Academic year and teaching periods

The academic year is divided into two terms:

• Autumn term: 1 August – 31 December
• Spring term: 1 January – 31 July

Although the academic year officially starts in August and ends in July, teaching takes place primarily during the teaching periods in September–May.

The academic year has four teaching periods: two for each term. Between the teaching periods, there are exam and study weeks as well as three intensive periods. All degree programmes apart from programmes in Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine follow this schedule.

Some courses are completed entirely within a single period (including lectures, assignments, and assessments), while others may run across several teaching periods. For detailed schedules of the courses you’ve chosen, please see Sisu.

The intensive periods are used to offer orientation sessions, special courses, language courses, and preparatory courses.

Academic year 2025-2026

Academic year 2026–2027

Timetables for upcoming academic years have already been confirmed up until the academic year 2031–2032. You can sneak  a peek at future timetables on Flamma.

The University does not have official holidays, but there are several teaching breaks throughout the year. Plan your studies so that you can rest and recover from study life during these breaks.

Teaching breaks

There is a break of about four weeks around the turn of the year between the second and third teaching periods. During this time, you can take a Christmas break, for example. If you participate in teaching during the January intensive period, the break is about two weeks long.

There is also a break during the spring term at Easter. The seven-day break begins on the Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday) and ends the following Wednesday.

In addition, each teaching period is followed by a teaching-free exam and study week.

Summer term

The summer term officially begins in May after the examination and study week of the fourth period and continues until the start of the August intensive period. During the summer, many students work and take holidays, but it is also possible to study.

Summer studies are primarily organised by the Open University. Open University summer studies are free of charge for basic degree students who have registered as attending (excluded: raising grades for completed courses). For more information on summer studies and how to register for them, please visit the Open University website.

During the summer term, faculties or degree programmes may also organise:

• summer examinations
• assessments and placement tests
• special and intensive courses
• summer schools

Students working on theses or dissertations can receive supervision between September 1st and May 31st. Your home faculty or degree programme will give further instructions on the availability of supervision during the summertime.

The beginning of the academic year often raises questions for new students: do I need to move to Helsinki at the beginning of August, or is it enough to arrive later in the autumn? Here are a few thumb rules:

• Start looking for housing as soon as you receive your admission results.
• If at all possible, arrive in Helsinki in August when orientation begins.
• Courses start at the beginning of September.

The orientation schedule for your degree programme, and other essential instructions for new students are compiled under the theme For new degree students.

Some teachers have office hours during the study year, during which you can go meet the teacher without a prior appointment. 

You can find the office hours in the teachers’ personal profiles via Flamma’s person search. If the profile does not show any office hours and you would like to meet the teacher, please contact them in advance to set an appointment.

Teachers must be available to students weekly between 1 September and 31 May, excluding the turn of the year. This availability may be through personal meetings or contact by phone, post, or email.

If you are an exchange or visiting student at the University of Helsinki, the dates of your study right may not match the various dates presented on this page. The duration of your exchange depends on the studies and activities you participate in.

You can check the dates of your study right in the certificate you receive once you have been accepted for exchange at the University of Helsinki. The exchange duration always includes a mandatory orientation lasting 2–3 days.

During the academic year 2026–2027, teaching and orientation for exchange students is organized between the following dates:

• Autumn term: 25 August – 18 December 2026
• Spring term: 13 January – 31 May 2027