Universiteit Leiden

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Academic calendar

The academic year officially commences on 1 September and ends on 31 August. On national holidays and compulsory closure dates, the university is closed and no lectures take place.

Academic calendar

The academic calendar applies to the whole university with the exception of LUMC and LUC. 

Public holidays

The university is closed on the following public holidays. 

  • Good Friday
  • Easter Sunday and Monday
  • King's Day (the day upon which King's Day is celebrated nationally)
  • Liberation Day: 5 May
  • Ascension Day
  • Whit Sunday and Monday
  • 3  October (Relief of Leiden)
  • Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Compulsory closures

The university is also closed on the 'compulsory closure' dates listed below.

Year Days
2024 Friday 10 May
Friday 4 October
Friday 27 December
Monday 30 December
Tuesday 31 December
2025 Friday 30 May
Wednesday 24 December
Monday 29 December
Tuesday 30 December
Wednesday 31 December
2026

Friday 2 January
Friday 15 May
Thursday 24 December
Monday 28 December
Tuesday 29 December
Wednesday 30 December
Thursday 31 December

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. 

It is important to keep in mind that 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 of­fered 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.

Calendar 2024-2025

  From Until
Move-In Days 17 August 2024 18 August 2024
LUC Introduction Week 19 August 2024 23 August 2024
Semester 1    
Block 1 26 August 2024 18 October 2024
Reading Week 14 October 2024 18 October 2024
Autumn break 21 October 2024 25 October 2024
Block 2  28 October 2024 20 December 2024
Reading Week 16 December 2024 20 December 2024
Winter break 23 December 2024 31 January 2025
Semester 2    
Block 3 3 February 2025 28 March 2025
Reading Week 24 March 2025 29 March 2025
Spring break 31 March 2025 4 April 2025
Block 4 7 April 2025 3 June 2025
Reading Week 26 May 2025 3 June 2025
Summer break 4 June 2025  
17-18 August 2024 Move-In Days
19-23 August 2024 Introduction Week
26 August 2024 Classes Start at LUC
1 September 2024 Opening Academic Year Leiden University
16 September 2024 Prince's Day (State Opening of Parliament)
29 September 2024 Dies Natalis LUC The Hague
3-4 October 2024 (Day Before) Relief of Leiden
21-25 October 2024 Autumn Break
26 November 2024 Cleveringa Lecture (no classes between 15:00-18:00)
25 December 2024- 1 January 2025 Christmas Break - Academic Floors are closed
23 December 2024- 31 January 2025 Winter Break 
3 February 2025 Start of Second Semester
8 February 2025 Dies Natalis Leiden University (no classes between 13:00-17:00)

18 April 2025

Good Friday - Academic Floors are closed
21 April 2025 Easter Monday - Academic Floors are closed
31 March 2025 - 4 April 2025 Spring Break
27 April 2025 King's Day - Academic Floors are closed
4 May 2025 Remembrance Day
5 May 2025 Liberation Day
29-30 May 2025 Ascension Weekend - Academic Floors are closed
4 June 2025 Start summer break

 

Calendar 2023-2024

  From Until
Move-In Days 16 August 2023 17 August 2023
Orientation Day 18 August 2023  
LUC Introduction Week 21 August 2023 25 August 2023
Semester 1    
Block 1 28 August 2023 20 October 2023
Reading Week 16 October 2023 20 October 2023
Autumn break 23 October 2023 27 October 2023
Block 2  30 October 2023 22 December 2023
Reading Week 18 December 2023 22 December 2023
Winter break 25 December 2023 2 February 2024
Semester 2    
Block 3 5 February 2024 29 March 2024
Reading Week 25 March 2024 29 March 2024
Spring break 1 April 2024 5 April 2024
Block 4 8 April 2024 5 June 2024
Reading Week 30 May 2024 5 June 2024
Summer break 6 June 2024  
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