Sessional Dates 2026
Howard, Pietermaritzburg and Westville
Howard, Pietermaritzburg and Westville
FIRST SEMESTER : Monday, 09 February – Thursday, 25 June
EASTER VACATION : Saturday, 28 March – Monday, 06 April (inclusive)
WINTER VACATION : Friday, 26 June – Sunday, 19 July (inclusive)
SECOND SEMESTER : Monday, 20 July – Tuesday, 01 December
MID-TERM BREAK : Saturday, 19 September – Sunday, 27 September (inclusive)
| Thur, 01 – Fri, 02 Jan | Thur, 01 Jan | New Year’s Day (Public holiday) | |
| Thur, 02 Jan | University Holiday | ||
| Mon, 05 – Fri, 09 Jan | Mon, 05 Jan | University opens | |
| Tue, 06 Jan | Remote online registration opens for returning students. Schools to communicate dates for individual programmes on a per programme basis, including FTEN students. | ||
| Fri, 09 Jan | |||
| Deadline for applications for remarks of those modules with formal sit-down examinations in Semester 2, 2025. | |||
| Deadline for submission of undergraduate readmission applications for potential readmission into Semester 1, 2026 | |||
| Sun, 11 – Fri, 16 Jan | Sun, 11 Jan | Release of NSC results by the DBE (provisional date) | |
| Wed, 14 Jan | Deadline for the submission of exclusion appeals from Undergraduate, Honours and PG Dip students | ||
| Deadline for submission of re-registration appeals to School Higher Degree offices for Masters and Doctoral students | |||
| Fri, 16 Jan | |||
| Deadline for applications to be submitted for Senate Concessionary Special Examinations (SCSEs) as per GR 23 (b) | |||
| Mon, 19 – Fri, 23 Jan | Fri, 23 Jan | School Higher Degree Committees to consider re-registration appeals from Masters and Doctoral students, for recommendation to CAAB | |
| Mon, 26 Jan – Sat, 31 Jan | Mon, 26 Jan | CAECOM meetings | |
| Residences open for registered (both academic and residence registered) students | |||
| Fri, 30 Jan | Residences open for registered (both academic and residence registered) students | ||
| Mon, 02 – Sat, 07 Feb | Mon, 02 – Sat, 07 Feb | Dedicated remote online registration week and orientation for First Time Entering Undergraduate (FTEN) students | |
| Tue, 03 Feb – Wed, 04 Feb | AEACOM meeting (Wednesday, 4 February to be used only if needed) | ||
| Thu, 05 Feb | For higher degrees students: Deadline for submission of bound/final examination copies with respect to any intention to submit received in Semester 2, 2025 without having to register for Semester 1, 2026 | ||
| Fri, 06 Feb | For higher degrees students: Final date for submission of bound/final examination copies with respect to any intention to submit received in Semester 2, 2024 without having to register for Semester 1, 2025 | ||
| Fri, 07 Feb | Deadline for payment of minimum fee required for registration | ||
| SEMESTER 1: | |||
| 1 | Mon, 09 – Fri, 13 Feb | Mon, 09 Feb | First semester and lectures commence |
| Fri, 13 Feb | |||
| Deadline for submission of curriculum change requests | |||
| Deadline for submission of requests for extended DPs for those modules that had DPs in 2025 | |||
| Deadline for first semester academic registration | |||
| 2 | Mon, 16 – Fri, 20 Feb | ||
| 3 | Mon, 23 – Fri, 27 Feb | ||
| 4 | Mon, 02 – Fri, 06 Mar | ||
| 5 | Mon, 09 – Fri, 13 Mar | Fri, 13 Mar | Final date for capturing graduation decisions onto ITS (Bachelors, Honours, Diplomas and Certificates) |
| 6 | Mon, 16 – Fri, 20 Mar | Thur, 19 Mar | Eid ul Fitr (provisional date) (condoned day of absence) |
| 7 | Mon, 23 – Fri, 27 Mar | Fri, 27 Mar | Lectures end |
| Deadline for withdrawal from a module and for withdrawal from the University (Semester 1) | |||
| Sat, 28 Mar – Mon, 6 Apr | EASTER VACATION: STUDENT MID-TERM BREAK | ||
| Mon, 30 Mar – Fri, 03 Apr | Fri, 03 Apr | Good Friday (Public Holiday) | |
| 8 | Mon, 06 – Fri, 10 Apr | Mon, 06 Apr | Family day (Public holiday) |
| Tue, 07 Apr | Lectures resume | ||
| Final date for capturing graduation decisions onto ITS (Masters and Doctoral Students) | |||
| Final timetable for main and supplementary examinations released | |||
| Tuesday, 7 April follows a Friday timetable (compensatory timetable day) | |||
| 9 | Mon, 13 – Fri, 17 Apr | Wed, 15 Apr | Wednesday, 15 April follows a Monday timetable (compensatory timetable day) |
| 10 | Mon, 20 – Fri, 24 Apr | ||
| 11 | Mon, 27 Apr – Fri, 1 May | Mon, 27 Apr | Freedom Day (Public Holiday) |
| Fri, 01 May | Workers’ Day (Public Holiday) | ||
| 12 | Mon, 04 – Sat, 09 May | Mon, 04 – Sat, 09 May | Graduation ceremonies (Westville) |
| 13 | Mon, 11 – Sat, 16 May | Mon, 11 – Sat, 16 May | Graduation ceremonies (Westville) |
| Fri, 15 May | DP refusals to be published for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | ||
| 14 | Mon, 18 – Fri, 22 May | Tue, 19 May | Lectures end for those modules with formal sit-down examinations. Lectures continue for those modules taught online and/or with continuous assessment |
| Wed, 20 May @ 16h30 | Deadline for submission of DP refusal appeals to School offices for those modules with formal sit-down examinations. | ||
| Mon, 25 – Sat, 30 May | Mon, 25 May | First semester main examinations commence (including Saturdays) for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | |
| Wed, 27 May | Eid al-Adha (provisional date). (No examinations) | ||
| Mon, 01 – Sat, 06 Jun | Mon, 01 – Sat, 06 Jun | First semester main examinations continue | |
| Mon, 08 – Sat, 13 Jun | Wed, 10 Jun | First semester main examinations end for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | |
| Thu, 11 – Wed, 17 Jun | Break between examinations for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | ||
| Mon, 15 – Sat, 20 Jun | Tue, 16 Jun | Youth day (Public holiday) | |
| Thu, 18 Jun | First semester supplementary examinations commence (including Saturday) for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | ||
| Fri, 19 Jun | Semester 1 lectures end for all modules taught online including all continuous assessment opportunities | ||
| Mon, 22 – Fri, 26 Jun | Thu, 25 Jun | First semester supplementary examinations end | |
| First semester ends for all students | |||
| Fri, 26 Jun | Deadline for submission of readmission applications for potential readmission into Semester 2, 2026 | ||
| All residences to be vacated by 16h00 on 26 June 2026 | |||
Semester 1: Teaching days for modules with formal sit-down examinations
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| Fri, 26 Jun – Sun, 19 Jul | MID-YEAR BREAK (Winter Vacation) | ||
| SEMESTER 2: | |||
| Mon, 29 Jun – Fri, 03 Jul | Wed, 01 Jul | Supplementary exam marks for formal sit-down examinations and all continuous assessment marks from Semester 1, 2026 to be captured on SMS by 12h00 | |
| Mon, 06 – Fri, 10 Jul | Wed, 08 Jul | School Examination Boards | |
| Thur, 09 Jul | Release of results at 00h01 | ||
| Mon, 13 – Fri, 17 Jul | Mon, 13 Jul | Second semester registration commences | |
| Thu, 16 Jul | For higher degrees students: Final date for submission of bound examination copies with respect to any intention to submit received in Semester 1, 2026, without having to register for Semester 2, 2026 | ||
| Deadline for submission of exclusion appeals | |||
| Fri, 17 Jul | Deadline for submission of applications for re-marks for those modules with formal sit-down examinations in Semester 1, 2026 | ||
| Residences open for registered students | |||
| 1 | Mon, 20 – Fri, 24 Jul | Mon, 20 Jul | Second semester and lectures commence |
| CAECOM meetings | |||
| Fri, 24 Jul | AEACOM meeting | ||
| 2 | Mon, 27 Jul – Fri, 31 Jul | Fri, 31 Jul | Deadline for submission of curriculum change requests |
| Deadline for submission of requests for extended DPs for those modules that had DPs in Semester 2, 2025 | |||
| Deadline for minimum fee payment required for registration | |||
| Final date for second semester academic registration | |||
| 3 | Mon, 03 – Fri, 07 Aug | ||
| 4 | Mon, 10 – Fri, 14 Aug | Mon, 10 Aug | Public holiday in lieu of Sunday, 9 August: National Women’s Day |
| Fri, 14 Aug | Final date for capturing graduation decisions onto ITS (Bachelors, Honours, Diplomas and Certificates) | ||
| 5 | Mon, 17 – Fri, 21 Aug | Tue, 18 Aug | Tuesday, 18 August follows a Monday timetable (compensatory day) |
| 6 | Mon, 24 – Fri, 28 Aug | Fri, 28 Aug | Final date for capturing graduation decisions onto ITS (Masters and Doctoral Students) |
| 7 | Mon, 31 Aug – Fri, 04 Sep | Fri, 04 Sep | Deadline for withdrawal from a module and for withdrawal from the University (Semester 2) |
| 8 | Mon, 07 – Fri, 11 Sep | Fri, 11 Sep | Final timetable for main and supplementary examinations released |
| 9 | Mon, 14 – Fri, 18 Sep | Mon, 14 – Fri, 18 Sep | Spring graduation ceremonies (Westville) |
| Fri, 18 Sep | Lectures end | ||
| Sat, 19 – Sun, 27 Sep | STUDENT MID-TERM BREAK | ||
| Mon, 21 – Fri, 25 Sep | Thu, 24 Sep | Heritage Day (Public holiday) | |
| 10 | Mon, 28 Sep – Fri, 02 Oct | Mon, 28 Sep | Lectures resume |
| 11 | Mon, 05 – Fri, 09 Oct | ||
| 12 | Mon, 12 – Fri, 16 Oct | ||
| 13 | Mon, 19 – Fri, 23 Oct | ||
| 14 | Mon, 26 – Fri, 30 Oct | Mon, 26 Oct | DP refusals to be published for those modules with formal sit-down examinations |
| Tue, 27 Oct | Lectures end for those modules with formal sit-down examinations. Lectures continue for modules taught online and assessed by continuous assessment | ||
| Thu, 29 Oct | Final date for submission of DP appeals to School offices for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | ||
| Mon, 02 – Sat, 07 Nov | Mon, 02 Nov | Second semester main examinations commence (including Saturdays) for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | |
| Mon, 09 – Sat, 14 Nov | Mon, 09 – Sat, 14 Nov | Second semester main examinations continue | |
| Mon, 16 – Fri, 20 Nov | Tue, 17 Nov | Main Examinations end for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | |
| Wed, 18 – Mon, 23 Nov | Break between examinations for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | ||
| Mon, 23 – Sat, 28 Nov | Tue, 24 Nov | Second semester supplementary examinations commence for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | |
| Fri, 27 Nov | Deadline for submission of theses/dissertations to the School/College higher degrees offices for possible May 2027 graduation | ||
| Semester 2 lectures end for all modules taught online including all continuous assessment opportunities | |||
| Mon, 30 Nov – Fri, 04 Dec | Tue, 01 Dec | Second semester supplementary examinations end for those modules with formal sit-down examinations | |
| Second semester ends for all students | |||
| Wed, 02 Dec | All residences to be vacated by 16h00 on Wednesday, 2 December 2026. | ||
Semester 2: For modules with formal sit-down examinations
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| YEAR-END BREAK: | |||
| Mon, 07 – Fri, 11 Dec | Wed, 9 Dec | Supplementary exam marks for formal sit-down examinations and all continuous assessment marks from Semester 2, 2026 to be to be captured on SMS by 12h00 | |
| Mon, 14 – Sat, 19 Dec | Wed, 16 Dec | Day of Reconciliation (Public holiday) | |
| Fri, 18 Dec | School Examination Boards | ||
| Sat, 19 Dec | Release of results at 00h01 | ||
| Mon, 21 – Thu, 24 Dec | Thu, 24 Dec | University Offices close at 12h00 | |
- 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.
- Sessional Dates for both the School of Medicine and the School of Education will be published separately.
- PGDip(Acc) : Dates will vary from the above and be published separately by the School concerned.
- All Bachelor of Nursing students are required to attend clinical training and community work during vacations in the year from the 01 January 2026 until 31 December 2026.
- 5 days ago