarily. This page covers NT 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.

Compare Australian School Holidays 2026Compare confirmed dates across states.When does school go back?Compare student return dates.School holiday calendar downloadDownload ICS calendar files.School holidays countdownSee the next break in each state.