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Hong Kong School Calendar 2026/2027: School Trip Planning Guide
Planning school trips around the Hong Kong School Calendar 2026/2027 requires aligning official term breaks, public holidays, and exam periods. Discover key academic dates and scheduling considerations for local and international schools.
Information last checked on October 20, 2026
Details
Why timing matters
Timing school excursions around the Hong Kong School Calendar 2026/2027 requires balancing official Education Bureau term dates, international school breaks, and public statutory holidays. In Hong Kong, public schools structure their year into three distinct terms: Term 1 spans from early September to mid-December 2026, Term 2 runs from early January to late March 2027, and Term 3 extends from mid-April 2027 to late June 2027. International and private institutions, including the English Schools Foundation (ESF), often commence their academic year earlier in mid-August and incorporate bespoke autumn or extended spring breaks. Organising off-campus learning journeys for primary students (ages 8 to 12) or secondary learners (ages 13 to 16) demands careful navigation around revision and examination cycles before these seasonal breaks. Teachers, principals, and PTA committees should review individual school publications early alongside official Education Bureau releases. FTT Travel School Trip Services coordinates bespoke itineraries featuring private group transfers, dedicated supervision, and curated dining arrangements to ensure seamless school journeys during high-demand academic holiday corridors.
Practical takeaways
- Align multi-day educational travel with official term transitions: mid-December 2026, late March 2027, or late June 2027.
- Account for differences between local public schools and international school calendars such as ESF, HKIS, or FIS.
- Cross-reference scheduled internal assessment periods before committing to travel dates.
- Consult official Education Bureau gazettes and direct school announcements as exact term boundaries are finalised.
Key holidays at a glance
Hong Kong public holidays throughout the 2026/2027 academic year define the primary opportunities for school excursions, study tours, and PTA retreats. The autumn term opens with the Day After Mid-Autumn Festival on 26 September 2026 and National Day on 1 October 2026, followed by the Chung Yeung Festival from 18 to 19 October 2026. The winter closure is framed by Christmas Day on 25 December and Boxing Day on 26 December 2026, transitioning to New Year's Day on 1 January 2027. Lunar New Year brings a standard closure from 6 to 9 February 2027. Spring and summer milestones include Good Friday on 26 March 2027, Easter Monday on 29 March 2027, Ching Ming Festival on 5 April 2027, Labour Day on 1 May 2027, the Birthday of Buddha on 13 May 2027, and Tuen Ng Festival on 19 June 2027 (with some international schools observing 9 June 2027), leading into HKSAR Establishment Day on 1 July 2027. FTT Travel School Trip Services coordinates bespoke study visits and supervised logistics around these exact dates.
Practical takeaways
- Autumn excursions can capitalise on long weekends: National Day on 1 October 2026 and Chung Yeung Festival on 18–19 October 2026.
- Major extended winter and spring windows include Christmas (25–26 December 2026) and Easter (26–29 March 2027).
- Mid-term opportunities include Lunar New Year (6–9 February 2027) and Buddha's Birthday on 13 May 2027.
- Verify international school adjustments, such as specific Tuen Ng observances on 9 June 2027 versus the public date on 19 June 2027.
Examination and busy periods
Academic demands peak across Hong Kong schools right before each scheduled vacation, requiring teachers and PTA committees to avoid scheduling intensive school trips during mid-term assessments and curriculum deadlines. Public schools conduct their primary instruction across Term 1 from early September to mid-December 2026, Term 2 from early January to late March 2027, and Term 3 from mid-April to late June 2027. International programmes like the English Schools Foundation (ESF), Hong Kong International School (HKIS), French International School (FIS), and German Swiss International School (GSIS) intersperse heavy instructional cycles with autumn milestones such as the Day After Mid-Autumn Festival on 26 September 2026, National Day on 1 October 2026, and October fall breaks. IB curriculum students often utilise these pauses to revise key topics ahead of rigorous examinations. Group organisers must coordinate carefully with faculty calendars to verify that students aged 8 to 12 and 13 to 16 are not pulled away during vital revision weeks. Coordinated dining, private coach transport, and bespoke supervision can then be planned without disrupting campus assessments.
Practical takeaways
- Align off-campus schedules with individual school calendars, as exact term breaks and assessment dates are published annually by the Education Bureau and specific schools.
- Account for distinct public school term structures: Term 1 concludes in mid-December 2026, Term 2 ends in late March 2027, and Term 3 finishes in late June 2027.
- Respect intensive IB and secondary exam preparation periods that precede international school winter breaks in December and spring breaks in March 2027.
Best trip windows
The most seamless windows for Hong Kong school trips in the 2026/2027 academic year fall within scheduled public holidays and extended school term breaks. Long breaks present optimal travel windows, including Christmas and Boxing Day on 25–26 December 2026, Lunar New Year from 6 to 9 February 2027, and Easter breaks surrounding Good Friday on 26 March and Easter Monday on 29 March 2027. International schools provide dedicated multi-day windows: HKIS, FIS, GSIS, and ESF schedule fall breaks in mid-to-late October 2026, followed by winter closures starting between 12 and 18 December 2026 through early January 2027. Spring breaks run from 26 March through 5 or 9 April 2027, alongside the Ching Ming Festival public holiday on 5 April 2027. Organising trips during these dates allows teachers and PTA leaders to plan structured itineraries, secure dedicated Hong Kong tour leaders, enforce proper student-to-staff ratios, and arrange private transfers without interfering with regular classroom attendance.
Practical takeaways
- Target the official Christmas break from 25 to 26 December 2026 or the Chinese New Year period from 6 to 9 February 2027 for joint school-wide departures.
- Utilise Easter and Ching Ming Festival dates between 26 March and 5 April 2027 for cross-disciplinary learning programmes.
- Leverage international school fall breaks (such as 19–23 October 2026 at ESF and HKIS) to coordinate small-group journeys with high staff-to-student supervision ratios.
Booking lead times
School trip planning around the Hong Kong 2026/27 academic calendar requires initiating bookings well in advance of peak departures. Major holiday periods such as Winter Break—commencing between 12 and 18 December 2026 across major international systems like ESF, FIS, GSIS, and HKIS, and mid-December for local public schools—experience intense demand across premium group logistics. Aligning itineraries with term schedules published by the Education Bureau and individual institutions demands disciplined scheduling. Early commitments are vital for bespoke private transport and dedicated group coordination during Chinese New Year, which centres on the statutory public holiday of 6 to 9 February 2027, with extended school closures running through 12 February 2027 for foundations like HKIS and ESF. Similarly, Spring Break windows starting 26 March 2027, encompassing Good Friday and Easter Monday on 29 March 2027, require early reservation of specialised personnel and verified private coaches. Securing dedicated Hong Kong tour leaders alongside structured learning programmes ensures primary cohorts aged 8 to 12 and secondary students aged 13 to 16 travel with unhurried pacing, personalised guidance, and comprehensive duty-of-care frameworks firmly in place.
Practical takeaways
- Plan departures around official public school term breaks: Term 1 ending mid-December 2026, Term 2 ending late March 2027, and Term 3 concluding late June 2027.
- Secure reservations early for international school breaks, such as Autumn breaks from 18 to 26 October 2026 and Spring breaks from 26 March to 9 April 2027.
- Account for statutory closures during 2027 Chinese New Year between 6 and 9 February when scheduling group logistics and private transfers.
Planning checklist for teachers and PTAs
A structured planning checklist enables teachers, principals, and PTA committees to execute safe, educational group travel aligned with official 2026/27 term dates. Organisers must first verify specific school announcements and Education Bureau term dates, noting that while public schools observe Term 1 through mid-December 2026, international school calendars diverge with varied autumn and mid-term breaks. Establishing explicit educational outcomes is essential whether designing hands-on science and arts workshops or outdoor trail excursions. Safety and supervision form the foundation of every group itinerary, requiring pre-determined student-to-staff ratios matched to primary ages 8 to 12 or secondary ages 13 to 16. PTAs must audit comprehensive group travel insurance, retain qualified Hong Kong tour leaders, and coordinate private transfers and curated dining arrangements well before scheduled breaks. Structured timelines must also respect examination periods occurring within Term 2 before the 26 March 2027 Easter break or prior to late June 2027 summer vacations.
Practical takeaways
- Cross-reference school calendars against government gazetted public holidays, including Chung Yeung Festival on 18–19 October 2026 and 8 October 2027.
- Establish age-appropriate student-to-staff supervision ratios suited to students aged 8–12 or 13–16 prior to confirming activities.
- Confirm bespoke private transit and verified Hong Kong tour leaders in advance of high-demand periods like the 26 March to 5 April 2027 Spring Break.
- Verify comprehensive travel insurance and venue safety guidelines before finalising school excursions.
Official sources and date changes
Official school calendars and public holiday schedules in Hong Kong are gazetted by the government and published by the Education Bureau alongside individual schools. Public schools adhere strictly to Education Bureau frameworks, dividing the 2026/2027 academic year across three designated terms: Term 1 from early September to mid-December 2026, Term 2 from early January to late March 2027, and Term 3 from mid-April to late June 2027. In contrast, private and international institutions possess individual autonomy over term breaks, often commencing earlier in mid-August. For teachers, principals, and PTA committees coordinating bespoke educational travel, exact term dates and examination periods dictate feasibility. Cross-referencing government gazettes with institutional schedules ensures excursions operate smoothly around statutory closures like National Day on 1 October 2026, Lunar New Year from 6 to 9 February 2027, and Easter from 26 to 29 March 2027. Early consultation of official sources protects group itineraries from sudden administrative shifts.
Practical takeaways
- Consult individual school websites and Education Bureau announcements directly for finalized 2026/2027 term dates.
- Align primary and secondary school travel around major gazetted breaks, including Christmas, Lunar New Year, and Easter.
- Factor in differences between international school calendars and public school term structures when arranging joint PTA initiatives.
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Good to know
Do public and international schools in Hong Kong share the same holiday dates?
Both share statutory public holidays such as Christmas and Chinese New Year, but their academic calendars differ. Public schools follow Education Bureau term dates, whereas international schools set independent terms and often start earlier in mid-August.
When do Hong Kong public schools hold their main term breaks in 2026/2027?
Public schools take an autumn break in October followed by Christmas holidays ending Term 1 in mid-December 2026. Term 2 includes the February Chinese New Year break before Easter in late March 2027, with summer vacation beginning in late June 2027.
What are the official Lunar New Year public holiday dates for 2027?
The official Hong Kong public holidays for Lunar New Year are scheduled from 6 February to 9 February 2027. International schools such as HKIS, FIS, GSIS, and ESF schedule their extended mid-term breaks across early to mid-February 2027.
Do primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong follow different calendars?
Primary and secondary schools observe the same government public holidays across Hong Kong. However, term breaks can vary slightly, as secondary schools often have additional flexibility to accommodate internal academic schedules.
Where should school trip organisers verify exact term and holiday dates?
Organisers must consult the Education Bureau for official public school updates and review each private or international school's official website directly. This ensures field study itineraries align precisely with individual campus schedules and exam periods.
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