UCL term dates 2026/27
Compiled from University College London's published calendar · last checked 15 September 2026
These are University College London's published term dates for 2026/27: when each term starts and finishes, with the vacations between them. We take the dates from the university's own calendar (linked below) and recheck them each academic year. Reading weeks, exam periods and welcome week arrangements sit in the notes under each year where the university publishes them.
UCL term dates 2026/27
| Period | Starts | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| First term 2026 term | Monday, 28 September 2026 | Friday, 18 December 2026 | 12 weeks |
| Christmas vacation vacation | Saturday, 19 December 2026 | Sunday, 10 January 2027 | |
| Second term 2027 term | Monday, 11 January 2027 | Thursday, 25 March 2027 | 11 weeks |
| Easter vacation vacation | Friday, 26 March 2027 | Sunday, 25 April 2027 | |
| Third term 2027 term | Monday, 26 April 2027 | Friday, 11 June 2027 | 7 weeks |
- Second term ends on a Thursday: UCL states the earlier finish is due to early Easter in 2027, with Easter closure timings adjusted to protect teaching time.
- College reading weeks begin Monday 9 November 2026 and Monday 15 February 2027.
- ExtendED Learning weeks run Monday 17 May to Friday 11 June 2027.
- Christmas closure: 5:30pm Wednesday 23 December 2026 to 9am Monday 4 January 2027. Easter closure: 5:30pm Thursday 25 March 2027 to 9am Thursday 1 April 2027.
- UCL Institute of Education initial teacher education programmes run different terms (1 September 2026 to 30 July 2027), and the School of Pharmacy clinical MSc runs to 10 September 2027; full-time taught master's students usually study about 45 weeks including the dissertation period.
- UCL publishes 2027/28 to 2030/31 as future dates that may be subject to minor changes; they'll be added here at the annual refresh.
Common questions
When does UCL term start?
The next term at University College London is First term 2026, starting Monday, 28 September 2026.
Do these dates apply to every course?
They're the university's published dates for standard undergraduate teaching. Postgraduate, medicine, law conversion and some professional courses often run longer or start earlier, and welcome week sits before the first term for new students. Your course handbook is the authority for anything that costs money to get wrong.
Where do these dates come from?
From University College London's own published term dates page, linked below, checked on 15 September 2026. Nothing is estimated.