SEP Winter Break 2026: School Vacation Dates in Mexico City

The SEP winter break for the 2026-2027 school year runs from Monday, December 21, 2026 to Tuesday, January 5, 2027, under the official calendar published on July 15, 2026. January 6 is also a day without classes, so students in Mexico City’s public and incorporated private schools return on Thursday, January 7, 2027.

What are the official winter break dates?

The dates come from Agreement 07/07/26 (Acuerdo número 07/07/26) of the Ministry of Public Education (SEP), published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (Diario Oficial de la Federación) on July 15, 2026 and summarized in the SEP’s announcement of the 2026-2027 calendar. The calendar covers preschool, primary and secondary schools in all 32 states. The weeks around the break look like this:

Counting the weekend before the break and January 6, children are out of school for 19 days in a row, from Saturday, December 19 to Wednesday, January 6. Thursday and Friday, January 7 and 8, are a two-day school week before the first full week of 2027.

When are the Consejo Técnico days around the break?

There is no School Technical Council (Consejo Técnico Escolar, CTE) session in December 2026. CTE days are the Fridays, roughly once a month, when teachers meet to plan and students stay home. According to SEP, the last session before the break is on November 27, 2026, and the next one is on January 29, 2027.

The rest of the school year’s CTE sessions fall on February 26, April 30, May 28 and June 25, 2027. Other days without classes later in the year are February 1, March 15 and May 5, 2027, plus the spring break from March 22 to April 3, 2027. The school year ends on July 9, 2027, after 185 school days.

Do private schools follow the same calendar?

Yes, if they are incorporated. SEP’s announcement says the calendar applies to public schools and to private schools incorporated into the National Education System (Sistema Educativo Nacional) for preschool, primary and secondary. Private schools may add their own events, such as a Christmas festival or parent meetings in the last week, so read the school’s circulars for the days just before December 18.

International schools that teach a foreign program without SEP incorporation set their own calendars, and their winter break can start earlier or end later. High schools (bachillerato) and universities such as UNAM and IPN also publish separate calendars, so families with older children should check each institution.

In Mexico City, public preschool, primary and secondary schools are run by the Federal Education Authority in Mexico City (AEFCM), which applies the SEP calendar. Our guide to enrolling foreign children in Mexican schools explains how the system works and when pre-registration for 2027-2028 opens.

What does the break mean for working parents?

The school break is far longer than the time off most employees get. Under Article 74 of the Federal Labor Law, only December 25 and January 1 are paid rest days in this period. December 24 and 31 are regular working days unless an employer gives them off. Since 2023, Article 76 of the same law gives employees at least 12 vacation days after their first year, so many parents split the 19 days between leave, relatives and paid care.

Common options include:

• Winter courses (cursos de invierno): museums, sports clubs, language schools and community centers run day programs during the break. Places are limited, so sign up as soon as dates appear.
• Relatives and shared care: families often trade days with other parents from the same class.
• Travel: the stretch from mid-December to early January is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, so bus seats and flights can sell out weeks ahead.

The year-end bonus also lands before the break. Employers must pay the aguinaldo, Mexico’s Christmas bonus, by December 20, which in 2026 falls on a Sunday.

What do families do during the break?

Much of the break overlaps with the city’s holiday season. Many schools hold their own posada or Christmas festival before December 18, and the nine nights of neighborhood and family posadas run from December 16 to 24. Our calendar of Christmas in Mexico City covers posadas, markets, Nochebuena and Día de Reyes.

The break ends just after the Three Kings. Children leave a letter or a shoe out on the night of January 5 and open presents on the morning of January 6, which is still a day off from school this year. The week between Christmas and New Year is usually quiet in the city, with lighter traffic while many residents travel, and our page on New Year’s Eve in Mexico City covers the December 31 events and transit hours.

December weather suits outdoor plans: days are dry and sunny, but mornings are cold, so pack layers for early starts.

Bottom line

Mark Friday, December 18 as the last school day and Thursday, January 7 as the return, then confirm both with your school’s own circular. Book winter courses, childcare or bus tickets in November or early December, and plan your own leave around the two official rest days.

FAQ

When do children go back to school in January 2027?

On Thursday, January 7, 2027. The winter break ends on January 5, and January 6 is an official suspension day.

Is there school on December 21 or 22, 2026?

No. The winter break starts on Monday, December 21, so the last day of classes is Friday, December 18, 2026.

Is the winter break the same in every state?

SEP publishes one national calendar for preschool, primary and secondary education in all 32 states. Some state education authorities issue their own versions of it, so families outside Mexico City should check their state’s announcement.

Does the calendar apply to preschool?

Yes. The SEP calendar covers preschool, primary and secondary schools, public and incorporated private. Daycare centers (guarderías), including those run by the IMSS, are outside the school calendar and follow their own schedules, so ask the center.