A school day in Chengdu varies significantly depending on the grade level and specific school policies, but recent reforms have aimed to push back start times. For primary school students, the day typically begins around 8:20 AM and concludes between 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM. Middle and high school students face a more rigorous schedule, generally starting around 8:00 AM and ending their official classes by 5:00 PM, though many attend mandatory evening self-study sessions that can last until 9:00 PM or 10:00 PM, particularly at boarding schools. A distinctive feature of the Chengdu school day is a long midday break, often lasting about two hours, which includes time for lunch and a mandatory nap. In 2026, Chengdu implemented new regulations to ease student workloads by canceling unified morning reading sessions and prohibiting schools from requiring students to arrive early for collective study before the official start times.