Academic Calendars and Semester Dates Across Europe: A Country-by-Country Comparison

Why calendars differ across Europe

European universities set their own academic calendars, and in many countries the exact start month is a national decision rather than a university one. The Eurydice network , which tracks education systems for the European Commission, finds the pattern is stable year to year: no country regularly changes the month its academic year begins, but country-to-country differences are wide.

Two structures dominate. Most continental European countries run two semesters, autumn/winter and spring/summer. The UK, and some older European universities, run three shorter terms instead. If you plan an exchange or apply to universities in more than one country, check both start dates and exam windows, since a mismatch can shorten your time at either end.

Two-semester countries

Countries including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and most of Central and Eastern Europe use two semesters. The first semester usually starts between early September and mid-October and runs into December or January, with exams in January. The second semester typically starts in February and runs to May or June, with exams in May or June. In the Netherlands, the 2025/2026 academic year runs 1 September to 31 August, split into a winter semester (1 September to 31 January) and a summer semester (February to end of June or early July), though individual institutions set their own exact teaching weeks within that.

The UK and three-term systems

UK universities generally start later, late September to early October, and many still use three terms rather than two semesters, commonly named Michaelmas (autumn), Lent or Hilary (winter/spring), and Trinity or Summer (spring/summer). Exam periods cluster at the end of each term or, increasingly, in a dedicated exam period in May and June.

Nordic countries

Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark also run two semesters, but start earlier, typically mid to late August, with spring semesters running January to June. Nordic universities often set term dates by week number rather than fixed calendar dates, so check your specific university's calendar rather than assuming a fixed date.

Planning around holidays

Public and university holidays also shift teaching weeks around. Christmas and New Year breaks typically run two to three weeks across the continent, but exact timing and length differ, and some countries add a separate autumn or reading break in October or November. Always check your specific university's calendar page before booking flights or planning mobility, national patterns give you a starting point, not an exact date.

Southern Europe: Italy and Spain

Italian universities generally organize the year around exam sessions rather than strict semester boundaries: students sit exams in multiple windows, commonly winter, summer, and an autumn resit session, and can often choose which window suits their study pace within their program's rules. Spanish universities run two exam calls per subject each year, an ordinary call (convocatoria ordinaria) after teaching ends and an extraordinary resit call (convocatoria extraordinaria) later in the summer, alongside the standard two-semester teaching structure.

Central and Eastern Europe

Poland, Czechia, Hungary, and most of their neighbours follow the continental two-semester pattern, starting between late September and early October, with a winter exam session in January or February and a summer session in June. Course registration windows often open earlier than the semester itself, sometimes weeks in advance, so check your specific university's portal timeline rather than assuming registration opens on the first day of term.

Freshers' and orientation weeks

Most countries run an orientation or welcome week just before teaching starts, sometimes called Freshers' week in the UK and Ireland, Ersti-Woche in Germany, or a local equivalent elsewhere. These weeks handle enrollment formalities, campus tours, and social events, and usually fall in the final week of August or first week of September for autumn-starting programs, even where formal teaching begins slightly later.

Application deadlines are not teaching dates

Your application deadline is separate from the teaching calendar and usually falls months earlier. Many countries set undergraduate application deadlines in winter or spring for a September start, while some competitive programs or countries with rolling admissions accept applications closer to the start date. Check your target university's admissions page for its specific deadline rather than assuming it lines up with the semester start.

Why this matters for exchange and mobility students

If you plan an Erasmus+ exchange or apply to universities in more than one country, mismatched calendars affect move-in dates, exam clashes, and how much of your home semester you miss. Check both your home and host university's calendar for the specific academic year before you confirm travel or housing, since dates for 2026-27 are usually published by universities in spring 2026.

Where to check the real dates

National patterns are a starting point, not a substitute for your specific university's published calendar. Search your university's academic calendar or academic year page directly, and confirm your program's exam dates with your faculty office, since some departments run additional block weeks, placement periods, or thesis deadlines that sit outside the general university-wide calendar.