Academic Calendar
What?
The academic calendar gives an overview of the start and end date of the academic year, educational and catch-up activities, exam periods, recess periods, and official holidays.
The key dates for the next academic year are approved yearly by the Board of Governors upon advice of the Campus Council.
Academic Year
2 semesters
The academic year at GUGC starts late August and ends in August the next calendar year.
It is divided in two semesters: the fall semester (semester 1) and the spring semester (semester 2). The majority of courses start and end within one semester, however a limited set of courses runs throughout the entire academic year (year-long courses).
For Bachelor 4 students the fall semester is spent at home campus in Belgium, and runs from the last week of September until the end of January (incl. examination period). During the fall semester, the academic calendar of Ghent University is followed.
Examinations
Every semester is followed by an exam period, including a resit exam period (in which failed courses can be retaken).
The exam periods in GUGC are organised in:
- December: 1st sit of the 1st semester
- February: resit of the 1st semester
- June: 1st sit of the 2nd semester
- August: resit of the 2nd semester
Exceptions:
- Year-long courses are always examined at the end of the academic year, after the second semester.
- In the second (spring) semester of Bachelor 3 and 4, courses and exams are organised in a block-system. The semester consists of 3 periods of 4 class-weeks followed by 1 exam week.
- In Bachelor 4, the exam period for the first semester follows the academic calendar at UGent. 1st sit is held in January, resit is held in August.