What are the vacations in the USA for students?

MAE-vacaciones-eeuu-estudiantes

The “American dream” would not be what it is if it were not accompanied by the “American high school dream”. The classes, schedules and celebrations in these, even the vacations for students in the U.S., are very different from those found in other countries (and we say this with the assurance of not falling into clichés).

Therefore, if you or your child is going to study in a study in an educational center in the country and you don’t know how class schedules work, such as summer and Christmas vacations, here’s what you need to know before taking the plunge.

Studying in the United States: a different schedule

As you may already know, the United States is not governed by the same educational law for all its territories, but each one of them manages its own rules and establishes conditions in school schedules depending on the State. For example, northern states miss classes in winter due to snow and cold, so they will have to make them up later.

However, all of them usually have a very similar system (including Spain’s). Classes may start from mid-August to mid-September, usually after Labor Day and depending on the area, and end in late May or early June.

The academic year has about 180 school days, i.e. 42 weeks of classes, and is divided into semesters. However, it will also depend on the type of school, as private schools may start later and have fewer school days (170 or so).

What is the schedule of classes in the United States?

The schedule of classes, regardless of the state you are in, is somewhat more intensive than in Spain, since officially classes may start from 8:00 to 8:30 and end at 15:30, but students usually stay at the center to follow their extracurricular activities.

The various clubs, both sports and many other disciplines, can increase the hours in high school to almost overnight, but they are absolutely necessary to acquire points before going to college.

How many months of vacation do students have in the United States?

Students’ vacations in the USA are like those of any other elementary or high school student: they enjoy their respective breaks in both winter and summer, although the weeks may be different:

  • Spring Break: what in Spain would coincide with Easter in March-April.
  • Summer vacation: 10 to 11 weeks of vacation between May and September, depending on the State and scheduling.
  • Winter vacation: coincides with the weeks between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Holidays and vacations for students in the United States 2023

On the other hand, what you will find different are the student holidays in the United States, as each country celebrates its own events and anniversaries, and in this case you can find some of them as the following:

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 16th
  • George Washington’s Birthday: February 20th
  • Memorial Day: May 29th
  • Freedom Day: June 19
  • Independence Day: July 4th
  • Labor Day: September 4
  • Columbus Day: October 9
  • Veterans Day: November 11
  • Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day: November 24

Make a note of all these days on the calendar! Because if you are a a student in the United States your vacation could join these days and find an extra reason to spend an enjoyable day with family or friends.

Do you want to know more about U.S. holidays, special events or agenda for students? We tell you all about it on our website, and we advise you in case you want to travel to the country to live the dream of thousands of students. Go for it!