Academic calendar
The official academic year at Lund University is divided into two semesters (autumn and spring), each lasting 20 weeks.
Semester dates at Lund University
The academic year 2026/2027
- Spring semester 2026: Monday 19 January 2026 – Sunday 7 June 2026
- Autumn semester 2026: Monday 31 August 2026 – Sunday 17 January 2027
The exact duration of the semesters may vary slightly from faculty to faculty and also from year to year, depending on which weekday the official dates are that year. It is therefore advisable to check for exact dates directly with the department(s) concerned.
Programmes with different start dates for 2026/2027
Several programmes have a different start date than the regular start date for the first semester. These are listed below.
Please note that this list of programmes may change and that you should check with your programme coordinator or department in case you have any questions about the start date.
All international Master’s programmes at the School of Economics and Management start on the Wednesday or Friday prior to the regular autumn semester, for newly admitted students.
The following Master’s programmes start on the Wednesday prior to the regular autumn semester, for newly admitted students:
- Climate Change and Society
- Asian Studies
- Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
The following programmes start on the Thursday prior to the regular autumn semester, for newly admitted students:
- Bachelor's in Physics
- Master's in Psychology
- Master's in Physics
- Master's in Astrophysics
- Master's in Mathematics
- Master's in Mathematical Statistics
The following Master’s programmes start on the Friday prior to the regular autumn semester, for newly admitted students:
- European Affairs
- Welfare Policies and Management
- Global Studies
- Social Studies of Gender
- Development Studies
- Politics and Society of the Contemporary Middle East
- Social Scientific Data Analysis
Arrival Days for international students
Arrival Day for students starting their studies in autumn usually takes place in late August.
Arrival Day for students starting their studies in the spring semester usually takes place in early January.
Christmas and Easter holidays
There is no official break in the academic calendar for Christmas or Easter. However, in practice, there is usually a break in classes over the Christmas/New Year and Easter periods, including public holidays. The exact dates of these breaks are set by each department. Please check with your programme/department to confirm what applies to you.
Swedish Public Holidays
- New Year's Day (Nyårsdagen): 1 January
- Epiphany (Trettondedagen): 6 January
- Good Friday (Långfredagen): 3 April
- Easter Sunday (Påskdagen): 5 April
- Easter Monday (Annandag påsk): 6 April
- Walpurgis Night (Valborgsmässoafton): 30 April – note that this is an evening celebration and does not necessarily mean a full day off, please check with your department.
- Labour Day (Första maj): 1 May
- Ascension Day (Kristi himmelsfärds dag): 14 May
- Sweden's National Day (Nationaldagen): 6 June
- Whit Sunday (Pingstdagen): 8 June
- Midsommar Eve (Midsommarafton): 19 June
- Midsummer Day (Midsommardagen): 20 June
- All Saints' Day (Alla helgons dag): 6 November
- Christmas Eve (Julafton): 24 December
- Christmas Day (Juldagen): 25 December
- Boxing Day (Annandagen): 26 December
- New Year's Eve (Nyårsafton): 31 December