Academic calendar
The academic year officially commences on 1 September and ends on 31 August. Take a look how the year is organised and on which days the university is closed.
Academic calendar
Exception
The academic calendar does not apply to LUMC and LUC. See your faculty or study programme tab for details.
Exam periods
- 13 October - 2 November 2025
- 8 December - 1 February 2025/2026
- 9 March - 5 April 2026
- 18 May - 26 June 2026
Exceptions
The exam period for your faculty might be different. See your faculty or study programme tab for details.
Closure dates
The university is closed on the following public holidays and certain days adjoining public holidays and you will not have classes or exams.
- 3 October - Relief of Leiden
- 24 December
- 25 and 26 December - Christmas Day and Boxing Day
- 28 till 31 December
- 2 January
- 3 April - Good Friday
- 5 and 6 April - Easter Sunday and Monday
- 27 April - King's Day
- 5 May - Liberation Day
- 14 May - Ascension Day
- 15 May
- 24 and 25 May - Whit Sunday and Monday
Calendar 2026-2027
Academic Calendar 2026-2027
Calendar 2026-2027
| From | Until | |
| Move-In Days | 15 August 2026 | 16 August 2026 |
| LUC Introduction Week | 17 August 2026 | 21 August 2026 |
| Semester 1 | ||
| Block 1 | 24 August 2026 | 16 October 2026 |
| Reading Week | 12 October 2026 | 16 October 2026 |
| Autumn break | 19 October 2026 | 23 October 2026 |
| Block 2 | 26 October 2026 | 18 December 2026 |
| Reading Week | 14 December 2026 | 18 December 2026 |
| Winter break | 21 December 2026 | 29 January 2027 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Block 3 | 1 February 2027 | 26 March 2027 |
| Reading Week | 22 March 2027 | 26 March 2027 |
| Spring break | 29 March 2027 | 2 April 2027 |
| Block 4 | 5 April 2027 | 4 June 2027 |
| Reading Week | 31 May 2027 | 4 June 2027 |
| Summer break | 7 June 2027 |
Important Dates
| 15-16 August 2026 | Move-In Days |
| 17-21 August 2026 | Introduction Week |
| 24 August 2026 | Classes Start at LUC |
| 31 August 2026 | Opening Academic Year Leiden University |
| 15 September 2026 | Prince's Day (State Opening of Parliament) |
| 26 September 2026 | Dies Natalis LUC The Hague |
| 3 October 2026 | Relief of Leiden ("Leidens Ontzet") |
| 19-24 October 2026 | Autumn Break |
| on or around 26 November 2026 | Cleveringa Lecture |
| 21 December 2026 - 29 January 2027 | Winter Break |
| 1 February 2027 | Start of Second Semester |
| 8 February 2027 | Dies Natalis Leiden University |
| 29 March 2027 - 2 April 2027 | Spring Break |
|
26 March 2027 |
Good Friday - Academic Floors are closed |
| 28 and 29 March 2027 | Easter Monday - Academic Floors are closed |
| 27 April 2027 | King's Day - Academic Floors are closed |
| 4 May 2027 | Remembrance Day |
| 5 May 2027 | Liberation Day |
| 6-7 May 2027 | (Day after) Ascension Day - Academic Floors are closed |
| 16-17 May 2027 | Whitsun (Monday) - Academic Floors are closed |
| 7 June 2027 | Start summer break |
Academic Calendar
The LUC The Hague academic year consists of two semesters, each divided into two blocks. A block spans an eight week period: seven weeks of intensive teaching followed by a reading week in which there are typically no contact hours. The reading week can, for example, be used to hand in essays, take-home exams or prepare for the next block.
Please note: The LUC The Hague academic year differs slightly from the annual calender of Leiden University.
Structure of the Academic Year
The LUC curriculum is taken over a period of three years, consisting of two semesters of two eight week blocks each. In the first year some courses are ofÂfered at semester length because of didactical principles allowing you to acquire new skills more gradually.
Each course meets twice per week (two times two hours). Exceptions to this rule are language courses, which meet three times per week. Classes are scheduled in such a way that overlap is minimal and maximal choices are offered to our students.
For reference, you can find last year's academic calendar here:
Calendar 2025-2026
Academic Calendar 2025-2026
| From | Until | |
| Move-In Days | 16 August 2025 | 17 August 2025 |
| LUC Introduction Week | 18 August 2025 | 22 August 2025 |
| Semester 1 | ||
| Block 1 | 25 August 2025 | 17 October 2025 |
| Reading Week | 13 October 2025 | 17 October 2025 |
| Autumn break | 20 October 2025 | 25 October 2025 |
| Block 2 | 27 October 2025 | 19 December 2025 |
| Reading Week | 15 December 2025 | 19 December 2025 |
| Winter break | 22 December 2025 | 1 February 2026 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Block 3 | 2 February 2026 | 27 March 2026 |
| Reading Week | 23 March 2026 | 27 March 2026 |
| Spring break | 30 March 2026 | 3 April 2026 |
| Block 4 | 6 April 2026 | 5 June 2026 |
| Reading Week | 1 June 2026 | 5 June 2026 |
| Summer break | 8 June 2026 |
Important dates
| 16-17 August 2025 | Move-In Days |
| 20-25 August 2025 | Introduction Week |
| 28 August 2025 | Classes Start at LUC |
| 1 September 2025 | Opening Academic Year Leiden University |
| 16 September 2025 | Prince's Day (State Opening of Parliament) |
| 27 September 2025 | Dies Natalis LUC The Hague |
| 3 October 2025 | Relief of Leiden |
| 20-25 October 2025 | Autumn Break |
| 26 November 2025 | Cleveringa Lecture |
| 22 December 2025 - 31 January 2026 | Winter Break |
| 2 February 2026 | Start of Second Semester |
| 9 February 2026 | Dies Natalis Leiden University |
| 30 March 2026 - 3 April 2026 | Spring Break |
|
3 April 2026 |
Good Friday - Academic Floors are closed |
| 6 April 2026 | Easter Monday - Academic Floors are closed |
| 27 April 2026 | King's Day - Academic Floors are closed |
| 4 May 2026 | Remembrance Day |
| 5 May 2026 | Liberation Day |
| 14-15 May 2026 | (Day after) Ascension Day - Academic Floors are closed |
| 24-25 May 2026 | Whitsun (Monday) - Academic Floors are closed |
| 8 June 2026 | Start summer break |