University of KwaZulu-Natal Term Date 2026

FIRST SEMESTER: Monday, 06 February – Thursday, 22 Jun
EASTER VACATION: Saturday, 08 April – Monday, 17 April
WINTER VACATION: Friday, 23 Jun – Sunday, 16 July
SECOND SEMESTER: Monday, 17 July – Monday, 27 November
UKZN Sessional Dates School of Education
Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine – Sessional Dates 2026
 

PRE-SEMESTER:
	Mon, 02 – Fri, 06 Jan	Tue, 03 Jan	University opens
	Mon, 09 – Fri, 13 Jan	Mon, 09 Jan	(Programme specific) Self-help registration system opens
	Mon, 16 – Fri, 20 Jan
	Mon, 23 – Sat, 28 Jan	Sat, 28 Jan	Parents’ Day
	Mon, 30 Jan– Sat, 04 Feb	Mon, 30 Jan– Fri, 03 Feb	Orientation of students
		Thu, 02 – Sat, 04 Feb	On campus registration of students
SEMESTER 1:
1	Mon, 06 – Fri, 10 Feb	Mon, 06 Feb	First Semester commences
			Lectures commence
		Fri, 10 Feb	Deadline for applications for re-marks
2	Mon, 13 – Fri, 17 Feb
3	Mon, 20 – Fri, 24 Feb
4	Mon, 27 Feb – Fri, 03 Mar	Fri, 03 Mar	Final date for minimum fee payment required for student registration
			Final date for 1st Semester registration
			Final date for requests for extended DPs
5	Mon, 06– Fri, 10 Mar	Fri, 10 Mar	Final date for submitting curriculum changes
			Final registration date for returning Masters (by research) and Doctoral students.
			Final day for capturing graduation decisions onto ITS for the students who had outstanding requirements. (Honours, Bachelors, Diplomas and Certificates)
6	Mon, 13  – Fri, 17 Mar	Fri, 17 Mar	Final day for capturing graduation decisions onto ITS (Doctoral and Masters Studies)
7	Mon, 20 – Fri, 24 Mar	Tues, 21 Mar	Human Rights Day (Public Holiday)
8	Mon, 27 Mar – Sat, 01 April	Sat, 01 (till Mon, 10 Apr)	Graduation Ceremonies (WVL)
9	Mon, 03 – Fri, 07 Apr
Sat, 08 – Mon, 17 Apr		EASTER VACATION  (STUDENT MID-TERM BREAK)
		Tue, 11 – Wed, 12 Apr	Graduation Ceremonies (PMB)
		Fri, 14 Apr	Good Friday (Public Holiday)
		Mon, 17 Apr	Family Day (Public Holiday)
10	Tue, 18 – Fri, 21 Apr	Fri, 21 Apr	Final date for withdrawal from a module
			Final date for withdrawal from the University (Semester 1)
			Final timetable for main & supplementary exams released
11	Mon, 24 – Sun, 30 Apr	Thu, 27 Apr	Freedom Day (Public Holiday)
		Sun, 30 Apr	Final date for payment of 60% of fees for year registrations or 100%  for semester 1 registrations
12	Mon, 01 – Fri, 05 May	Mon, 01 May	Workers’ Day (Public Holiday)
13	Mon, 08 – Fri, 12 May
14	Mon, 15 – Fri, 19 May	Wed, 17 May	DP refusals published
		Thu, 18 May	Lectures end
		Fri, 19 – Tue, 23 May	Study period
15	Mon, 22 – Fri, 26 May	Mon, 22 May	Final date for submission of DP Appeals to School Offices
		Wed, 24 May	First Semester Exams commence (incl. Saturdays)
16	Mon, 29 May – Fri, 02 Jun		Exam week
17	Mon, 05 – Fri, 09 Jun	Thu, 08 Jun	First Semester Exams end
		Fri, 09 Jun – Tue, 13 Jun	Break between exams
18	Mon, 12 – Fri, 16 Jun	Wed, 14 Jun	1st Semester Supplementary Exams commence
		Fri, 16 Jun	Youth Day (Public Holiday) (no exams)
19	Mon 19 – Fri, 23 Jun	Thu, 22 Jun	Supplementary Exams end
			First Semester ends
Semester 1: Teaching days:    Monday 12 ,  Tuesday 13 ,  Wednesday 14 ,  Thursday 13 ,  Friday 13  :  65 days Compensatory day:   (Wednesday 08 March, follows Monday’s timetable) Study leave:  5 days;     Main Examinations:  14 days;  Supplementary Exams:  7 days;
Fri, 23 Jun – Sun, 16 Jul		MID-YEAR BREAK  (Winter Vacation)
		Sun, 25 Jun	Eid-Al-Fitr (condoned absence)
		Mon, 03 Jul	Supplementary Exam marks to be captured on SMS by 12h00
		Mon, 10 Jul	Release of 1st semester results after Exam Boards at 00:01 am
			Second semester registration commences

 

SEMESTER 2:
1	Mon, 17 – Fri, 21 Jul	Mon, 17 Jul	Second Semester commences
			Lectures commence
			Final date for requests for extended DPs
		Wed, 19 Jul
		Thu, 20 Jul	Deadline for submission of Exclusion Appeals
		Fri, 21 Jul	Deadline for applications for re-marks
2	Mon, 24 – Fri, 28 Jul	Mon, 24 Jul	CEACOM meetings (College Exclusion Appeals Comm.)
		On or before Thu, 27 Jul	AEACOM meeting
		Fri, 28 Jul	Final date for payment of all fees required for student registration (2nd semester).
			Final date for registration – 2nd Semester
			Final date for submitting curriculum changes
3	Mon, 31 Jul – Fri, 04 Aug
4	Mon, 07 – Fri, 11 Aug	Wed, 09 Aug	National Women’s Day (Public Holiday)
5	Mon, 14 – Fri, 18 Aug
6	Mon, 21 – Fri, 25 Aug
7	Mon, 28 Aug – Fri, 01 Sep	Thu, 31 Aug – Fri, 01 Sep	Eid-Al-Adhah (condoned absence)
		Thu, 31 Aug	Final date for payment of all fees
8	Mon, 04 – Fri, 08 Sep
9	Mon, 11 – Fri, 15 Sep	Fri, 15 Sep	Final date for withdrawal from the University (Sem. 2)
			Final date for withdrawal from a module
			Final timetable for main and supplementary examinations released
Sat, 16 Sep – Mon, 25 Sep		STUDENT MID-TERM BREAK
		Thu 21 – Fri, 22 Oct	Rosh Hashanah (condoned absence)
10	Mon, 25 – Sat, 30 Sep	Mon, 25 Sep	Heritage Day (Public Holiday observed)
		Sat, 30 Sep	Yom Kippur (condoned absence)
11	Mon, 02 – Fri, 06 Oct
12	Mon, 09 – Fri, 13  Oct
13	Mon, 16 – Fri, 20 Oct	Thu,, 19 Oct	Diwali/Deepavali (Condoned absence)
14	Mon, 23 – Sun, 29 Oct	Mon, 23 Oct	DP refusals published
		Tue, 24 Oct	Lectures end
		Wed, 25 – Sun, 29 Oct	Study period
		Thu, 26 Oct	Final date for submission of DP Appeals to School Offices
15	Mon, 30 Oct – Fri, 03 Nov	Mon, 30 Oct	Second Semester Exams commence (incl. Saturdays)
			Final date for submission of College handbooks for 2026
16	Mon, 06  – Fri, 10 Nov		Exam week
17	Mon, 13  – Sun, 19 Nov	Tue, 14 Nov	Second Semester Exams end
		Wed, 15 – Sun, 19 Nov	Break between Exams
18	Mon, 20 – Sat, 25 Nov	Mon, 20 Nov	2nd Semester Supplementary Exams commence
19	Mon, 27 Nov– Fri, 01 Dec	Mon, 27 Nov	2nd Semester Supplementary Exams end
			Second Semester ends
		Fri, 01 Dec	Last day for submission of theses/dissertations to the Post-Graduate Administrative Offices for possible April 2026 Graduation
Semester 2: Teaching days:   Monday 13 ,  Tuesday 14 ,  Wednesday 12 ,  Thursday 13 ,  Friday 13 : 65 days Compensatory days:   (Tuesday, 08 August, follows Wednesday’s timetable) Study leave:  5 days;     Examinations:  14 days;     Supplementary Exams:  7 days

YEAR-END BREAK:
	Mon, 04 – Fri, 08 Dec	Fri, 08 Dec	Supplementary marks to be captured on SMS by 12h00
	Mon, 11 – Fri, 15 Dec	Fri, 15 Dec	Release of 2nd semester results after Exam Boards (00:01 am)
		Sat, 16 Dec	Day of Reconciliation (Public Holiday)
	Mon, 18 – Fri, 22 Dec	Fri, 22 Dec	University Offices close

Please note: The University of KwaZulu-Natal reserves the right to change any of the said Sessional Dates,   solely in its discretion, and without any liability for inconvenience and/or loss occasioned thereby.