How many weeks are in a school year?

Q: How many weeks are in a school year?

In the US, about 36 weeks of instruction: most states require 180 school days, which is 36 five-day weeks. Including holidays and breaks the school year spans about 40 calendar weeks, from late August to early June.

In the US, 36 weeks of instruction — 180 school days ÷ 5 — spread over about 40 calendar weeks once breaks are added.

By country

Country	Instructional days	School weeks	Typical span
United States	180 (most states; 160–186 by state)	36	Late Aug / early Sep – late May / mid Jun
United Kingdom	190	38–39	Early Sep – late Jul, three terms
Canada	180–195 (by province)	36–39	Early Sep – late Jun
Australia	~200	40	Late Jan – mid Dec, four terms
India (CBSE)	~220	44 (six-day weeks common)	Apr – Mar
Japan	~210	35–40	Apr – Mar, three terms

Semesters, quarters and trimesters

Two semesters of 18 weeks, or four quarters of 9 weeks, or three trimesters of 12 weeks, all add up to the same 36. A US college semester is usually 15–16 weeks of classes, giving a 30–32-week academic year.

Method

School weeks = required instructional days ÷ 5. US day requirements are set by each state; 180 is the most common and the figure used here. Sources: state education codes; UK Department for Education (190 days); Australian state education departments.