Diwali School Holidays in UAE 2026: Which Schools Are Closed in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah

Diwali School Holidays in UAE 2026

This page lists the Indian schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that will close for Diwali, with the exact days, and the schools that will stay open.

Diwali Holiday Schedule for Indian Schools in UAE

Most Indian schools have chosen the same plan this year. They close on Monday 9 November, the day after Diwali, which is also the day of Govardhan Puja and Annakut. With the Saturday and Sunday weekend, children get three days at home.

Some schools give a second day, Tuesday 10 November. That is Bhai Dooj, the day when sisters pray for their brothers, so these families get a four-day break. The Indian High School goes furthest, with three school days off and a five-day break.

This is a change from last year. In 2025, Diwali fell on Monday 20 October, so schools closed on the festival day itself. Most gave one or two days off that week, and a few gave three.

Diwali Holidays in Dubai Schools

Eight Indian schools in Dubai have a Diwali break in 2026. Five of them close for two school days or more:

GEMS Our Own Indian School has said that its two Diwali days sit next to the weekend, so families get four days in a row. It has not said if they are Monday and Tuesday. Last year it closed on a Friday and a Monday, so check the school's circular before you book anything.

Many other Dubai Indian schools have not put Diwali days on their calendars. These include Credence High School, Gulf Indian High School, GEMS Our Own English High School, JSS Private School, Springdales, The Millennium School and Woodlem Park. If your child's school is on this list, expect a normal school week unless a circular says otherwise.

Diwali Holiday in Abu Dhabi Schools

Eleven Indian schools in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain will close for Diwali, and one will stay open. Here is what each school's 2026-27 calendar or principal shows:

Abu Dhabi Indian School's Branch 1 in Al Wathba, Global Indian International School in Baniyas East and GEMS Our Own English High School in Al Ain had no Diwali days on their calendars when they were checked.

Diwali Holiday in Sharjah Schools

Sharjah's Indian schools have the least room for a Diwali break. Sharjah has a four-day school week, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. That leaves fewer teaching days, and the CBSE syllabus still has to be covered.

Sharjah Indian School told Khaleej Times that it does not have separate Diwali holidays. Delhi Private School Sharjah and GEMS Our Own English High School Sharjah closed for two days in 2025, but neither had Diwali days on its 2026-27 calendar when it was checked.

The good news is that Sharjah children already have Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November at home. That covers Dhanteras and Diwali night.

Is Diwali a Public Holiday in the UAE?

No. Diwali is not a public holiday in the UAE, and it is not a national holiday either. The UAE's official holidays are Islamic festivals and national days, such as Eid, National Day and New Year's Day.

So on Monday 9 November, government offices, banks and private companies will open as usual. Most schools that follow the British, American or IB system will also open. Jumeira Baccalaureate School in Dubai, for example, will hold a Diwali workshop after school instead of closing.

If your child's school is closed and you work, you will need a day of annual leave. Ask your manager early, because many Indian colleagues will want the same Monday off.

How UAE Schools Get Approval for Diwali Days Off

Each school sets its own Diwali days, inside the rules of its emirate's education regulator. The three regulators are:

• KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority): for private schools in Dubai. Schools must teach at least 182 days a year.
• ADEK (Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge): for Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Schools must teach between 191 and 196 days. They ask for festival days through ADEK's activity calendar and announce them only after approval.
• SPEA (Sharjah Private Education Authority): for private schools in Sharjah, where the four-day week leaves little spare time.

Within these limits, an Indian-curriculum school can use a few spare days for festivals such as Diwali and Onam. Some schools write the days into their academic calendar in spring. Others wait and send a circular in October. That is why two schools in the same area can have different Diwali days.

Next School Holiday in the UAE: National Day

After Diwali, the next day off for every school in the UAE is National Day, expected on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. The government usually confirms the exact school and private-sector days a few weeks before. Last year, schools closed for two days.

Winter break comes soon after. For most Dubai private schools that start in September, it runs from Monday 14 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.