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Semesterferien

Semesterferien is the Austrian school holiday week that each federal state schedules separately in February.

Semesterferien operates in the School holiday period, Austria segment.

Type: event · Updated September 2026

Semesterferien: Disambiguation

Semesterferien is not a single nationwide week. Semesterferien is not the Easter school holiday. Semesterferien is not a public holiday. Semesterferien is not the UK February half term.

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Semesterferien: Core Facts

First week 2027
1 to 6 February 2027, Lower Austria and Vienna (source, )
Second week 2027
8 to 13 February 2027, Burgenland and Carinthia (source, )
Third week 2027
15 to 20 February 2027, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg (source, )
Pupils in the Vienna and Lower Austria week
Around 500,000 (source, )
Pupils in the 2027 second week
Around 100,000 (source, )
Change for 2027
Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg moved from the second to the third February week (source, )
Legal basis
Schulzeitgesetz allows a state to shift the week by seven days (source, )
Stated reason for the 2027 shift
Alignment with carnival holidays in the Netherlands and some German states (source, )
Easter holiday 2027
20 to 29 March 2027 in all federal states (source, )
Week pattern
Monday to Saturday, set per federal state (source, )
Verified
2026-09-15

Compare: Serfaus-Fiss-LadisSkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-BrixentalZell am See-KaprunObertauern

Semesterferien: Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter to a UK family?

Semesterferien decides which February week Austrian resorts are busiest, and in 2027 the Tyrol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg week (15 to 20 February) lands on the same dates as most English half terms.

Are the dates the same everywhere?

No. Semesterferien is staggered: Vienna and Lower Austria take 1 to 6 February 2027, Burgenland and Carinthia 8 to 13 February, and five states, including Tyrol and Salzburg, 15 to 20 February.

Can a state change its week?

Yes. Under the Schulzeitgesetz a state can move Semesterferien by one week, which is exactly what Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg did for 2027 to line up with Dutch and German carnival breaks.

Which week is quietest on Austrian slopes?

No February week is quiet, but Semesterferien concentrates roughly 500,000 pupils from Vienna and Lower Austria into 1 to 6 February 2027, and only about 100,000 from Burgenland and Carinthia into the following week.

When is the next Austrian school break after February?

After Semesterferien, all nine federal states break together for Easter from 20 to 29 March 2027, which also marks the start of low-season pass pricing in several ski areas.

Semesterferien: Related entities

Semesterferien: Further reading

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