The organisation of the academic year

6.Higher education

6.6The organisation of the academic year

Last update: 26 March 2025

The organisation of the academic year 2025/2026 in Flanders is as follows:

Beginning of the academic year	The academic year typically begins in the last week of September. Universities and universities of applied sciences usually start classes around the third or fourth Monday of September, after an opening week with orientation activities. This marks the official start of the first semester and the new academic year.
Period(s) when there are teaching activities	In Flanders, teaching activities at universities and universities of applied sciences usually take place in two main periods: the first semester runs from the end of September until late December, and the second semester runs from mid-February until late May. In between, there are exam periods in January and June, followed by a resit session in August–September. This means that regular teaching is concentrated in the autumn and spring semesters, with breaks for exams and holidays in between.
Period(s) of examination	In Flanders, universities and universities of applied sciences generally hold exams three times per academic year: in January (after the first semester), in June (after the second semester), and in August–September (resit or second session). The exact dates vary by institution, but the pattern is almost always the same: January exams begin in early to mid-January, June exams run from late May to late June or early July, and resits take place from mid-August to mid-September
End of the academic year	The academic year is concluded just before the new one begins in September.
Breaks between the teaching activities excluding the examination period, if significant	Winter holidays: 2 weeks (between December and January) Spring holidays: 2 weeks (around April) Summer holidays: from July to September. The third interval includes, when applicable, assessment periods. It is usually considered as summer holidays for students not concerned by those activities. Most institutions also schedule a “lesvrije week” (week without lectures) immediately after the winter examination period. Universities of applied sciences may additionally provide extra holidays depending on their institutional calendar.