Belgium 2017/18 - academic year

Beginning of the academic year

Belgium - Flemish Community

At the earliest 1 September and at the latest 1 October. Occurs generally between mid- September and 1 October.

Belgium - French Community

The legal act of 7 November 2013 fixes annually the beginning and end of each four-month term.
The academic year is a one-year period beginning on 14 September 2017.
In practice, teaching activities begin around 14 September in most institutions. In order to encourage student and staff mobility within the French Community, the government may lay down further conditions when determining this academic calendar.
(Relative) institutional autonomy

Belgium - German-speaking Community

4 September 2017 The relevant legislation states that the government fixes the date of the beginning of the academic year between 1 September and 15 September.

Teaching activity and holidays of the academic year

Belgium - Flemish Community

(1^stsemester)

From the beginning of the academic year until the end of the week before the Christmas holidays

Academic year 2017/18: until Sunday 24 December 2017 There is an autumn holiday of one week for the students of some institutions of higher education only.

Academic year 2017/18: from Monday 30 October until Sunday 5 November 2017

Two weeks around Christmas and New Year.
 Academic year 2017/18: from Monday 25 December 2017 until Sunday 7 January 2018

(2^ndsemester)

From the beginning of February until the end of the
3rd or 4th week of May.
 
Academic year 2017/18: 
from Monday 12 February 2018 until 
Sunday 27 May 2018

There is an Easter holiday break of two weeks.
Academic year 2017/18: 
from Monday 2 April 2018 until 
Sunday 15 April 2018 (Easter Monday)

Belgium - French Community

The  first  term  starts  on  14 September  2017;  the second  on  1 February 2018;  the  third  on 1 July 2018.  The  two  first  terms  include  at  least  12 weeks  of teaching activity.

For purposes of curricular organisation, each of the three  four-month  terms  includes  assessment  and holiday periods.

Institutional autonomy

Belgium - German-speaking Community

(1^stsemester)

Teaching activity: 4 September – 28 October 2017

Autumn holiday: 31 October – 3 November 2017

Teaching activity: 6 November – 22 December 2017

Christmas holiday: 25 December 2017 – 5 January 2018

(2^ndsemester)

Teaching activity: 15 January – 9 February 2018

Carnival holiday: 12-16 February 2018

Teaching activity: 19 February – 30 March 2018

Easter holiday: 2-13 April 2018

Teaching activity: 16 April – 25 May 2018

Examinations of the academic year

Belgium - Flemish Community

(1^stsemester)

3-4 weeks in January

Examinations academic year 2017/18: from Monday 8 January 2018 until Sunday 4 February 2018

Followed by one week without class between the first and the second semester

Class-free week academic year 2017/18: from Monday 5 February 2018 until Sunday 11 February 2018

Last week of May until the end of the last week of June or the 1st week of Jul

Academic year 2017/18:  from Monday 28 May 2018 until Sunday 1 or Sunday 8 July 2018 (depending on institution of  higher education)

From mid-August until the end of the third week of September

Academic year 2017/18: from Monday 20 August 2018 until Sunday 16 September 2018

Belgium - French Community

Curricular activities leading to an academic qualification in the first or second cycle are spread over the first two four-month terms in the academic year (with the exception of certain forms of assessment or professional integration activity). Each of these first two terms involves at least 12 weeks of activity and may not exceed four months. A period of assessment occurs at the end of each term.

The third term includes assessment periods (as well as professional integration or personal project activity).

Institutional autonomy

Belgium - German-speaking Community

8-12 January 2018
4-22 June 2018

End of the academic year

Belgium - Flemish Community

The day before the start of the new academic year. For most students the academic year ends de facto after the last examination.

Belgium - French Community

13 September of the next year

Belgium - German-speaking Community

The relevant legislation states that the government fixes the end of the academic year on the first Friday in July at the latest.