School Calendar 2026/2027 in Portugal: Terms, Breaks, Enrolment
Portugal school calendar 2026/2027: terms and breaks
Classes in the 2026/2027 school year start between 11 and 15 September 2026 and end on 4, 11 or 30 June 2027, depending on the year group. Here is the full calendar for mainland public schools: the Christmas, Carnival and Easter breaks, the enrolment windows and what is still unpublished, all from the official despacho.
By Elijah5 MINKEY FACTS
Back to school
Between 11 and 15 September 2026 (each school sets the day)
Christmas break
16 to 31 December; classes resume 4 January
Easter break
22 March to 2 April 2027
End of classes
4, 11 or 30 June 2027, depending on the year
REGRESSO ÀS AULAS
11 a 15 de setembro de 2026
Cada escola fixa o seu dia exato dentro desta janela.
1st termChristmas: 16 to 31 December 2026
between 11 and 15 September 202615 December 2026
2nd termCarnival: 8 to 10 February 2027
4 January 202719 March 2027
3rd termEaster: 22 March to 2 April 2027
5 April 20274, 11 or 30 June 2027, depending on the year group
Os anos de exames (9.º, 11.º, 12.º) terminam a 4 de junho; 5.º a 8.º e 10.º a 11 de junho; pré-escolar e 1.º ciclo a 30 de junho de 2027.
How this works
The 2026/2027 school year in mainland public schools has been fixed by despacho since 2024: it starts between 11 and 15 September 2026 and closes, depending on the year group, on 4, 11 or 30 June 2027. Here is how the year is organised.
- 1One despacho covering several yearsThe mainland school calendar no longer comes out yearly: Despacho n.º 8368/2024 fixed the calendars from 2024/2025 through 2027/2028 in one go. For the start, the despacho sets a window (11 to 15 September 2026) and each school cluster (agrupamento) picks the exact day inside it: confirm the concrete day on your children’s school portal or communications.
- 2Three terms, three breaksThe year splits into three terms separated by Christmas (16 to 31 December), Carnival (8 to 10 February, wrapped around the optional Tuesday holiday on the 9th) and Easter (22 March to 2 April). The 2nd term starts on 4 January and the 3rd on 5 April.
- 3Classes end in stagesExam years leave first: years 9, 11 and 12 finish on 4 June 2027 to clear the way for the exam season. The remaining básico years and year 10 finish on 11 June. Pre-school and the 1st cycle run until 30 June, a practical relief for working parents.
- 4Exams and enrolment run on their own calendarsThe dates of the year-9 provas finais and the secondary national exams for 2027 come in their own yearly despacho, usually in December; in recent years the 1st phase runs in June and the 2nd in July. Enrolments and renewals happen in the preceding spring and summer, on the Portal das Matrículas, with different windows per school year.
The 2026/2027 year at a glance
| TERM / BREAK | FROM | TO |
|---|---|---|
| 1st term | 11-15 September 2026 | 15 December 2026 |
| Christmas break | 16 December | 31 December 2026 |
| 2nd term | 4 January 2027 | 19 March 2027 |
| Carnival break | 8 February | 10 February 2027 |
| Easter break | 22 March | 2 April 2027 |
| 3rd term | 5 April 2027 | 4 / 11 / 30 June 2027 |
Who finishes when, in June 2027
| YEAR GROUP | LAST DAY OF CLASSES |
|---|---|
| Years 9, 11 and 12 (exam years) | 4 June 2027 |
| Years 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 | 11 June 2027 |
| Pre-school and 1st cycle (years 1 to 4) | 30 June 2027 |
After classes end, pre-school and 1st-cycle family-support activities (AAAF/CAF) usually keep running into July, depending on the municipality.
Enrolment windows: how 2026 worked
Enrolment for a school year happens in the preceding spring and summer, online, on the Portal das Matrículas. The 2026 windows (Despacho n.º 4472-A/2026), useful as the template for 2027: pre-school and year 1 from 22 April to 1 June; years 6 to 9 and year 11 from 16 to 29 June; years 2 to 5 from 1 to 13 July; years 10 and 12 from 15 July, extended in 2026 to 24 July because exam marking ran late. First-time pre-school and year-1 enrolments are the ones parents genuinely need to act on; most in-between years renew automatically when the pupil stays in the same school.
Frequently asked
When do classes start in the 2026/2027 school year?
Classes start between 11 and 15 September 2026, in every public school on the mainland, from pre-school to secondary. The despacho sets this window and each agrupamento (school cluster) fixes its own starting day inside it, so two neighbouring schools can start on different days. The concrete day is announced by the school, usually in late August or early September.
When are the Christmas, Carnival and Easter school breaks?
Christmas: 16 to 31 December 2026, with classes back on 4 January 2027. Carnival: 8, 9 and 10 February 2027, back on the 11th. Easter: 22 March to 2 April 2027, with the 3rd term starting 5 April. Private schools may vary the breaks slightly.
When do classes end in 2027?
It depends on the year group. Years 9, 11 and 12: 4 June 2027, because they move on to provas and exams. Years 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10: 11 June 2027. Pre-school and the 1st cycle: 30 June 2027. Family-support activities in pre-school and the 1st cycle can extend beyond that, depending on the municipality and school.
When are the 2027 national exams?
The official dates are not out yet: they come in their own yearly despacho, which in recent years has been published in December (the 2025/2026 one came out on 9 December 2025). The recent pattern: year-9 provas finais and the 1st phase of secondary exams in June, 2nd phase in July. As soon as the 2026/2027 despacho is published, this page will be updated.
When is enrolment for the 2027/2028 school year?
The yearly enrolment despacho usually comes out in April. For reference, the 2026/2027 windows were: pre-school and year 1 from 22 April to 1 June 2026; years 6 to 9 and 11 from 16 to 29 June; years 2 to 5 from 1 to 13 July; years 10 and 12 from 15 July (deadline extended to 24 July in 2026). Everything is done online on the Portal das Matrículas; renewal is automatic in many same-school continuity cases.
Is the calendar the same in Madeira and the Azores?
No. The autonomous regions set their own calendars. Madeira publishes its own in the JORAM (the region’s official gazette), with dates close to but not identical with the mainland. In the Azores, the regional portaria sets reference windows and each school unit fixes the concrete dates. If you live on the islands, always confirm with the school.
Do private and international schools follow this calendar?
They are not required to: private colégios have autonomy to set their own calendar, though most stay close to the official one. International schools (British, French, German curricula) run their own calendars, often starting in late August or early September with different breaks. Private special-education establishments have their own annex in the despacho, with the 1st term running from 1-8 September to 30 December.
Where is the official calendar?
In Despacho n.º 8368/2024, published in the Diário da República on 25 July 2024, which fixes the calendars for the 2024/2025 to 2027/2028 school years (2026/2027 sits in annexes I and II). The 2026/2027 enrolments were governed by Despacho n.º 4472-A/2026. Both are linked in this page’s sources.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
- Despacho n.º 8368/2024: calendários escolares 2024/2025 a 2027/2028 ↗The official despacho with the 2026/2027 terms and breaks.
- Despacho n.º 4472-A/2026: matrículas para 2026/2027 ↗The official enrolment and renewal windows, year by year.
- Portal das Matrículas ↗The portal where enrolments and renewals are done online.
DISCLAIMER
Dates from Despacho n.º 8368/2024 (annexes I and II, school year 2026/2027) for mainland public schools; the 2025 amendment (Despacho n.º 9989/2025) did not touch these dates. Each agrupamento sets its start day inside the official window and may adjust days by its own or municipal decision. Madeira and the Azores keep their own regional calendars. 2027 exam dates are still unpublished. Always confirm the exact day with the school.