New Zealand School Holidays
Discover upcoming school holiday dates for New Zealand and start planning to make the most of your term break.
School Holidays 2026
In 2026, Term 1 starts between 26 January 2026 (Monday) and 9 February 2026 (Monday).
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 Holidays | 3 Apr 2026 (Fri) | 19 Apr 2026 (Sun) |
| Term 2 Holidays | 4 Jul 2026 (Sat) | 19 Jul 2026 (Sun) |
| Term 3 Holidays | 26 Sep 2026 (Sat) | 11 Oct 2026 (Sun) |
| Term 4 Holidays | 19 Dec 2026 (Sat) |
School Holidays 2027
In 2027, Term 1 starts between 28 January 2027 (Thursday) and 4 February 2027 (Thursday).
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 Holidays | 10 Apr 2027 (Sat) | 26 Apr 2027 (Mon) |
| Term 2 Holidays | 3 Jul 2027 (Sat) | 18 Jul 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 3 Holidays | 25 Sep 2027 (Sat) | 10 Oct 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 4 Holidays | 18 Dec 2027 (Sat) |
School Holidays 2028
In 2028, Term 1 starts between 31 January 2028 (Monday) and 8 February 2028 (Tuesday).
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 Holidays | 14 Apr 2028 (Fri) | 30 Apr 2028 (Sun) |
| Term 2 Holidays | 8 Jul 2028 (Sat) | 23 Jul 2028 (Sun) |
| Term 3 Holidays | 30 Sep 2028 (Sat) | 15 Oct 2028 (Sun) |
| Term 4 Holidays | 16 Dec 2028 (Sat) |
Please visit education.govt.nz for the original approved calendars.
It is possible that the start-date and end-date of the school year can vary from school to school. However, school holidays at the end of Term 1, Term 2 and Term 3 definitely start on the same day for all schools across the country.
The tables below for school holidays include the possible variations in start and finish dates for the school year. Please note the minor differences between primary and secondary schools.
School holidays in New Zealand are a prime time for families to travel. So, make sure to book your holiday plans including campsites, flights or hotels in advance, so that you don’t miss out or pay a premium. A very popular school holiday period of the year for travel is the Term 1 break, which often coincides with Easter. Equally popular for travel is the Christmas school holiday break that generally runs for 5-6 weeks – the longest break in the school calendar.