ACT School Term Dates and Holidays 2026 to 2030

Date coverage note: The ACT Government has published public school term dates through 2030 and public holiday calendars through 2029. This guide reproduces those official dates and does not calculate missing 2030 public holidays.

ACT school term dates and holidays, 2026 to 2030

The ACT public school calendar has a useful but important pattern: each term generally starts with a teacher commencement day that is student-free, followed by the first student day. Term 1 can also have separate start dates for new and continuing students.

This guide lists all ACT public school term dates currently published from 2026 onward, covering 2026 to 2030. It keeps teacher dates and student dates separate so parents do not accidentally plan around the wrong day.

You can also use the BestSchools school holiday calendars for a broader planning view.

Who counts as a new student in the ACT?

The ACT Government says new students include:

• all Kindergarten students, even if they attended an attached preschool
• all Year 7 students, even if they attended the school's primary section
• all Year 11 students, even if they attended the school's high school section
• a student in any year level starting at that school for the first time

Families should confirm first-day timing and requirements with the school.

2026 ACT public school term dates

2027 ACT public school term dates

2028 ACT public school term dates

Why does Term 2 start on Wednesday in 2028? The official calendar lists Monday 24 April 2028 as the teacher commencement day and Wednesday 26 April 2028 as the student start. Tuesday 25 April 2028 is ANZAC Day. This guide preserves the official sequence rather than assuming a Tuesday student start.

2029 ACT public school term dates

2030 ACT public school term dates

How to interpret ACT school holiday periods

The school holiday periods sit between a term end and the next student start. The ACT Government's 2026 to 2030 summary is structured around teacher starts, student starts and term ends rather than providing a separate inclusive holiday table for every year.

This article therefore does not turn the gaps into invented official holiday ranges. For family planning:

• use the published term end as the last day of that term
• note the teacher commencement day at the beginning of the next term is student-free
• use the correct new-student or continuing-student date in Term 1
• confirm any school-level arrangements before booking travel or care

College exam periods are managed and communicated by individual schools. They should not be inferred from the territory-wide term dates.

ACT public holidays published for 2026 to 2029

The ACT Government currently publishes exact public holiday calendars through 2029. The official 2030 school term calendar is available, but a complete 2030 public holiday calendar was not listed on the ACT Government page when this guide was researched. No 2030 dates have been calculated here.

2026 ACT public holidays

2027 ACT public holidays

2028 ACT public holidays

2029 ACT public holidays

The Holidays Act 1958 also provides for a bank holiday on the first Monday in August. The ACT Government warns that bank holidays do not apply to everyone, so this article does not present it as a general public holiday. Check the official ACT public holidays, school terms and daylight saving page for updates.

Pupil-free or student-free days and school-specific dates

The official ACT calendar uses the term student-free day, sometimes called a pupil-free day by families. It identifies one teacher commencement day at the start of each term as student-free. These dates are included in every table above and allow teachers to undertake commencement, planning and professional duties before students return.

Schools may still communicate additional local arrangements, altered hours, orientation details or activity dates. New students should confirm their first-day requirements directly with the school. College exam periods are school-managed, so contact the college rather than assuming the standard term end is the final exam date.

Public, Catholic and independent school calendars

These dates apply to ACT public schools. Private schools, including Catholic and independent schools, may use different term dates, student-free days and orientation schedules. Always check the school's own calendar before making a non-refundable booking.

If you are comparing year structures, see the ACT school year levels guide and Australian school year levels state guide.

Planning tips for ACT families

1. Choose the right Term 1 start. New and continuing students have different return dates.
2. Mark the teacher day as student-free. Every term in the published 2026 to 2030 calendar starts with a teacher commencement day before students return.
3. Check unusual sequences carefully. In 2028, students start Term 2 on Wednesday 26 April 2028 after the teacher day and ANZAC Day.
4. Confirm college exams locally. Territory term dates do not set every school's exam period.
5. Plan enrolment in advance. Use the Australian school enrolment step-by-step guide and school enrolment timeline Australia.
6. Understand priority enrolment areas. Read the school zones and catchments guide when choosing an address.
7. Compare interstate calendars before moving. The guide to moving schools between states can help families manage different start and finish dates.

Related BestSchools guides

• School holiday calendars
• ACT school year levels guide
• Australian school year levels by state
• Australian school enrolment step-by-step guide
• School enrolment timeline Australia
• Moving schools between states
• School zones and catchments

Sources

Official government sources accessed for this guide:

• ACT Government, public holidays, school terms and daylight saving, including current term dates and public holiday tables: https://www.act.gov.au/living-in-the-act/public-holidays-school-terms-and-daylight-saving
• ACT Government, ACT public school term dates 2026 to 2030 PDF: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2827589/ACT-school-term-dates-2026-30-web-print-friendly.pdf
• ACT Government, 2026 public school term calendar PDF: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/2992693/2026-ACT-public-school-term-date-calendar-.pdf
• ACT Government, 2026 public holidays PDF: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/2155495/ACT-Public-Holidays-2026.pdf
• ACT Government, 2027 public holidays PDF: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/2327004/ACT-Public-Holidays-2027.pdf
• ACT Government, 2028 public holidays PDF: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/3003712/ACT-Public-Holidays-2028.pdf
• ACT Government, 2029 public holidays PDF: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/3003713/ACT-Public-Holidays-2029.pdf
• ACT legislation, Holidays Act 1958: https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1958-19

Frequently Asked Questions

When do ACT public school students start in 2026?

Who is a new student for ACT Term 1 dates?

Do students attend on ACT teacher commencement days?

Are these dates for private schools?

Are ACT college exam dates included?

How far ahead are ACT public school dates published?

Why are there no 2030 public holidays in this guide?