China School Holidays 2026
Find China school holidays and term dates for 2026. Our comprehensive school calendar covers 2 regions with data sourced from government education departments. Browse China school holiday dates, term dates, and public holidays below.
China School Holidays by Region
| Period | Beijing | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| First semester (上课时间) | Sep 1, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027 (high school: to Jan 24) | Sep 1, 2026 – Jan 22, 2027 |
| Winter break (寒假) | Jan 18, 2027 – Feb 21, 2027 (high school: from Jan 25) | Jan 23, 2027 – Feb 21, 2027 |
| Second semester | Feb 22 – Jul 5, 2027 (high school: to Jul 12) | Feb 22 – Jun 30, 2027 |
| Summer break (暑假) | Jul 6, 2027 – Aug 31, 2027 (high school: from Jul 13) | Jul 1, 2027 – Aug 31, 2027 |
| Golden Week closure | Oct 1, 2026 – Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 1 – 7, 2026 |
Beijing School Holidays 2026
2026 School Year
Shanghai School Holidays 2026
2026 School Year
Add China to your calendar
Subscribe once. This URL never changes, so published school years are added automatically(currently covering 2026)
Chinese New Year 2027 & the Winter School Holiday
The Chinese New Year school holiday 2027 is the moveable centre of the academic year: winter break is scheduled around the Spring Festival (春节), which falls on February 9-15, 2027 as the official public holiday. Schools close for roughly four weeks around it — in Beijing compulsory education is out January 18 to February 21, 2027 (high schools from January 25), in Shanghai January 23 to February 21, 2027 — and classes resume together on February 22, 2027 in both cities. Because the festival follows the lunar calendar, next year's break slides: the 2028 Spring Festival lands in late January, pulling that winter break earlier.
For families travelling over the holiday: the festival week itself (February 9-15) is China's busiest domestic travel period, and train and flight availability tightens weeks ahead. The term-time weeks either side — before January 17 in Beijing and January 22 in Shanghai — run as normal school.
China School Holidays 2026 — Quick Guide
China's public school year runs on two semesters: the first from September 1, 2026 to mid-to-late January 2027, the second from late February to early July 2027. There is no autumn half-term — the first long closure is the National Day Golden Week (October 1-7). The winter break is the moving part, scheduled around Chinese New Year (February 9-15, 2027), so the roughly four-week closure slides between mid-January and late February from year to year; the summer break is fixed, essentially all of July and August, and the next school year always begins on September 1. Beijing separates compulsory education from high school — the high-school term runs about one week longer at each semester end — and each municipal commission publishes its own calendar, which is why the two cities differ by a few days above. Regions covered: Beijing, Shanghai.
Where These China Dates Come From
- Beijing — Beijing Municipal Education Commission (document 京教办〔2026〕4号) (last checked July 29, 2026)
- Shanghai — Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (document 沪教委基〔2026〕14号) (last checked July 29, 2026)
Popular China School Calendar Searches
School Holidays in Other Countries
Enrolment & visas in brief
- Public schools: enrolment for the September intake runs in spring (April-June) through each city's online platform; children who turn six by August 31 are of compulsory school age.
- International schools: open houses October-November, application deadlines between January and March for the following August/September intake, remaining places rolling.
- Student visa (X1/X2): applied for after admission, with the school issuing the admission letter and visa documents; convert the X1 to a residence permit within 30 days of arrival.
General guidance for planning — enrolment rules and visa steps are set per city and school type. Always confirm with the school before acting.
China School Holidays 2026 — FAQ
When does school start in China in 2026?
School starts on September 1, 2026 in both Beijing and Shanghai — the term start is set nationally. The first semester then runs to mid-to-late January 2027 (January 17 in Beijing compulsory education, January 22 in Shanghai).
Do Beijing and Shanghai have the same school calendar?
Mostly, but not exactly. Both start September 1, 2026 and hold the Golden Week closure, but their semester-end and winter-break dates differ by about five days because each municipal education commission publishes its own calendar (Beijing document 京教办〔2026〕4号; Shanghai document 沪教委基〔2026〕14号).
How long is winter break in China 2027?
About four weeks, scheduled around Chinese New Year (February 9-15, 2027). Beijing compulsory education has winter break from January 18 to February 21, 2027 (high schools: January 25 - February 21); Shanghai has it from January 23 to February 21, 2027.
When is summer holiday in China 2027?
Beijing compulsory education: July 6 - August 31, 2027 (high schools from July 13). Shanghai: July 1 - August 31, 2027. The new school year then begins on September 1, 2027.
Do schools in China close for Golden Week?
Yes. The National Day Golden Week closes schools for the first week of October - October 1-7, 2026 - in both cities. Mid-Autumn Festival (September 25-27, 2026) adds another long weekend early in the term.
When is Chinese New Year 2027?
The Spring Festival public holiday falls on February 9-15, 2027 (the Year of the Goat begins February 9). For schools, that week sits inside the winter break: Beijing is out January 18 to February 21, 2027, Shanghai January 23 to February 21, and both cities return to class on February 22, 2027.
When is Chinese New Year 2028, and when will schools be on break?
The Spring Festival 2028 falls on January 26, 2028, so the 2027/28 winter break moves earlier into late January. The two municipal education commissions publish their exact school break dates in the second half of 2027; this page updates as soon as the Beijing and Shanghai calendars are out.
Do international schools in China follow these dates?
Often not. International and private schools usually run western-style calendars with their own winter and spring breaks, so their terms can start earlier in August and end in June. For those schools the campus calendar is the binding one; the dates on this page are for the public school systems of Beijing and Shanghai.
How many school holidays are there in China in 2026?
Our China 2026 calendar lists 3 school break periods across 2 regions, plus the public holidays that fall inside term time. Each region page counts them out individually.