Wondering how the school holiday system in Germany works, or just when your next holiday is?
Term dates in Germany
In Germany, schoolchildren receive 75 days of holiday per year (including 12 Saturdays). These 75 days are divided into six school holiday periods that break up the separate school terms. While the autumn, Christmas and Easter holidays are usually fixed breaks of around two weeks, the winter and Whitsun holidays may be lengthened, shortened or even scrapped in a particular year, depending on how early or late the summer holiday starts in that federal state.
Types of school holidays in Germany
The six types of school breaks in Germany are:
- Autumn holiday (Herbstferien) - two weeks
- Christmas holiday (Weihnachtsferien) - usually two weeks
- Winter holiday (Winterferien) - between a few days and two weeks
- Easter holiday (Osterferien) - two to three weeks
- Whitsun holiday (Pfingstferien) - between a few days and two weeks
- Summer holiday (Sommerferien) - six to seven weeks
Summer holidays in Germany
Just like the school system, school holidays in Germany vary according to federal state. For the summer holidays in particular, the 16 federal states work on a staggered schedule in order to avoid overburdening travel infrastructure. The earliest summer holidays begin in the middle of June, and the latest ones end in the middle of September.
Moveable holiday days
In all states (except Berlin, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Bavaria), German schools and international schools are given the power to set several days of extra holiday per year, as they see fit.
Depending on your location, these extra holiday days might be added around public holidays (so-called “bridge days” (Brückentage), e.g., if a public holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, the Friday or Monday is given off to allow for a long weekend). They might also be given on unofficial holidays such as St Nicholas’ Day (Nikolaus) or carnival (Karneval). It is important to always check exact dates with your child’s school.
Can I take my child on vacation outside of the school holiday periods?
As school attendance is compulsory, as a rule, the German government does not permit parents to take children on holiday during term-time. Parents who do so can be issued with fines of up to 1.000 euros for enabling truancy. You can, however, apply to the headteacher at your child’s school for an exemption in order to legally take your children out of school before the start of the holidays.
Holiday childcare in Germany
Most parents will have to work at some point during their children’s school holidays. There is a range of childcare options to choose from, including summer camps, holiday programmes and regular daycare facilities.
Other education institutions and holidays
While school holidays are set by the education authorities in each federal state, German higher education institutions are free to set their own holiday dates. If you are studying in Germany, make sure to check your term dates with your university.
Other German holidays
In addition to the regular school holiday periods, children in Germany can also enjoy national public holidays.
School holidays in Germany 2024-2025 & 2025-2026
See below for the official school holiday dates for primary and secondary schools in Germany, according to federal state:
Baden-Württemberg school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 28 - October 30, 2024
- Bridge day: October 31, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 4, 2025
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 26, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 10 - June 20, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 31 - September 13, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 5
- Autumn holiday: October 27 - October 31, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 5, 2026
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 11, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26 - June 5, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 30 - September 12, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 3
Bavaria school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 28 - October 31, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 3, 2025
- Winter holiday: --
- Bridge days: March 3 - March 7, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 25, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 10 - June 20, 2025
- Bridge day: August 1, 2025
- Summer holiday: August 4 - September 15, 2025
Bavaria school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: November 3 - November 7, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 5, 2026
- Winter holiday: --
- Bridge days: February 16 - February 20, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 10, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26 - June 5, 2026
- Summer holiday: August 3 - September 14, 2026
Berlin school holidays 2024-2025
- Bridge day: October 4, 2024
- Autumn holiday: October 21 - November 2, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - December 31, 2024
- Winter holiday: February 3 - February 8, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 25, 2025
- Bridge day: May 2, 2025
- Bridge day: May 30, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 10, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 24 - September 6, 2025
Berlin school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 20 - November 1, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 2 - February 7, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 10, 2026
- Bridge day: May 15, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 9 - August 22, 2026
Brandenburg school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 21 - November 2, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23 - December 31, 2024
- Winter holiday: February 3 - February 8, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 25, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 10, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 24 - September 6, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 3
Brandenburg school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 20 - November 1, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 2 - February 7, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 10, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 9 - August 22, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 1
Bremen school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 4 - October 19, 2024
- Bridge day: November 1, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 4, 2025
- Winter holiday: February 3 - February 4, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 7 - April 19, 2025
- Bridge day: April 30, 2025
- Bridge day: May 2, 2025
- Bridge day: May 30, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 10, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 3 - August 13, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 2
Bremen school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 13 - October 25, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 5, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 3 - February 3, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 23 - April 7, 2026
- Bridge day: May 15, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 2 - August 12, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 1
Hamburg school holidays 2024-2025
- Bridge day: October 4, 2024
- Autumn holiday: October 21 - November 1, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 20, 2024 - January 3, 2025
- Winter holiday: January 31, 2025
- Easter holiday: March 10 - March 21, 2025
- Bridge day: May 2, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: May 26 - May 30, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 24 - September 3, 2025
Hamburg school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 20 - October 31, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 17, 2025 - January 2, 2026
- Winter holiday: January 30, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 2 - March 13, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 11 - May 15, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 9 - August 19, 2026
Hesse school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 14 - October 25, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 10, 2025
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: April 7 - April 21, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: --
- Summer holiday: July 7 - August 15, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 4
Hesse school holidays - 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 6 - October 18, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 10, 2026
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 10, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: --
- Summer holiday: June 29 - August 7, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 4
Lower Saxony school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 4 - October 19, 2024
- Bridge day: November 1, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 4, 2025
- Winter holiday: February 3 - February 4, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 7 - April 19, 2025
- Bridge day: April 30, 2025
- Bridge day: May 2, 2025
- Bridge day: May 30, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 10, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 3 - August 13, 2025
Lower Saxony school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 13 - October 25, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 5, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 2 - February 3, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 23 - April 7, 2026
- Bridge day: May 15, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 2 - August 12, 2026
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern school holidays 2024-2025
- Bridge day: October 4, 2024
- Autumn holiday: October 21 - October 26, 2024
- Bridge day: November 1, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 6, 2025
- Winter holiday: February 3 - February 14, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 23, 2025
- Bridge day: May 30, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 6 - June 10, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 28 - September 6, 2025
- Bridge day: October 2, 2025
- Autumn holiday: October 20 - October 25, 2025
- Bridge day: November 3, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 5, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 9 - February 20, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 8, 2026
- Bridge day: May 15, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 22 - May 26, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 13 - August 22, 2026
North Rhine-Westphalia school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 14 - October 26, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 6, 2025
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 26, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: June 10, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 14 - August 26, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 4
- Autumn holiday: October 13 - October 25, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 6, 2026
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 11, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 20 - September 1, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 3
Rhineland-Palatinate school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 14 - October 25, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 8, 2025
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 25, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: --
- Summer holiday: July 7 - August 15, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 6
- Autumn holiday: October 13 - October 24, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 7, 2026
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 10, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: --
- Summer holiday: June 29 - August 7, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 6
Saarland school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 14 - October 25, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 3, 2025
- Winter holiday: February 24 - March 4, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 14 - April 25, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: --
- Summer holiday: July 7 - August 14, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 3
Saarland school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 13 - October 24, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 16 - February 20, 2026
- Easter holiday: April 7 - April 17, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: --
- Summer holiday: June 29 - August 7, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 2
Saxony school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 7 - October 19, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 3, 2025
- Winter holiday: February 17 - March 1, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 18 - April 25, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: May 30, 2025
- Summer holiday: June 28 - August 8, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 1
Saxony school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 6 - October 18, 2026
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 9 - February 21, 2026
- Easter holiday: April 3 - April 10, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 15, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 4 - August 14, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 1
Saxony-Anhalt school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: September 30 - October 12, 2024
- Bridge day: November 1, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 4, 2025
- Winter holiday: January 27, 2025 - January 31, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 7 - April 19, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: May 30, 2025
- Summer holiday: June 28 - August 8, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 1
- Autumn holiday: October 13 - October 25, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 5, 2026
- Winter holiday: January 31 - February 6, 2026
- Easter holiday: March 30 - April 4, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 26 - May 29, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 4 - August 14, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 2
Schleswig-Holstein school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: October 21 - November 1, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 19, 2024 - January 7, 2025
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: April 11 - April 25, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: May 30, 2025
- Summer holiday: July 28 - September 6, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 3
- Autumn holiday: October 20 - October 30, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 19, 2025 - January 6, 2026
- Winter holiday: --
- Easter holiday: March 26 - April 10, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 15, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 4 - August 14, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 3
Thuringia school holidays 2024-2025
- Autumn holiday: September 30 - October 12, 2024
- Christmas holiday: December 23, 2024 - January 3, 2025
- Winter holiday: February 3 - February 8, 2025
- Easter holiday: April 7 - April 19, 2025
- Whitsun holiday: May 30, 2025
- Summer holiday: June 28 - August 8, 2025
- Moveable holidays: 2
Thuringia school holidays 2025-2026
- Autumn holiday: October 6 - October 18, 2025
- Christmas holiday: December 22, 2025 - January 3, 2026
- Winter holiday: February 16 - February 21, 2026
- Easter holiday: April 7 - April 17, 2026
- Whitsun holiday: May 15, 2026
- Summer holiday: July 4 - August 14, 2026
- Moveable holidays: 1