When are school holidays in Belgium in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025? Why and how do the dates of rest periods differ for Belgian schoolchildren? In this publication, ALYO.Info will provide the exact dates for summer, autumn, Christmas, spring and Easter holidays in all Belgian language communities in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The organization of the school system in Belgium
The territory of Belgium is divided into regions and linguistic communities. There are only three of them: the Flemish, Walloon, and Brussels-Capital Regions. For clarity, we marked them on the map:
Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. There are also three language communities in this kingdom: Flemish, French, German-speaking. The boundaries and territories of regions and linguistic communities do not always coincide. The Brussels-Capital Region belongs to both the Flemish and the French Community. And the German community is part of the Walloon region.
The school year schedule depends on which language community your school belongs to. Basically, school holidays are the same, but they have different names. For example, the school holidays in February in Flemish are called “Spring Break”. And in the French community they are officially called “Carnival holidays”. Below we list the school holidays in Belgium 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 for all communities.
Why is the schedule of the academic year different and what does it threaten?
Historically, in the Kingdom of Belgium, the education system was not dealt with centrally. Each language community chose its own direction. The country was initially highly decentralized, which affected the education sector.
In addition, the neighborhood with other countries had a great influence. The Flemish community gravitates toward the Netherlands, the French community toward France, and the German-speaking community toward Germany. Such differences have a negative impact on the processes within the country.
For example, almost the entire population of the German-speaking community speaks German. Since there are no universities on its territory, young people are forced to leave to study in Flanders, the French Community or Germany. Having received a specialty, they often settle outside their homeland. Now it is especially easy – since Belgium is part of the European Union, the borders for its inhabitants are open.
Differences in the schedule of the school year cause inconvenience to families in which children study in different language communities. Due to the decentralized education system, it is more difficult for students to communicate with each other. The same goes for teachers.
School holidays in Belgium 2023-2024
Below we give the exact dates for school holidays 2023-2024 in Belgian schools. We also list holidays and additional non-school days on which schoolchildren have no classes.
Flemish community
- Summer holidays 2023 – from July 1 (Saturday) to August 31 (Thursday).
- The first day of the 2023-2024 academic year is September 1 (Friday) 2023.
- Autumn holidays 2023 – from October 30 (Monday) to November 5 (Sunday).
- Christmas holidays – from December 25, 2023 (Monday) to January 7, 2024 (Sunday).
- Carnival holidays 2024 – from February 12 (Monday) to February 18 (Sunday).
- Easter holidays 2024 – from April 1 (Monday) to April 14 (Sunday).
- Summer holidays 2024 – from July 1 (Monday) to August 31 (Saturday).
Days-off for holidays:
- November 11, 2023 (Saturday) – Armistice Day 1918.
- May 1, 2024 (Wednesday) is Labor Day.
- May 9 and 10, 2024 (Thursday and Friday) – Ascension of Christ.
- May 20, 2024 (Monday) – Trinity.
Important! Students receiving correspondence art education have a rest only on May 9th. For those receiving arts and adult education by correspondence, May 11 and 12 (Saturday and Sunday) may be study days.
French community
- Summer holidays 2023 – from July 8 (Saturday) to August 27 (Sunday).
- The first day of the 2023-2024 academic year is August 28 (Monday) 2023.
- Holidays for All Saints Day 2023 – from October 23 (Monday) to November 3 (Friday).
- Christmas holidays (winter holidays) – from December 25, 2023 (Monday) to January 5, 2024 (Friday).
- Carnival holidays 2024 – from February 26 (Monday) to March 8 (Friday).
- Spring break 2024 – from April 29 (Monday) to May 10 (Friday).
- Summer holidays 2024 – from July 6 (Saturday) to August 25 (Sunday).
Free days for holidays:
- September 27, 2023 (Wednesday) – French Community Day.
- April 1, 2024 (Monday) — Easter Monday.
- May 20, 2024 (Monday) – Trinity.
German-speaking community
Important! In the German-speaking Community of Belgium, there are no Saturday classes in all schools except the Academy of Music. On Sunday, all educational institutions are closed for teachers and students.
- Summer holidays 2023 – from July 1 (Saturday) to August 31 (Thursday) 2023.
- The first day of the 2023-2024 academic year is September 1 (Friday) 2023.
- Holidays for All Saints Day 2023 – from October 30 (Monday) to November 4 (Saturday).
- Christmas holidays – from December 25, 2023 (Monday) to January 6, 2024 (Saturday).
- Carnival holidays (carnival holidays) 2024 – from February 12 (Monday) to February 17 (Saturday).
- Easter holidays 2024 – from April 1 (Monday) to April 13 (Saturday).
- Summer holidays 2024 – from June 29 (Saturday) to September 1 (Sunday).
Free days for holidays:
- November 11, 2023 (Saturday) – Armistice Day 1918.
- November 15, 2023 (Wednesday) – Day of the German-speaking community.
- May 1, 2024 (Wednesday) is Labor Day.
- May 9, 2024 (Thursday) – Ascension of Christ.
- May 20, 2024 (Monday) – Trinity.
School holidays in Belgium 2024-2025
In this section you will find the official dates for school holidays 2023-2024 for children in Belgium. We will also list public holidays and additional free days when schools are closed to students and teachers.
Flemish community
- Summer holidays 2024 – from July 1 (Monday) to August 31 (Saturday).
- The first day of the 2024-2025 academic year is September 2 (Monday) 2024.
- Autumn holidays 2024 – from October 28 (Monday) to November 3 (Sunday).
- Christmas holidays – from December 23, 2024 (Monday) to January 5, 2025 (Sunday).
- Spring break 2025 – from March 3 (Monday) to March 9 (Sunday).
- Easter holidays 2025 – from April 7 (Monday) to April 21 (Sunday).
- Summer holidays 2025 – from July 1 (Tuesday) to August 31 (Sunday).
Free days for holidays:
- November 11, 2023 (Monday) – Armistice Day 1918.
- May 1, 2024 (Thursday) is Labor Day.
- May 29 and 30, 2024 (Thursday) – Ascension of Christ.
- June 9, 2024 (Monday) – Trinity.
Important! Students receiving correspondence art education have a rest only on May 29. For those receiving arts and adult education by correspondence, May 31 and June 1 (Saturday and Sunday) may be study days.
French community
- Summer holidays 2024 – from July 6 (Saturday) to August 25 (Sunday).
- The first day of the 2024-2025 academic year is August 26 (Monday) 2024.
- Holidays for All Saints Day 2024 – from October 21 (Monday) to November 3 (Sunday).
- Christmas holidays (winter holidays) – from December 23, 2024 (Monday) to January 5, 2025 (Sunday).
- Carnival holidays 2025 – from February 24 (Monday) to March 9 (Sunday).
- Spring break 2025 – from April 28 (Monday) to May 11 (Friday).
- Summer holidays 2025 – from July 5 (Saturday).
Free days for holidays:
- September 27, 2024 (Friday) – French Community Day.
- November 11, 2024 (Monday) – Armistice Day 1918.
- April 21, 2025 (Monday) — Easter Monday.
- May 29, 2025 (Thursday) – Ascension of Christ.
- June 9, 2025 (Monday) – Trinity.
German-speaking community
The start and end dates of school holidays in the German-speaking Community of Belgium are approved one school year in advance. For example, the schedule for 2023-2024 was approved in December 2022.
We will follow the publications of the Ministry of the German-speaking Community of Belgium. As soon as information about the schedule of the 2024-2025 academic year and school holidays appears, we will publish it.
In this publication, ALYO.Info told about the school holidays in Belgium 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. gave the exact dates of vacation periods and days off from work on public holidays in the Flemish, French and German-speaking communities. Be sure to share this post with your friends!
