Academic Calendar

Academic Calendar

The following list shows the different holiday periods for each level of study. Full dates are at the bottom of the page.

The University closure for Christmas and New Year applies to all students, regardless of what they are studying.

Contact your School Office if you have any queries about semester dates for your programme.

For previous semester dates please see the PDFs at the bottom of the webpage.

Holiday periods for each level of study

Undergraduate (UG) Students (for example MA, BSc, BEng)

Winter Break
Spring Break
Summer after term has ended until term resumes in September

The 4-month visa period after a UG student’s official course end date (as shown on the CAS) is outside term-time.

Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Students (for example MSc, MBA, MLitt, LLM)

Winter Break
Spring Break

PGT students are not classed as being on holiday over the summer because they are still engaging in their studies. They are only permitted to do a work placement if it is an integral and assessed part of the course.

The 4-month visa period after a PGT student’s official course end date (as shown on the CAS) is outside term-time.

Postgraduate Research (PGR) Students (for example PhD)

Winter break

Postgraduate research programmes run for the full academic year, so students do not follow the standard vacation periods.

PhD students can request an authorised holiday absence from their School. The maximum period permitted is 60 days in any rolling 12-month period. This absence must not impact on the student’s ability to complete their PhD on time.

PhD students who are writing-up their thesis, waiting for their viva or completing corrections following their viva, are still classed as engaging in their studies.

Visa Regulations

If you have a Student/Tier 4 visa which gives you permission to work 20 hours per week during term-time (as shown on your BRP), you are permitted to work full-time during the University’s official holiday periods for your programme/level of study. There are some restrictions. Further information can be found on the UKCISA: UK Council for International Student Affairs web pages at: UKCISA - international student advice and guidance - Student work

Students on a Visit or Short-term Study visa are prohibited from working.

There are no restrictions on work for EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who have been granted pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

If you have any queries about work permission, these should be sent to: student.international@abdn.ac.uk

The University of Aberdeen does not restrict students from travel during official holiday periods.

Term Dates for 2023-2024

Students for all First Degrees (except MBChB and BDS) and for Taught Postgraduate Programmes (unless otherwise specified)

FIRST HALF-SESSION		SECOND HALF-SESSION
Term Opens	Monday 11 September 2023	Term opens	Monday 15 January 2024¹
Teaching commences	Monday 18 September 2023	Teaching commences	Monday 22 January 2024
Term Closes	Friday 15 December 2023	Spring break commences	Monday 1 April 2024
		Spring break ends*	Friday 19 April 2024
		Term Closes	Friday 17 May 2024

¹Students studying on the UG Medical Sciences degrees will commence their Honours projects w/c 8 January 2024

Students studying at the University’s Campus in Qatar

FIRST HALF-SESSION		SECOND HALF-SESSION
Term Opens	Sunday 10 September 2023	Term opens	Sunday 14 January 2024
Teaching commences	Sunday 17 September 2023	Teaching commences	Sunday 21 January 2024
Term Closes	Thursday 14 December 2023	Spring break commences	Sunday 31 March 2024
		Spring break ends*	Thursday 18 April 2024
		Term Closes	Thursday 16 May 2024

Students for the Degrees of MBChB

	FIRST YEAR	SECOND YEAR	THIRD YEAR
Winter Term Opens	Monday 11 September 2023	Monday 11 September 2023	Monday 11 September 2023
Winter Term Closes	Friday 15 December 2023	Friday 15 December 2023	Friday 15 December 2023
Spring Term Opens	Monday 8 January 2024	Monday 8 January 2024	Monday 8 January 2024
Spring Term Closes	Friday 29 March 2024	Friday 29 March 2024	Friday 22 March 2024
Summer Term Opens	Monday 22 April 2024	Monday 15 April 2024	Monday 6 May 2024
Summer Term Closes	Friday 10 May 2024	Friday 7 June 2024	Friday 19 July 2024

	FOURTH YEAR	FIFTH YEAR
Winter Term Opens	Monday 7 August 2023	Monday 14 August 2023
Winter Term Closes	Friday 22 December 2023	Friday 15 December 2023
Spring Term Opens	Monday 8 January 2024	Monday 8 January 2024
Spring Term Closes	Friday 29 March 2024	Friday 26 April 2024
Summer Term Opens	Monday 15 April 2024	Monday 29 April 2024
Summer Term Closes	Friday 28 June 2024	Friday 2 June 2024

Students for the Degree of BDS

	FIRST YEAR	SECOND YEAR	THIRD YEAR	FOURTH YEAR
Winter Term Opens	Monday 4 September 2023	Monday 28 August 2023	Monday 28 August 2023	Monday 28 August 2023
Winter Term Closes	Friday 15 December 2023	Friday 15 December 2023	Friday 15 December 2023	Friday 15 December 2023
Spring Term Opens	Monday 8 January 2024	Monday 8 January 2024	Monday 8 January 2024	Monday 8 January 2024
Spring Term Closes	Friday 29 March 2024	Friday 29 March 2024	Friday 29 March 2024	Friday 29 March 2024
Summer Term Opens	Monday 8 April 2024	Monday 8 April 2024	Monday 8 April 2024	Monday 8 April 2024
Summer Term Closes	Friday 7 July 2024	Friday 7 July 2024	Friday 7 July 2024	Friday 26 May 2024

Students for the MSc in Physician Associate Studies

FIRST YEAR		SECOND YEAR
Term 1 Opens	Monday 9 January 2023	Term 1 Opens	Monday 21 November 2022
Term 1 Closes	Friday 31 March 2023	Term 1 Closes	Friday 31 March 2023
Term 2 Opens	Mon 10 April 2023	Term 2 Opens	Monday 17 April 2023
Term 2 Closes	Friday 14 July 2023	Term 2 Closes	Friday 11 August 2023
Term 3 Opens	Monday 31 July 2023	Term 3 Opens	Monday 21 August 2023
Term 3 Closes	Friday 20 October 2023	Term 3 Closes	Friday 1 December 2023
Placement Preparation	Monday 6 November 2023 – Friday 12 November 2023

Students for the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) (Primary and Secondary)

Winter Term Opens	Monday 14 August 2023
Winter Term Closes	Friday 15 December 2023
Spring Term Opens	Monday 8 January 2024
Spring Term Closes	Thursday 28 March 2024
Summer Term Opens	Monday 15 April 2024
Summer Term Closes	Friday 31 May 2024

Students for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Childhood Practice

Winter Term Opens	Monday 28 August 2023
Winter Term Closes	Monday 8 January 2024
Spring Term Opens	Wednesday 10 January 2024
Spring Term Closes	Friday 24 May 2024

Term Dates for 2024 - 2025