Academic calendar
The university reserves the right to change these dates.
Please note:
- The university reserves the right to change these dates. Before acting on any of the dates below, please ask for confirmation from the appropriate office.
January February March April May June July August September October November December
2026 academic year pattern
In overview, the 2026 academic year is as follows (days counted are working days):
January RAC | 7 days | 12 – 20 Jan | |
January Supp Exams | 5 days | 12 - 16 January | |
January FEC | 3 days | 26 - 29 Jan | |
February RAC for Supp and DE | 5 days | 29 Jan – 4 Feb | |
First year orientation | 10 days | 2-13 February | |
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Q1 | 30 days | 16 February – 27 March | |
Mid-semester break | 1 week | Autumn graduation season | |
Q2 | 30 days | 7 April – 20 May | |
Consolidation, exams & marking | 28 days | 5 consolidation days, 13 exams days, 8 marking days | |
Vacation | 6 weeks | Winter Term (20 teaching days) 5 days supp and deferred exams | |
Q3 | 29 days | 27 July – 4 September | |
Mid-semester break | 1 week | Spring graduation season | |
Q4 | 31 days | 14 September – 27 October | |
Consolidation, exams & marking | 28 days | 5 consolidation days, 13 exam days, 10 marking days | |
FEC processing | 7 days | Final results released on 18 December 2026 | |
Vacation | 5 weeks | Summer Term (19 teaching days) 5 days supp and deferred exams (Jan 2027) | |
1. Teaching
Each semester has 60 teaching days.
There is a mid-semester vacation of a week in each semester, with a 6 week vacation in mid-year.
Winter and Summer term of 20 teaching days each are included in the long vacations.
2. Examination, consolidation and marking
There are two main examination cycles (one at the end of each semester), and two supp/deferred exam cycles (one before the start of each subsequent semester). The semester 1 exam cycle contains 5 consolidation days, 13 writing days and 8 marking days, and the semester 2 cycle contains 5 consolidation days, 13 writing days and 10 marking days. A further 10 days are set aside for the supp and DE exam cycles. In total, 64 days of the academic year are set aside for examination in 2026.
3. Graduation
The 2026 academic year has two graduation seasons: one in autumn (for all who completed by December of the preceding year) and one in Spring (for all who completed by the July 2026 FEC and SLQ). The mid-semester vacation will be used in each case. The volume of qualifiers will determine the number of graduation days and sessions to be held in each day.
UCT Calendar of Events
Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Thursday | Public holiday | New Year's Day | New Year's Day |
2 | Friday | Remote online registration opens | ||
3 | Saturday | |||
4 | Sunday | |||
5 | Monday | RAC appeals deadline - Hum, FHS, EBE, Law, Sci | ||
6 | Tuesday | RAC appeals deadline - COM | ||
7 | Wednesday | |||
8 | Thursday | |||
9 | Friday | |||
10 | Saturday | |||
11 | Sunday | |||
12 | Monday | Supp Exams day 1 | RAC Meetings | |
13 | Tuesday | Supp Exams day 2 | Public release of NSC results RAC Meetings | |
14 | Wednesday | Supp Exams day 3 | RAC Meetings | |
15 | Thursday | Supp Exams day 4 | RAC Meetings | |
16 | Friday | Supp Exams day 5 | RAC Meetings | |
17 | Saturday | |||
18 | Sunday | |||
19 | Mon | Summer School starts | RAC Meetings | |
20 | Tuesday |
| RAC Meetings | |
21 | Wednesday |
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22 | Thursday |
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23 | Friday | Supp, DE and summer term results on system |
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24 | Saturday |
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25 | Sunday |
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26 | Monday |
| FEC Meetings | |
27 | Tuesday |
| FEC Meetings | |
28 | Wednesday |
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29 | Thursday |
| FEC Meetings || SUPP RAC Meetings |
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30 | Friday |
| SUPP RAC Meetings | |
31 | Saturday | Summer School ends | Residences open |
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Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Sunday | FYCR | ||
2 | Monday | Orientation & registration | SUPP RAC Meetings | |
3 | Tuesday | Orientation & registration | SUPP RAC Meetings | |
4 | Wednesday | Orientation & registration | SUPP RAC Meetings |
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5 | Thursday | Orientation & registration |
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6 | Friday | Orientation & registration | ||
7 | Saturday | |||
8 | Sunday | |||
9 | Monday | Orientation & registration |
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10 | Tuesday | Orientation & registration |
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11 | Wednesday | Orientation & registration |
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12 | Thursday | Orientation & registration |
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13 | Friday | Orientation & registration | ||
14 | Saturday | |||
15 | Sunday |
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16 | Monday | Teaching day 1 |
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17 | Tuesday | Teaching day 2 |
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18 | Wednesday | Teaching day 3 | Ramadan starts |
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19 | Thursday | Teaching day 4 |
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20 | Friday | Teaching day 5 |
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21 | Saturday | |||
22 | Sunday | |||
23 | Monday | Teaching day 6 |
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24 | Tuesday | Teaching day 7 |
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25 | Wednesday | Teaching day 8 |
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26 | Thursday | Teaching day 9 |
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27 | Friday | Teaching day 10 | Senate (14:00) |
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28 | Saturday | |||
Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Sunday | |||
2 | Monday | Teaching day 11 |
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3 | Tuesday | Teaching day 12 |
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4 | Wednesday | Teaching day 13 |
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5 | Thursday | Teaching day 14 |
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6 | Friday | Teaching day 15 |
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7 | Saturday | |||
8 | Sunday | |||
9 | Monday | Teaching day 16 |
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10 | Tuesday | Teaching day 17 |
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11 | Wednesday | Teaching day 18 |
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12 | Thursday | Teaching day 19 |
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13 | Friday | Teaching day 20 |
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14 | Saturday |
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15 | Sunday |
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16 | Monday | Teaching day 21 |
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17 | Tuesday | Teaching day 22 |
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18 | Wednesday | Teaching day 23 |
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19 | Thursday | Teaching day 24 |
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20 | Friday | Teaching day 25 | Eid ul Fitr | |
21 | Saturday | Public holiday | Human Rights Day | |
22 | Sun | |||
23 | Monday | Teaching day 26 |
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24 | Tuesday | Teaching day 27 |
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25 | Wednesday | Teaching day 28 |
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26 | Thursday | Teaching day 29 |
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27 | Friday | Teaching day 30 |
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28 | Saturday | Mid-semester break starts | Graduation | |
29 | Sunday | Mid-semester break | ||
30 | Monday | Mid-semester break | Graduation | |
31 | Tuesday | Mid-semester break | Graduation |
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Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Wednesday | Mid-semester break | Graduation | |
Passover (first day) | ||||
2 | Thursday | Mid-semester break | Graduation | |
3 | Friday | Public holiday | Good Friday | |
4 | Saturday | Mid-semester break | Holy Saturday | |
5 | Sunday | Mid-semester break ends | Easter Sunday | |
6 | Monday | Public holiday | Family Day | |
7 | Tuesday | Teaching day 31 |
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8 | Wednesday | Teaching day 32 |
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9 | Thursday | Teaching day 33 |
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10 | Friday | Teaching day 34 |
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11 | Saturday | |||
12 | Sunday | |||
13 | Monday | Teaching day 35 |
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14 | Tuesday | Teaching day 36 |
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15 | Wednesday | Teaching day 37 |
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16 | Thursday | Teaching day 38 |
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17 | Friday | Teaching day 39 |
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18 | Saturday | |||
19 | Sunday | |||
20 | Monday | Teaching day 40 | Meeting free week | |
21 | Tuesday | Teaching day 41 | Meeting free week | |
22 | Wednesday | Teaching day 42 | Meeting free week | |
23 | Thursday | Teaching day 43 | Meeting free week | |
24 | Friday | Teaching day 44 | Meeting free week | |
25 | Saturday | |||
26 | Sunday |
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27 | Monday | Public holiday | Freedom Day | |
28 | Tuesday | Teaching day 45 |
| RRR (10:00) |
29 | Wednesday | Teaching day 46 |
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30 | Thursday | Teaching day 47 |
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Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Friday | Public holiday | Workers' Day | |
2 | Saturday | |||
3 | Sunday | |||
4 | Monday | Teaching day 48 |
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5 | Tuesday | Teaching day 49 |
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6 | Wednesday | Teaching day 50 |
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7 | Thursday | Teaching day 51 |
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8 | Friday | Teaching day 52 |
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9 | Saturday | |||
10 | Sunday | |||
11 | Monday | Teaching day 53 |
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12 | Tuesday | Teaching day 54 |
(09:00) |
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13 | Wednesday | Teaching day 55 |
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14 | Thursday | Teaching day 56 |
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15 | Friday | Teaching day 57 |
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16 | Saturday | |||
17 | Sunday |
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18 | Monday | Teaching day 58 |
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19 | Tuesday | Teaching day 59 |
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20 | Wednesday | Teaching day 60 |
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21 | Thursday | Consolidation day 1 | Shavuot
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22 | Friday | Consolidation day 2 | Shavuot |
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23 | Saturday | Shavuot | ||
24 | Sunday | |||
25 | Monday | Consolidation day 3 |
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26 | Tuesday | Consolidation day 4 | Eid al-Adha |
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27 | Wednesday | Consolidation day 5 |
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28 | Thursday | Exams day 1 |
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29 | Friday | Exams day 2 | ||
30 | Saturday | |||
31 | Sunday |
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Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Monday | Exams day 3 |
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2 | Tuesday | Exams day 4 |
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3 | Wednesday | Exams day 5 |
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4 | Thursday | Exams day 6 | ||
5 | Friday | Exams day 7 |
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6 | Saturday | |||
7 | Sunday | |||
8 | Monday | Exams day 8 |
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9 | Tuesday | Exams day 9 |
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10 | Wednesday | Exams day 10 |
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11 | Thursday | Exams day 11 |
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12 | Friday | Exams day 12 |
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13 | Saturday |
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14 | Sunday | |||
15 | Monday | Exams day 13 | ||
16 | Tuesday | Public holiday | Youth Day | |
Vacation starts | ||||
17 | Wednesday | Marking day 1 |
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Winter term day 1 | ||||
18 | Thursday | Marking day 2 |
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Winter term day 2 | ||||
19 | Friday | Marking day 3 |
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Winter term day 3 | ||||
20 | Saturday | |||
21 | Sunday | |||
22 | Monday | Marking day 4 |
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Winter term day 4 | ||||
23 | Tuesday | Marking day 5 |
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Winter term day 5 | ||||
24 | Wednesday | Marking day 6 |
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Winter term day 6 | ||||
25 | Thursday | Marking day 7 |
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Winter term day 7 | ||||
26 | Friday | Marking day 8 |
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Winter term day 8 |
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Results on system | ||||
27 | Saturday | |||
28 | Sunday |
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29 | Monday | Winter term day 9 |
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30 | Tuesday | Winter term day 10 |
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Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Wednesday | Winter term day 11 |
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2 | Thursday | Winter term day 12 | FEC Meetings |
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3 | Friday | Winter term day 13 | FEC Meetings | |
4 | Saturday | |||
5 | Sunday | |||
6 | Monday | Winter term day 14 | FEC Meetings
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7 | Tuesday | Winter term day 15 | SLQ for Spring 2026 graduation | |
8 | Wednesday | Winter term day 16 |
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9 | Thursday | Winter term day 17 |
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10 | Friday | Winter term day 18 | ||
11 | Saturday | |||
12 | Sunday | |||
13 | Monday | Winter term day 19 |
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14 | Tuesday | Winter term day 20 |
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15 | Wednesday |
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16 | Thursday | Winter term exam day |
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17 | Friday |
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18 | Saturday | |||
19 | Sunday | |||
20 | Monday | Supps & DE (F courses) |
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21 | Tuesday | Supps & DE (F courses) |
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22 | Wed | Supps & DE (F courses) |
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23 | Thursday | Supps & DE (F courses) |
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24 | Friday | Supps & DE (F courses) |
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25 | Saturday | |||
26 | Sunday |
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27 | Monday | Teaching day 1 |
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28 | Tuesday | Teaching day 2 |
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29 | Wednesday | Teaching day 3 |
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30 | Thursday | Teaching day 4 |
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31 | Friday | Teaching day 5 |
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SUPP &DE Results on system | ||||
Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Saturday | |||
2 | Sunday | |||
3 | Monday | Teaching day 6 |
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4 | Tuesday | Teaching day 7 |
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5 | Wednesday | Teaching day 8 |
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6 | Thursday | Teaching day 9 |
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7 | Friday | Teaching day 10 |
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8 | Saturday | |||
9 | Sunday | National Women's Day | ||
10 | Monday | Public holiday | National Women's Day Observed | |
11 | Tuesday | Teaching day 11 |
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12 | Wednesday | Teaching day 12 |
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13 | Thursday | Teaching day 13 |
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14 | Friday | Teaching day 14 |
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15 | Saturday | |||
16 | Sunday |
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17 | Monday | Teaching day 15 |
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18 | Tuesday | Teaching day 16 |
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19 | Wednesday | Teaching day 17 |
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20 | Thursday | Teaching day 18 |
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21 | Friday | Teaching day 19 |
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22 | Saturday | |||
23 | Sunday | |||
24 | Monday | Teaching day 20 |
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25 | Tuesday | Teaching day 21 |
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26 | Wednesday | Teaching day 22 |
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27 | Thursday | Teaching day 23 |
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28 | Friday | Teaching day 24 |
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29 | Saturday | |||
30 | Sunday | |||
31 | Monday | Teaching day 25 |
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Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Tuesday | Teaching day 26 |
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2 | Wednesday | Teaching day 27 |
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3 | Thurs | Teaching day 28 |
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4 | Friday | Teaching day 29 |
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5 | Saturday | Mid-semester break starts | ||
6 | Sun | Mid-semester break | ||
7 | Monday | Mid-semester break | Graduation | |
8 | Tuesday | Mid-semester break | Graduation | |
9 | Wednesday | Mid-semester break | Graduation | |
10 | Thursday | Mid-semester break | Graduation |
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11 | Friday | Mid-semester break | Graduation |
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Rosh Hashanah |
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12 | Saturday | Mid-semester break | Rosh Hashanah | |
13 | Sunday | Mid-semester break ends | Rosh Hashanah |
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14 | Monday | Teaching day 30 |
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15 | Tuesday | Teaching day 31 |
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16 | Wednesday | Teaching day 32 |
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17 | Thursday | Teaching day 33 |
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18 | Friday | Teaching day 34 |
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19 | Saturday | |||
20 | Sunday | |||
21 | Monday | Teaching day 35 |
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22 | Tuesday | Teaching day 36 |
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23 | Wednesday | Teaching day 37 |
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24 | Thursday | Public holiday | Heritage Day | |
25 | Friday | Teaching day 38 |
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26 | Saturday | |||
27 | Sunday | |||
28 | Monday | Teaching day 39 |
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29 | Tuesday | Teaching day 40 |
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30 | Wedneday | Teaching day 41 |
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Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Thursday | Teaching day 42 |
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2 | Friday | Teaching day 43 |
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3 | Saturday | |||
4 | Sunday | |||
5 | Monday | Teaching day 44 |
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6 | Tuesday | Teaching day 45 |
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7 | Wednesday | Teaching day 46 |
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8 | Thursday | Teaching day 47 |
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9 | Friday | Teaching day 48 |
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10 | Saturday | |||
11 | Sunday | |||
12 | Monday | Teaching day 49 |
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13 | Tuesday | Teaching day 50 |
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14 | Wednesday | Teaching day 51 |
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15 | Thursday | Teaching day 52 |
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16 | Friday | Teaching day 53 |
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17 | Saturday |
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18 | Sunday | |||
19 | Monday | Teaching day 54 |
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20 | Tuesday | Teaching day 55 |
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21 | Wednesday | Teaching day 56 |
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22 | Thursday | Teaching day 57 | RAAG (12:00) | UBDC Workshop (08:00) | |
23 | Friday | Teaching day 58 | LLG Retreat | |
24 | Saturday | |||
25 | Sunday | ICTS Maintenance slot (09:00) | ||
26 | Monday | Teaching day 59 | ALSC (12:30) | AFC (15:00) | RAAG (09:00) |
27 | Tuesday | Teaching day 60 | DTA (14:00) | FHS Board (14:00) | RAAG (09:00) | RRR (10:00) |
28 | Wednesday | Consolidation day 1 | TET-SC (14:00) | SCI Board (14:00) | WOAC (14:00) | RAAG (09:00) |
29 | Thursday | Consolidation day 2 | URCEC (10:00) | RAAG (12:00) | UBDC Workshop (08:00) | STAFF WELLBEING FORUM (14:00) |
30 | Friday | Consolidation day 3 | EPC (14:00) | Budget Heads (09:00) | Deans Meeting (14:00) |
31 | Saturday | |||
Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Sunday | |||
2 | Monday | Consolidation day 4 | EAC (14:00) | PMC (11:00) | |
3 | Tuesday | Consolidation day 5 | URC PDRF (10h00) | FAAC (09:00) | UFPC (14:00) | UFB (09:00) | UGC (16h00) |
4 | Wednesday | Public holiday | Local Government Elections | |
5 | Thursday | Exam day 1 | UEC (14:00) | LPC (12:00) | TAGSC (14:00) | Council Exco (16:00) | UCTRF S37C (14:00) |
6 | Friday | Exam day 2 | AC Exco (10:00) | HDC (14:00) | UARC (09:00) |
7 | Saturday | |||
8 | Sunday | Diwali | ||
9 | Monday | Exam day 3 | SEC (14:00) | UCTRF A&R&FC (10:00) |
10 | Tuesday | Exam day 4 | CRR (14:00) | FIC (10:00) | OpsMAG (08h30) |
11 | Wednesday | Exam day 5 | DASSC (14:00) | SAEC (13:00) | EEF (14:00) |
12 | Thursday | Exam day 6 | URCEC (10:00) | UBDC (14:00) | SDC (10:30) | Baxter EXCO (11:00) |
13 | Friday | Exam day 7 | PDRF (10:00) | UFC(14:30) |
14 | Saturday | |||
15 | Sunday | |||
16 | Monday | Exam day 8 | VEC (10:00) | |
17 | Tuesday | Exam day 9 | EMU (11:00) | UICTC (14:00) | UHRC (16:00) |
18 | Wednesday | Exam day 10 | RDMGC (14:00) | IFHREC (14:00) | IF (13:30) |
19 | Thursday | Exam day 11 | PSFC (12:00 to 14:00) | UPRI (14:00) |
20 | Friday | Exam day 12 | UCT PRESS EXCO (09:00) | Senate (14:00) | |
21 | Saturday | |||
22 | Sunday | ICTS Maintenance slot (09:00) | ||
23 | Monday | Marking day 1 | UCCC (11:00) | |
Summer term day 1 | ||||
24 | Tuesday | Marking day 2 | URC (14:00) | FHS FEC (14:00) | ERMC (10:00) |
Summer term day 2 | ||||
25 | Wednesday | Marking day 3 | PC10 | APDC (12:00) | IBC (14:00) | PASS Forum (08:30) |
Summer term day 3 | ||||
26 | Thursday | Marking day 4 | PVC (12:00) | DDB (15:00) | EBE Board (14:00) | STLC (14:00) | PEC (13:00) | CRC (16:00) |
Summer term day 4 | ||||
27 | Friday | Marking day 5 | DEC (09:00) | Deans Meeting (09:30) | JIC (09:30) | IPAC (14:00) |
Summer term day 5 | ||||
28 | Saturday | |||
29 | Sunday | |||
30 | Monday | Marking day 6 | LWG (14:00) | |
Summer term day 6 | ||||
Academic Programme | Meetings of the Senate and Senate Committees | Meetings of Management Council and Council Committees | ||
1 | Tuesday | Marking day 7 | VEC (10:00) | Baxter Board (16:00) |
Summer term day 7 | ||||
2 | Wednesday | Marking day 8 | USFC (14:00) | |
Summer term day 8 | ||||
3 | Thursday | Marking day 9 | EPC (12:00) | AGM of Convocation (17:00) |
Summer term day 9 | ||||
4 | Friday | Summer term day 10 | AC Exco (14:00) | RMEC (09:00) |
Results on system at 12h00 | ||||
5 | Saturday | CRS available | ||
6 | Sunday | |||
7 | Monday | Summer term day 11 | FEC prelim | |
8 | Tuesday | Summer term day 12 | FEC prelim | OESC (10:00) | PEC (10:00) |
9 | Wednesday | Summer term day 13 | FEC prelim | UCT PRESS BOARD (09:00) | SSMAg (08h30) |
10 | Thursday | Summer term day 14 | FEC prelim | Law FEC (10:00) | UCTRF BOARD (13:00) |
11 | Friday | Summer term day 15 | FEC prelim | EBE FEC (13:00) | FHS FEC (10:00) | Deans Meeting (09:30) |
12 | Saturday | |||
13 | Sunday | ICTS Maintenance slot (09:00) | ||
14 | Monday | Summer term day 16 | EBE FEC (10:00) | PMC (11:00) | |
15 | Tuesday | Summer term day 17 | COM FEC (10:00) | SCI FEC (12:00) | HUM FEC (12:00) | Final FEC meeting |
16 | Wednesday | Public holiday | Day of Reconciliation | |
17 | Thursday | Summer term day 18 | SLQ for Autumn 2026 graduation | |
18 | Friday | Summer term day 19 | SEC to approve Autumn qualifiers and release of results to students | |
19 | Saturday | |||
20 | Sunday | |||
21 | Monday | Summer Term exam day Vacation | ||
22 | Tuesday | Vacation | ||
23 | Wednesday | Vacation | ||
24 | Thursday | Vacation | ||
25 | Friday | Public holiday | Christmas Day | |
26 | Saturday | Public holiday | Day of Goodwill | |
27 | Sunday | Vacation | ||
28 | Monday | Vacation | ||
29 | Tuesday | Vacation | ||
30 | Wednesday | Vacation | ||
31 | Thursday | Vacation | ||