Term Dates | University of Chester

2025/26 Academic Year

Undergraduate Courses

Welcome Week (Freshers' Week) is from Monday 6^th October 2025 until Friday 10^th October 2025. New students are expected to attend this week as it is an important opportunity to adjust to University life.

New & Returning students:

*Term	From	To
Autumn	13^th October 2025	19th December 2025
Winter	12^th January 2026	20^th March 2026
Spring	13^th April 2026	15^th June 2026

Please note that a small number of courses, including those that are professionally regulated, will have slightly different term dates. You will be advised by your Faculty if this applies to your programme.

Undergraduate Student Vacation Weeks:

22^nd December 2025 – 9^th January 2026
23^rd March 2026– 10th April 2026
22^nd June 2026 – 25^th September 2026

Please note that you will need to refer to your individual programme timetable for details on specific start dates and induction sessions and if you are studying part time.

Postgraduate Taught Courses

As a postgraduate student, you will study over a calendar year, rather than an academic year. The standard dates for Postgraduate Taught full-time students are as follows:

*Term	From	To
Autumn	13^th October 2025	13^th October 2026
Winter	26^th January 2026	26^th January 2027 (end date to be confirmed)
Spring	4^th May 2026	4^th May 2027 (end date to be confirmed)

The vacation dates below apply to all intakes, including students who start their programme in Autumn, Winter or Spring Term.

Postgraduate Student Vacation Weeks:

22^nd December 2025 – 9^th January 2026
30^th March 2026– 10th April 2026
20^th July 2026 – 24^th July 2026

Please note that you will need to refer to your individual programme timetable for details on specific start dates and induction sessions and if you are studying part time.

International Students' Vacation Dates

In order to assist both international students who have Student visas, and their potential employers, the University has published the following vacation dates for the current academic year.

These dates apply to all intakes, including students who start their programme in September, October, January or May.

These are the official vacation dates during which international students can work full-time.

Postgraduate Courses

For students on full-time courses leading to the award of Master's Degrees (MA, MSc, MBA, LLM and MTh) or full-time Research Degrees (MPhil, PhD and Professional Doctorates) study takes place over a calendar, rather than the academic year.

Standard vacation dates for PG courses are:

First Day of Vacation	Last Day of Vacation
Saturday,16 August 2025	Sunday, 31 August 2025
Saturday, 20 December 2025	Sunday, 11 January 2026
Saturday, 28 March 2026	Sunday, 12 April 2026
Saturday, 18 July 2026	Sunday, 26 July 2026

Undergraduate Courses

For students on full-time courses leading to an award from the Centre for Foundation Studies or the award of a Bachelor's Degree (BA, BSc, BA (QTS), BN, LLB and Integrated Masters MEng or MN.).

First Day of Vacation	Last Day of Vacation
Saturday, 14 June 2025	Sunday, 5 October 2025 - New students Sunday, 12 October 2025 - Returning students
Saturday, 20 December 2025	Sunday, 11 January 2026
Saturday, 21 March 2026	Sunday, 12 April 2026
Saturday, 27 June 2026	Sunday 20th September 2026 – New Students Sunday 27^th September 2026 – Returning Students

All dates are inclusive.

Guidance Notes

Under the UKVI rules students studying in the United Kingdom on a student visa, are restricted to specified working hours per week during the term-time as detailed in the individual student’s visa contained either on their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or their digital visa. The restrictions are usually 20 hours per week, being the seven-day period from Monday to Sunday, for Master's Degrees, Research Degrees and Bachelor's Degree .

However, during vacation periods, as detailed above, Student visa holders may be employed on a full-time basis. There are still some restrictions on the type of work that can be done at these times. Those on a Student visa who are seeking employment can never:

be employed as a doctor in training;
be employed as a professional sportsperson (including a sports coach);
be employed as an entertainer;
be self-employed;
engage in business activity; or
fill a full-time, permanent vacancy

International students entering the UK with a Standard Visitor Visa may not take any paid or unpaid employment.

Potential employers are strongly advised to check both the restrictions detailed in an individual student’s visa and seek guidance from the UKVI directly or via the UKVI website regarding a migrant student’s legal right to work. Employers are also advised to undertake a Right to Work check or use the Employer Checking Service available through UKVI. Our document Employing International Students from the University of Chester highlights some useful information for those employing student visa holders from the University of Chester.

Both employers and students are reminded that for the purposes of employment or working the UKVI define a 'week' as the seven-day period commencing on a Monday and ending on the following Sunday. Training also counts towards the total hours per week.

Vacation Dates 2025-26 (PDF file)