New Dates and Rules for Winter School Holidays in Poland from 2026

The Ministry of National Education has published the winter holiday calendar for the 2026/2027 school year. Students will have two weeks off — during one of three designated periods.

The dates of winter holidays in each voivodeship are set by the Minister of Education under a regulation on the organization of the school year. In 2025, winter holidays were held across four different dates for the last time. Starting from the 2025/2026 school year, only three periods of winter break will be in place for students.

The groupings of voivodeships sharing the same holiday period have also been restructured. The Ministry has abandoned the rotation principle, under which the region that had holidays last in a given year would start first the following year.

Winter Holidays in the 2025/2026 School Year in Poland

📆 19 January – 1 February: Masovian, Pomeranian, Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie, Warmian-Masurian; 📆 2 – 15 February: Lower Silesian, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Łódź, West Pomeranian, Lesser Poland, Opole; 📆 16 February – 1 March: Subcarpathian, Lublin, Greater Poland, Lubusz, Silesian.

Winter Holidays in the 2026/2027 School Year in Poland

📆 18 – 31 January 2027: Subcarpathian, Podlaskie, Lower Silesian, Łódź, Silesian, Opole; 📆 1 – 14 February 2027: Masovian, Pomeranian, Świętokrzyskie, Lublin; 📆 15 – 28 February 2027: Lubusz, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Warmian-Masurian, Greater Poland, West Pomeranian, Lesser Poland.

Why Are Holidays Split into Three Periods?

Previously, Polish schools followed four separate holiday schedules. However, starting from the 2025/2026 school year, the government decided to adopt a three-tier format. This has made the system more flexible, reduced congestion during particularly popular dates, and helped tour operators better coordinate recreation and camp schedules. The division also prevents large numbers of students from the same region from being absent at the same time.

Who Does This Affect?

This concerns not only students and their parents, but also educational institutions, school administrators, and tour operators. Families can plan trips and holidays around precisely scheduled dates. Schools coordinate the teaching process with absences in mind. Travel agencies and camps can draw up service schedules taking into account peak departure periods. The Ministry of Education's formal announcement has ensured clear and transparent planning for various segments of the public.

Based on information from PolskieRadio24.pl/PAP/MEN