ACT School Terms 2026

Complete school term dates and school holidays for Australian Capital Territory in 2026. The school year runs from 30 Jan to 18 Dec, with 40 weeks of schooling across four terms.

Note: Dates are first/last day for students in ACT public schools. Term 1: new students (Kindy, Year 7, Year 11, transfers) start Fri 30 Jan; continuing students start Mon 2 Feb. Student-free day is first day of each term. Independent and Catholic schools may vary.
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ACT Term Dates 2026

Term 1

9 weeks
Start:Friday 30 January 2026
End:Thursday 2 April 2026

Term 2

11 weeks
Start:Tuesday 21 April 2026
End:Friday 3 July 2026

Term 3

10 weeks
Start:Tuesday 21 July 2026
End:Friday 25 September 2026

Term 4

10 weeks
Start:Tuesday 13 October 2026
End:Friday 18 December 2026

ACT School Holidays 2026

Holiday PeriodStart DateEnd DateDuration
Autumn Holidays (Term 1)Friday 3 April 2026Monday 20 April 202618 days
Winter Holidays (Term 2)Saturday 4 July 2026Monday 20 July 202617 days
Spring Holidays (Term 3)Saturday 26 September 2026Monday 12 October 202617 days
Summer Holidays (Term 4)Saturday 19 December 2026Friday 29 January 202742 days

Key Dates 2026

  • First Day of School: Friday 30 January 2026
  • Last Day of School: Friday 18 December 2026
  • Total School Weeks: 40 weeks

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Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in ACT 2026?

The 2026 school year in Australian Capital Territory starts on Friday 30 January 2026. This is the first day of Term 1.

When does school end in ACT 2026?

The 2026 school year in Australian Capital Territory ends on Friday 18 December 2026. This is the last day of Term 4.

How many school weeks are there in ACT 2026?

There are approximately 40 school weeks in ACT in 2026, spread across four terms.

When are the school holidays in ACT 2026?

ACT has four school holiday periods in 2026: autumn holidays (April), winter holidays (July), spring holidays (September/October), and summer holidays (December-January).