Mark your calendar: Important dates in the 2025-26 Czech school year

In the week before school officially starts, teachers and administrators are on-site and often available to speak with parents by appointment. Uniforms may be bought. lunches prepaid, and lunch cards or chips can be acquired at school cafeterias. This period is also used to reexamine students who failed one or more compulsory subjects to determine their advancement in the upcoming school year.

The 2025–26 school year begins on Monday, Sept. 1, across all elementary schools, secondary schools, conservatories, and art schools. First-grade students are typically welcomed with a short ceremony, while older pupils attend a brief orientation before lessons begin in earnest on the second day.

This year, the first state holiday (St. Wenceslas Day on Sept. 28) falls on a Sunday, meaning no early break. Czechia does not have days off in lieu, so unfortunately for kids (and parents) schools will be open in late September.

On Friday, Oct. 3, many schools that serve as polling stations will finish early (or be closed entirely) to make space for election voting. Find out on this official, interactive map whether your child’s school will be used as a polling station.

The autumn break stretches across three weekdays: Monday, Oct. 27, Tuesday, Oct. 28 (Czechoslovak Independence Day), and Wednesday, Oct. 29. With the preceding weekend, children will have five consecutive days off. Classes resume Thursday, Oct. 30, unless a school declares additional days of principal’s leave: up to five days each year are allowed for organizational or technical reasons, and the dates vary school by school.

This national holiday falls on a Monday, giving schoolchildren a long weekend. It commemorates student protests against both Nazi occupation in 1939 and the Communist regime in 1989.

The Christmas holidays run from Monday, Dec. 22, through Friday, Jan. 2. The last school day of the year will be Friday, Dec. 19, and children return on Monday, Jan. 5. Altogether, students will enjoy 16 days away from the classroom. Parents with full-time jobs will need to take about six vacation days to match the school break.

On Thursday, Jan. 29, pupils receive their first-semester report cards. Some schools shorten classes on this day. Students who are “not classified” in a subject (often due to extended illness or absence) are usually given until February or March to meet requirements. These grades are later entered into the end-of-year report card.

The very next day, Friday, Jan. 30, marks the official mid-year holiday, a single-day break nationwide.

The second-longest school holiday arrives in late winter. Spring holidays last one week, but dates differ across Czech regions to stagger the chances of enjoying winter weather. In 2026, each district’s week shifts one slot later compared to 2025, meaning no region keeps the same week two years in a row.

Check the latest Ministry of Education website to see when your child’s school will be closed. Including weekends, pupils typically enjoy 10 days off, while parents need about six vacation days to cover the gap.

Throughout April, parents of future first graders will register their children at local elementary schools. Each school sets its own date, and children living within the school’s catchment area are given priority. Enrollment usually includes an in-person visit where teachers assess school readiness.

Schools will be closed on Thursday, April 2, for Easter break. Combined with Good Friday (April 3) and Easter Monday (April 6), this gives students a five-day weekend, with classes resuming on Tuesday, April 7.

Two major state holidays fall in May: Labor Day on Friday, May 1, and Liberation Day on Friday, May 8. Both give children long weekends at the peak of spring.

For many students, the 2025–26 school year includes important testing milestones:

The official last day of the 2025–26 school year falls on Tuesday, June 30, when pupils receive their final report cards. Some schools may close earlier if principals declare additional leave for building maintenance, but the formal handover of grades is always set for June 30.

The summer break begins on Wednesday, July 1, and continues through Monday, Aug. 31. Many schools use this period for repairs and renovations.

For students who failed compulsory subjects, this is also the time for exam retakes, which determine whether they advance to the next grade.

The new 2026-27 academic year starts on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, when schools across the country open their doors again.