Victoria government school holidays in 2026: after Term 1, 3 April to 19 April, after Term 2, 27 June to 12 July, after Term 3, 19 September to 4 October, summer 19 December to 27 January 2027. Students start Term 1 on Wednesday 28 January 2026 (staff from Tuesday 27 January) and finish Term 4 on Friday 18 December 2026. These dates apply in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo and across VIC.
Term 1 school holidaysApril holidays2 weeks and 3 days
Fri 3 Apr
Sun 19 Apr
2 weeks and 3 days
Term 29.7 weeks
Mon 20 Apr
Fri 26 Jun
9.7 weeks
Term 2 school holidaysJune–July holidays2 weeks and 2 days
Sat 27 Jun
Sun 12 Jul
2 weeks and 2 days
Term 39.7 weeks
Mon 13 Jul
Fri 18 Sep
9.7 weeks
Term 3 school holidaysSeptember–October holidays2 weeks and 2 days
Sat 19 Sep
Sun 4 Oct
2 weeks and 2 days
Term 410.7 weeks
Mon 5 Oct
Fri 18 Dec
10.7 weeks
Summer school holidaysChristmas holidays5 weeks and 5 days
Sat 19 Dec
Wed 27 Jan 2027
5 weeks and 5 days
Holidays run from the day after students finish to the day before they return, weekends included. Terms show the department's dates, which can include staff-only days.
These are the official term dates for Victorian government schools and kindergartens, set by the Minister for Education. Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) publishes term dates for 2026 to 2028, and they are the same as the government dates, including the day students return. Catholic schools in other dioceses and individual schools may set slightly different start, finish or pupil-free days, and independent schools set their own dates, so check with your school.
Questions
When do the VIC school holidays start in 2026?
The first VIC school holidays of 2026 run from Friday 3 April to Sunday 19 April 2026 (2 weeks and 3 days), after students finish Term 1 on Thursday 2 April 2026.
When does Term 1 start in VIC in 2026?
Term 1 starts on Tuesday 27 January 2026 for staff, and students start on Wednesday 28 January 2026. It ends on Thursday 2 April 2026.
When does Term 4 end in VIC in 2026?
Term 4 ends on Friday 18 December 2026. The summer holidays then run until Wednesday 27 January 2027, 5 weeks and 5 days in all.
Are the VIC Easter holidays in 2026 at Easter?
Yes. Easter Sunday is Sunday 5 April 2026, inside the term 1 school holidays (Friday 3 April to Sunday 19 April 2026).
Do Melbourne school holidays differ from the rest of VIC?
No. Melbourne and the rest of Victoria use the same government school term dates. Catholic and independent schools can set their own.