Academic calendar
The academic year at German universities is divided into winter semester and summer semester.
Winter semester: 1st October - 31st March
Summer semester: 1st April - 30th September
Each semester is divided into lecture and lecture free periods. The dates of lecture period as well as holidays vary from semester to semester. Exams are usually taken in the first weeks of the lecture free period:
Summer semester 2020:
- Lecture period: 20th April 2020 - 17th July 2020
Winter semester 2020/2021:
- Lecture period: 2th November 2020 - 5st February 2021
Holidays: 2th June 2020 (Pentecost/Whitsun) and 23rd December 2020 - 6th January 2020 (Christmas holidays)
See also (in german): Current dates and deadlines.
Public holidays in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany:
|
Public holidays |
2020 |
2021 |
|
New Year's Day |
1st January |
1st January |
|
Carnival Monday |
24th February | 15th February |
|
Good Friday |
10th April |
2nd April |
|
Easter Monday |
13th April |
5th April |
|
Labour Day |
1st May |
1st May |
|
Ascension Day |
21th May |
13th May |
|
Whit Monday |
1st June |
24th May |
|
Corpus Christi |
11th June |
3rd June |
|
German reunification |
3rd October |
3rd October |
|
All Saints |
1st November |
1st November |
|
Christmas |
25th - 26th December |
25th - 26th December |