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Posted May 22, 2025

When do universities break up for the summer?

When do universities break up for the summer holidays?

Universities in the United Kingdom usually break up for the summer between late-May and early July – this can vary according to the subject studied, the study level of the course, and the individual institutions.

Undergraduate versus postgraduate courses

Undergraduate students’ summer holidays

Most undergraduate courses hold final exams or ‘finals’ between mid-May and the beginning of July. Once these exams are finished, the students are free to start their summer break. However, students on certain subjects – particularly essay-based humanities such as history or sociology – can sometimes opt to be graded solely on essays and pieces of research, thereby avoiding taking exams altogether. In this instance the students may break up for the summer as early as the beginning of June.

Postgraduate taught students’ summer holidays

Teaching on one-year postgraduate courses such as taught masters degrees – for example an MA or MSc – often continues through to the end of June. After formal teaching has finished, students are usually required to carry on working on their dissertation or research projects through the summer. During this time, supervisors should be available to answer any last-minute queries or dissertation quandaries. The final submission of a masters degree research project is usually in late August/early September – and then, all being well, the postgraduate course should be completed.

Regarding summer holidays for postgraduate taught students, the University of Reading website states that, “Students on full-time postgraduate taught courses starting in either September or February do not have a Summer vacation period. Therefore, your teaching commences from the start of semester 2 and continues until your official course end date, as per your certificate of enrolment. Postgraduate students may have teaching, assessment activities and/or a dissertation project taking place during the summer and are therefore considered to be in semester-time throughout this period. 

Postgraduate research students’ summer holidays

Postgraduate research students, such as those studying a Masters of Research (MRes) or a PhD might not officially break up for summer at all. Although in most cases they could opt to take some time off during the summer months if their research schedule allows and they have their supervisor’s approval.

Regarding summer holidays for postgraduate research students, the University of Reading website states that, “Research students on full-time postgraduate research courses are required to be in continuous attendance. Annual leave must be requested and authorised in line with the PGR Holiday Request process.”

Terms versus semesters

Some UK universities operate on a termly timetable of three terms per annum. These are usually referred to as the Winter, Spring and Summer terms. However, some universities give these terms alternative names, for example Durham University calls them Michaelmas, Epiphany and Easter; the University of Oxford refers to them as Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity; and the University of Cambridge calls them Michaelmas, Lent and Easter.

Alternatively, UK universities can operate on a two-semester basis, for example the University of Reading. In the case of the University of Reading, each semester is a 15-week study block comprising 12 weeks of teaching and three weeks of assessments. There are some exceptions to this structure, this is usually for courses that include professional placements.

This diagram from the University of Reading website illustrates the difference in study blocks from their old system of term dates to their newly adopted semester system.

University of Reading Semesterisation

Are university resources available throughout the summer holiday?

Postgraduate students should be able to access all the university resources such as the libraries and other study facilities throughout the traditional summer break, although the opening hours may be reduced. If you are a Master of Science student, the laboratories should be available for you to use for any necessary research or experiments.

Summer holidays for postgraduate courses with a January start date

For postgraduate students who opt to start their masters degree in January rather than the more traditional September start date will experience a shift in their academic calendar which could also affect how the summer holiday period will fit into their studies. Instead of a summer break starting in May/June, January-start students will usually begin working on their major research project in August, and the dissertation submission deadline will probably in November or December.

Is there an exact summer holiday date for all UK universities?

No! The exact summer holiday dates will vary between all UK universities, so check each one’s academic term dates calendar on their website for the most up-to-date information.

Looking to study a postgraduate program? Use our course search to find your ideal masters degree.

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