Do you know some of the best education systems in the world require students to be in school between 175 and 220 days? So where does Australia sit on that chart? If you don’t know the answer yet, we’ve done the research and calculations for you.
Every Australian state and territory sets its own school term dates, so the exact number of school days varies slightly depending on where you live. Here’s the full state-by-state breakdown for 2026.
- How Many School Days in a Year in Australia?
- School Days by State
- How Many Weeks in a School Term?
- FAQs
How Many School Days in a Year in Australia?
Across the states and territories, there are between 193 and 202 school days in 2026, depending on where you live — Victoria has the most, the Northern Territory has the fewest, and each state sets its own term dates independently, so the total shifts slightly every year.
Looking for the weekly breakdown instead? See our full How Many School Weeks in a Year in Australia guide.
School Days by State
These figures are calculated from each state’s official 2026 government school term dates (weekdays only, not accounting for public holidays that fall within term).
| State/Territory | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Total School Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA | 27 Jan–10 Apr (54 days) | 27 Apr–3 Jul (50 days) | 20 Jul–25 Sep (50 days) | 12 Oct–11 Dec (45 days) | 199 days |
| VIC | 28 Jan–2 Apr (47 days) | 20 Apr–26 Jun (50 days) | 13 Jul–18 Sep (50 days) | 5 Oct–18 Dec (55 days) | 202 days |
| WA | 2 Feb–2 Apr (44 days) | 20 Apr–3 Jul (55 days) | 20 Jul–25 Sep (50 days) | 12 Oct–17 Dec (49 days) | 198 days |
| QLD | 27 Jan–2 Apr (48 days) | 20 Apr–26 Jun (50 days) | 13 Jul–18 Sep (50 days) | 6 Oct–11 Dec (49 days) | 197 days |
| TAS | 5 Feb–17 Apr (52 days) | 4 May–10 Jul (50 days) | 27 Jul–2 Oct (50 days) | 19 Oct–18 Dec (45 days) | 197 days |
| ACT | 30 Jan–2 Apr (45 days) | 21 Apr–3 Jul (54 days) | 21 Jul–25 Sep (49 days) | 13 Oct–18 Dec (49 days) | 197 days |
| NSW (Eastern) | 2 Feb–2 Apr (44 days) | 22 Apr–3 Jul (53 days) | 21 Jul–25 Sep (49 days) | 13 Oct–17 Dec (48 days) | 194 days |
| NT | 29 Jan–2 Apr (46 days) | 14 Apr–19 Jun (49 days) | 14 Jul–18 Sep (49 days) | 6 Oct–11 Dec (49 days) | 193 days |
Sorted highest to lowest total. Sourced from each state/territory’s 2026 official government school calendar (weekdays only — see methodology note below).
How Many Weeks in a School Term?
There are approximately 10 weeks in a school term in Australia, though this varies slightly by term and by state — Term 1 tends to run shortest (school doesn’t kick off until late January/early February), and Term 2 or 4 usually run longest.
For the full week-by-week breakdown, see How Many School Weeks in a Year in Australia.
FAQs
NSW (Eastern Division) has 194 school days in 2026, split across four terms. See the full NSW School Holidays page for exact dates, including the Western Division schedule.
Victoria has 202 school days in 2026 — the highest of the states we’ve calculated so far, mostly due to a longer Term 4. See the full VIC School Holidays page for exact dates.
Queensland has 197 school days in 2026. See the full QLD School Holidays page for exact dates.
Western Australia has 198 school days in 2026. See the full WA School Holidays page for exact dates.
South Australia has 199 school days in 2026 — the second-highest total after Victoria. See the full SA School Holidays page for exact dates.
Tasmania has 197 school days in 2026. Tasmania also starts later than most states, with Term 1 beginning 5 February. See the full TAS School Holidays page for exact dates.
The ACT has 197 school days in 2026. Its calendar closely mirrors NSW Eastern Division, though Term 1 starts a few days later. See the full ACT School Holidays page for exact dates.
The Northern Territory has 193 school days in 2026 — the lowest of any state or territory. See the full NT School Holidays page for exact dates.
Students attend school Monday to Friday. On some occasions, schools might hold additional events or classes on a Saturday.
School education in Australia runs for 13 years — students spend 7 or 8 years in primary school, 3 to 4 years in high school, and 2 years in senior secondary education (Year 11 and Year 12). Read more
No — each state and territory sets its own term dates independently, so school days and holiday periods vary by location. Compare every state at once on our School Holidays Australia page.