Edinburgh term dates 2026/27 and 2027/28

Compiled from University of Edinburgh's published calendar · last checked 12 September 2026

These are University of Edinburgh's published term dates for 2026/27 and 2027/28: 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.

Edinburgh term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Semester 1 2026 termMonday, 21 September 2026Monday, 21 December 202613 weeks
Vacation vacationTuesday, 22 December 2026Sunday, 10 January 2027
Semester 2 2027 termMonday, 11 January 2027Friday, 21 May 202719 weeks
University notes for 2026/27:
  • Welcome Week begins on 14 September 2026 and January Welcome runs from 6 to 8 January 2027.
  • Semester 1 teaching runs in two blocks, 21 September to 23 October and 26 October to 4 December 2026, with revision on 7 and 8 December and examinations from 9 to 21 December 2026.
  • Semester 2 teaching runs in two blocks, 11 January to 12 February and 22 February to 2 April 2027, with Flexible Learning Week from 15 to 19 February 2027.
  • The spring teaching vacation is 5 to 16 April 2027, revision 19 to 23 April, and semester 2 examinations run from 26 April to 21 May 2027.
  • The page heading gives semester 2 as 11 January to 22 May 2027, while its table states semester 2 ends on 21 May 2027; the table date is used here.
  • Winter graduations are 18 to 26 November 2026 and summer graduations 1 to 14 July 2027.
  • Some degree programmes follow non standard dates; Edinburgh advises checking with your school.

Edinburgh term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Semester 1 2027 termMonday, 20 September 2027Tuesday, 21 December 202713 weeks
Vacation vacationWednesday, 22 December 2027Sunday, 16 January 2028
Semester 2 2028 termMonday, 17 January 2028Friday, 26 May 202819 weeks
University notes for 2027/28:
  • Edinburgh publishes these 2027/28 dates as provisional.
  • Welcome Week begins on 13 September 2027 and January Welcome runs from 12 to 14 January 2028.
  • Semester 1 teaching blocks are 20 September to 22 October and 25 October to 3 December 2027; revision and examination dates were still to be confirmed when checked.
  • Semester 2 teaching blocks are 17 January to 18 February and 28 February to 7 April 2028, with Flexible Learning Week from 21 to 25 February 2028 and the spring teaching vacation from 10 to 21 April 2028.
  • The page heading gives semester 2 as 17 January to 27 May 2028, while its table states semester 2 ends on 26 May 2028; the table date is used here.
Source: these dates come from University of Edinburgh's official term dates page, last checked by us on 12 September 2026. The university's page is the authority if anything changes mid-year. Read how we compile dates.

Common questions

When does Edinburgh term start?

The next term at University of Edinburgh is Semester 1 2026, starting Monday, 21 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 of Edinburgh's own published term dates page, linked below, checked on 12 September 2026. Nothing is estimated.

Family in Edinburgh? School term dates work differently from university terms: see Edinburgh school term dates for the local authority's calendar.

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