When Does School Start in 2026?

It depends on the country and hemisphere. In Australia and New Zealand, the 2026 school year starts in late January or early February. In the UK, the 2026-2027 academic year starts in early September 2026. In the US and Canada, school starts in August or early September 2026. In Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, school starts in August or early September 2026. See the table below for first-day dates by region.

Most Australian states start the 2026 school year in late January or early February: NSW on 2 February, Queensland on 27 January, Victoria on 28 January (students), Western Australia on 2 February, South Australia on 27 January. See each state page for exact dates.

The 2026-2027 academic year in England typically starts on Tuesday 1 September 2026 (with most pupils returning in the first week of September). Scotland starts earlier, around 19 August 2026. Dates are set by local councils - confirm with yours.

There is no single US school start date - each of the ~13,000 districts sets its own calendar. Most US schools start between early August and early September 2026. For example, many Florida and Georgia districts start in early August, while New York schools often start after Labor Day. Confirm with your district.

German school starts after the Sommerferien (summer break), which is staggered by Bundesland. In 2026, school starts between mid-August and mid-September depending on the Bundesland - for example, North Rhine-Westphalia on 2 September 2026. See each Bundesland page for exact dates.