2025 South African School Term Dates – Your Quick Guide

Planning ahead saves stress, especially when it comes to school terms. Whether you’re a parent, student or teacher, knowing when classes start, break, and end helps you juggle work, sport and family time. Below is the most up‑to‑date 2025 term calendar for public schools, as well as a snapshot of what colleges and private schools usually follow.

National Primary and High School Schedule

The Department of Basic Education released the official dates for 2025 in January. Here’s the breakdown:

• Term 1: Monday, 2 January – Friday, 24 April
• Mid‑year break: Saturday, 25 April – Sunday, 9 May (15 days)
• Term 2: Monday, 10 May – Friday, 22 August
• Winter break: Saturday, 23 August – Sunday, 6 September (15 days)
• Term 3: Monday, 7 September – Friday, 29 November
• Summer holidays: Saturday, 30 November – Monday, 31 January 2026 (63 days)

All public schools should stick to these dates, but provinces may shift a day or two to accommodate local events. Check your school’s notice board for any tweaks.

Tertiary Institutions and Private Schools

Universities and private schools often adjust the public schedule to fit exam timetables and enrollment cycles. Most universities start the academic year in early February, run two semesters, and finish in early December. A typical 2025 university timeline looks like this:

• Semester 1: 3 February – 20 June (includes a 2‑week mid‑semester break in April)
• Semester 2: 1 July – 12 December (with a 2‑week winter break in August)

Private primary and high schools generally follow the public calendar but may add a few extra days for teacher training or parent‑teacher meetings. It’s always worth confirming directly with the school’s administration.

Here are three quick tips to keep the term dates working for you:

1. Mark them now: Pull up a printable calendar, add the start and end dates, and set reminder alerts two weeks before each break.
2. Sync with your phone: Most smartphones let you import custom calendars. Look for a "2025 SA School Calendar" .ics file on the Department of Basic Education website.
3. Plan activities early: Book sports camps, tutoring sessions or family vacations while the dates are fresh. Availability drops fast once schools announce the schedule.

Staying on top of the 2025 term dates means less scrambling and more time for the things that matter. Keep this guide handy, double‑check with your school, and you’ll breeze through the year with confidence.