School Holidays 2026: Dates by State & When Schools Go Back
Term 3 2026 ends between 18 September and 2 October. Here's when Term 4 starts in your state, when the summer break begins, and the first day back.
Two school holiday breaks are left in 2026: the spring break at the end of Term 3, and the summer break that starts in December. Term 3 finishes on Friday 18 September in Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory, a week later in NSW, South Australia, WA and the ACT, and on 2 October in Tasmania.
Term 3 out, Term 4 in
The spring break runs about two weeks everywhere, but its start date moves by a fortnight from one side of the country to the other. Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory go first. Tasmania, which starts its school year latest, finishes Term 3 on 2 October and returns on the 19th.
| State | Term 3 ends | Term 4 starts | Term 4 ends | Back in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Fri 25 Sep | Tue 13 Oct | Thu 17 Dec | Wed 3 Feb |
| VIC | Fri 18 Sep | Mon 5 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Thu 28 Jan |
| QLD | Fri 18 Sep | Tue 6 Oct | Fri 11 Dec | Wed 27 Jan |
| SA | Fri 25 Sep | Mon 12 Oct | Fri 11 Dec | Wed 27 Jan |
| WA | Fri 25 Sep | Mon 12 Oct | Thu 17 Dec | Mon 1 Feb |
| TAS | Fri 2 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Thu 4 Feb |
| NT | Fri 18 Sep | Tue 6 Oct | Thu 10 Dec | Wed 27 Jan |
| ACT | Fri 25 Sep | Tue 13 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Tue 2 Feb |
These are student attendance days at government schools, so where a state opens a term with a staff-only day the date above is the day students walk in. Schools in the Western Division of NSW start the 2027 year a week behind the rest, on Wednesday 10 February.
Who breaks up first for summer
The Northern Territory finishes on Thursday 10 December, with Queensland and South Australia a day behind. NSW and WA run to 17 December, and Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT to the 18th. Eight days separate the first state out from the last.
That gap decides how busy the roads are. Territory and Queensland families are already travelling while NSW and Victorian schools still have a fortnight of term to go, so coastal accommodation in mid-December books out from the north first.
Every 2026 break, for the record
| State | Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 3 – 21 Apr | 4 – 20 Jul | 26 Sep – 12 Oct | 18 Dec |
| VIC | 3 – 19 Apr | 27 Jun – 12 Jul | 19 Sep – 4 Oct | 19 Dec |
| QLD | 3 – 19 Apr | 27 Jun – 12 Jul | 19 Sep – 5 Oct | 12 Dec |
| SA | 11 – 26 Apr | 4 – 19 Jul | 26 Sep – 11 Oct | 12 Dec |
| WA | 3 – 19 Apr | 4 – 19 Jul | 26 Sep – 11 Oct | 18 Dec |
| TAS | 18 Apr – 3 May | 11 – 26 Jul | 3 – 18 Oct | 19 Dec |
| NT | 3 – 13 Apr | 20 Jun – 13 Jul | 19 Sep – 5 Oct | 11 Dec |
| ACT | 3 – 20 Apr | 4 – 20 Jul | 26 Sep – 12 Oct | 19 Dec |
Each range counts the weekends at both ends, which is why it looks longer than the school days missed. The term-by-term view for your state, with the official source for every date, is on the school term dates page.
Covering the spring break without spending a fortnight of leave
Two weeks off is more leave than most parents want to spend at once. The spring break does help a little: it contains a public holiday in most states, Monday 5 October in NSW, South Australia, the ACT and Queensland, and Monday 28 September in WA. That's one day you don't have to book.
- Split it. One parent takes the first week, the other the second, and a week of leave each covers the whole break.
- Book vacation care early. Council and YMCA holiday programs run every break, and the popular ones fill within days of bookings opening.
- Save some for December. Christmas Day, 28 December and New Year's Day are all public holidays, so leave stretches furthest across the summer break.
Model a split in the Leave Planner to see which version costs the fewest days.
What to do next
- Confirm your own state's dates on the school term dates page.
- Ask your school about Term 4 pupil-free days, which sit inside term time. Queensland families can start with the 2026 QLD pupil-free days.
- Book vacation care for the spring break before term ends, not after.
- Line December leave up against the public holidays so you aren't spending days you already have off.
Frequently asked questions
When do schools go back after the 2026 spring holidays?
Between Monday 5 October and Monday 19 October, depending on where you are. Victoria returns first, then Queensland and the NT on 6 October, South Australia and WA on the 12th, NSW and the ACT on the 13th, and Tasmania on the 19th.
When do the 2026 summer school holidays start?
The NT is first: its last school day is Thursday 10 December, so the break runs from Friday the 11th. Queensland and South Australia follow on Saturday 12 December, NSW and WA on Friday 18 December, and Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT on Saturday 19 December.
When does school go back in NSW in 2026?
Tuesday 13 October, for Term 4. The return after that is Wednesday 3 February 2027 for most of the state, and Wednesday 10 February for the Western Division.
What are the Queensland school holiday dates for 2026?
The spring break runs 19 September to 5 October and the summer break opens on Saturday 12 December. Term 4 sits between them, 6 October to 11 December.
Do private schools follow the same 2026 dates?
Mostly, but not exactly. Catholic and independent schools generally align with the state term calendar and then vary the December finish by a few days. Your own school's calendar is the one to trust.
Related tools
Picked for this page.
Printable calendar
Print a full year or a single month with public holidays and school terms, or save it as a PDF.
Printable term planner
Lay out each school term week by week with space for notes, ready to print on A4.
Working days calculator
Count business days between dates, excluding your state's public holidays.
Leave planner
Find the best dates to book annual leave around public holidays.
