An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classes and do relevant exams and homework during this time, which comprises school days (days when there is education) and school holidays (when there is a break from education). The duration of school days, holidays and school year varies across the world. The days in the school year depend on the state or country. For example, in most of the US states, there are 180 days in a school year, but in the US state of Minnesota there are 165 days in the year.
A "school day" is a day when school is open. Governments often legislate on the total number of school days in a year for government funded (i.e., not private) schools.
School holidays (also referred to as vacations, breaks, and recess) are periods during which schools are closed or no classes or other mandatory activities are held. The dates and periods of school holidays vary considerably throughout the world, and there is usually some variation even within the same jurisdiction. The holidays given below apply to primary and secondary education. Teaching sessions (terms or semesters) in tertiary education are usually longer.
In the northern hemisphere, many school districts have traditionally offered a week-long vacation in the spring, often called Spring Vacation or Spring Break. In parochial schools and jurisdictions that follow a Christian religious tradition, the vacation may be described as an Easter holiday, which starts on Good Friday and continues through the subsequent week.
In the northern hemisphere, the longest break in the educational calendar is in the middle of the year, during the northern summer, and lasting up to 14 weeks. In Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia, summer holidays typically last three months, compared to six to eight weeks in Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany. In India and Pakistan, summer holidays typically span a duration of one to two months, extending from May to June. In the southern hemisphere, the longest break in the educational calendar is in the end-beginning of the year, during the southern summer, and lasts up to 14 weeks, from December 21 to March 20.
Traffic congestion and heavy passenger loads on public transport on school run routes may be worse on school days during term time.
Summer holidays for most children are a time to relax, enjoy themselves, catch up on studies, or spend time with family or relatives. Many families travel together on school holidays. School holidays have many effects on a country, ranging from the price of travel and holiday accommodation, which increase as demand increases while children are off school, to a change in crime rate. The number of families taking holidays away from urban areas can reduce traffic and use of public transport in cities while loading long-distance highways and means of transport.
In some countries where many families travel to their holiday destinations, such as the Netherlands, the start and end dates of school holidays in different regions are staggered to reduce the heavy traffic and pressure on means of transport that would otherwise occur on these dates.
In Nigeria, the longest holiday is from January ending to first or second week of November for secondary schools and a longer duration within same period for tertiary institutions. Holidays are generally determined by schools and typically run from July to the early days of September.
In Egypt, the longest holiday is usually from May ending on the start of October. There is also a mid-term break between semesters that lasts 3–4 weeks.
The South Africa academic calendar starts in mid-January and ends in early December. The academic lesson for the school year ends in mid-October, with final examinations taking place from late October to late November. The learners usually stop attending class after their last exam. In essence, the December closing is more for teachers and school staff to mark exams and prepare end-year school reports to issue on the last day of the academic calendar.
The year is divided into four academic terms, with the first term starting in mid-January and ending in late March or early April. The second term starts in early or mid-April and ends in late June. The third term runs from early July to late September. The fourth and last term usually starts at the beginning of October and closes in mid-December when the academic year officially comes to an end.
In South Africa, the main holiday usually lasts from early December to early or mid-January (5 or 6 weeks). There is an autumn break of up to two weeks in late March or early April, a longer winter break in late June and early July normally around three weeks, and a spring break in late September or early October which is one week.
South African schools and universities are closed on all South African public holidays. In terms of the Public Holidays Act, if the holiday falls on a Sunday, then schools are closed the following Monday.
Brazilian schools must have at least 200 school days.
In Brazil, summer holidays start in late November or early December and end in late January or early February. Winter holidays are generally the entire month of July, while in some states it lasts during the São João recess. Some schools in the tropical north follow a different school year. The Brazilian Carnival is 40 days before Easter Sunday and those dates are not school holidays. Some national and Catholic holidays are usually celebrated in 3 or 4 days, like Easter, Corpus Christi and Carnival.
In Canada, the school year typically lasts between 185 and 190 days. The summer holiday includes the months of July and August, with students returning to school in late August or early September, most commonly on the day after Labour Day. The winter break lasts for two weeks (sometimes a day or two longer), beginning on Saturday and encompassing Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The spring break is one to two weeks long depending on the city or province. Good Friday and Easter may or may not fall within spring break. The Thanksgiving break is a 3-day break that falls in mid-October.
In Ontario, the school year is regulated to last at least 194 days, with up to seven of those days being professional activity days, for a total minimum of 187 instructional days. Spring break (commonly known as March Break) is the third week in March.