What is a semester and when does the lecture period begin?
The academic year at German universities is divided into two semesters: the winter semester and the summer semester.
The winter semester begins on 1 October and ends on 31 March.
The summer semester lasts from 1 April to 30 September.
Each semester is divided into the lecture-free period and the lecture period. Courses take place during the lecture period. The beginning and end of this period vary slightly from year to year.
The lecture-free period is also known as the semester break. However, this term is somewhat misleading. This is because the lecture-free weeks are usually used for internships, seminar papers, exam preparation and, in some cases, exams. Block seminars also often take place during the lecture-free period.
To help you plan your semester, we provide academic calendars in two versions: a semester overview and a half-year overview that can be labelled. The academic calendar is based on the statutes governing the lecture period at the University of Regensburg | PDF (German version only). (opens in a new window). (This PDF is not accessible)
Academic Calendar for the Summer Semester 2026
The semester begins on 1 April and ends on 30 September 2026.
The lecture period lasts from 13 April to 17 July 2026.
The lecture period in the summer semester 2026 will be interrupted by the following days:
- 1. May 2026, Friday = May Day, Labour Day
- 14. May 2026, Thursday = Ascension Day
- 25. May 2026, Monday = Whit Monday
- 26. May 2026, Tuesday = Tuesday after Whitsun, not a public holiday but lecture-free
- 4. June 2026, Thursday = Corpus Christi
Lecturers at the UR also take holidays of non-Christian religions into account when organising teaching and examination schedules and accept participation in them as a valid reason for absence.
Academic Calender for the Winter Semester 2026/27
The semester begins on 1 October 2026 and ends on 31 March 2027.
The lecture period lasts from 12 October 2026 to 5 February 2027.
The lecture period in the winter semester 2026/27 will be interrupted by the following days
- 24. December 2026, Thursday = Christmas Eve
- up to and including 6 January 2027, Wednesday = Epiphany
Lecturers at the UR also take into account holidays of non-Christian religions when organising teaching and examination schedules and accept participation in them as a valid reason for absence.
Academic Calendar for the Summer Semester 2027
The semester begins on 1 April and ends on 30 September 2026.
The lecture period lasts from 12 April to 16 July 2027.
The lecture period in the summer semester 2027 will be interrupted by the following days:
- 1. May 2027, Friday = May Day, Labour Day
- 6. May 2027, Thursday = Ascension Day
- 17. May 2027, Monday = Whit Monday
- 18. May 2027, Tuesday = Tuesday after Whitsun, not a public holiday but lecture-free
- 27. May 2027, Thursday = Corpus Christi
Lecturers at the UR also take holidays of non-Christian religions into account when organising teaching and examination schedules and accept participation in them as a valid reason for absence.