Academic Calendar - 2026 - Nelson Mandela University

Academic Calendar - 2026

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESSMENT PERIODS

Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Sunday, 04 January 2026	4 days
University Opens to the public:	Monday, 12 January 2026
Work Integrated Learning period for Faculty of Health Siences	Wednesday, 14 January 2026	to	Tuesday, 15 December 2026
Year-End Re-assessment Period	Thursday, 15 January 2026	to	Friday, 23 January 2026	7 days
Publication of provisional Year-end Re-assessment period results	Friday, 30 January 2026
First Year Welcoming Ceremony	Saturday, 31 January 2026
First Year Student Success Programme	Monday, 26 January 2026	to	Friday, 06 February 2026	10 days

Teaching Cycle 1	Monday, 09 February 2026	to	Wednesday, 25 March 2026	33 days
First teaching cycle recess	Thursday, 26 March 2026	to	Monday, 06 April 2026	12 days

Teaching Cycle 2	Tuesday, 07 April 2026	to	Friday, 22 May 2026	32 days
Study Period	Monday, 25 May 2026	to	Monday, 25 May 2026	1 day
Mid-Year Assessment Period	Tuesday, 26 May 2026	to	Friday, 19 June 2026	17 days
Second teaching cycle recess:	Saturday, 20 June 2026	to	Sunday, 05 July 2026	16 days
Mid-Year Re-assessment Period	Monday, 06 July 2026	to	Friday, 10 July 2026	5 days

Teaching Cycle 3	Monday, 13 July 2026	to	Wednesday, 26 August 2026	32 days
Third teaching cycle recess	Thursday, 27 August 2026	to	Wednesday, 02 September 2026	7 days

Teaching Cycle 4	Thursday, 03 September 2026	to	Wednesday, 21 October 2026	33 days
Year-End Assessment Period	Thursday, 22 October 2026	to	Friday, 13 November 2026	17 days
Recess	Saturday, 14 November 2026	to	Sunday, 29 November 2026	16 days
Year-End Re-assessment Period	Monday, 30 November 2026	to	Tuesday, 08 December 2026	7 days
Year end Recess	Wednesday, 09 December 2026	to	Thursday, 31 December 2026	24 days
University Closes	Tuesday, 22 December 2026

MEDICAL SCHOOL TEACHING CYCLES AND ASSESSMENT AND RECESS PERIODS

MBChB I
Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Monday, 05 January 2026	5 days
New Years Day:	Thursday, 01 January 2026			1 day
University opens to the public	Monday, 12 January 2026			1 day

MBChB 1 Orientation	Wednesday, 04 February 2026	to	Friday, 06 February 2026	3 days

Term 1	Monday, 09 February 2026	to	Friday, 10 April 2026	43 days
Term 1 Recess	Saturday, 11 April 2026	to	Sunday, 27 April 2026	16 days

Term 2	Tuesday, 28 April 2026	to	Friday, 12 June 2026	35 days
Term 2 Recess:	Saturday, 13 June 2026	to	Sunday, 12 July 2026	30 days

Term 3	Monday, 13 July 2026	to	Friday, 04 September 2026	40 days
Term 3 Recess	Saturday, 05 September 2026	to	Sunday, 13 September 2026	9 days

Term 4	Monday, 14 September 2026	to	Friday, 06 November 2026	40 days
Study Period	Saturday, 07 November 2026	to	Sunday, 15 November 2026	9 days
Year-End Assessment Period	Monday, 16 November 2026	to	Friday, 20 November 2026	5 days
Re-assessment Study Period	Saturday, 23 November 2026	to	Sunday, 27 November 2026	5 days

Year-End Re-assessment Period	Sunday, 30 November 2026	to	Friday, 04 December 2026	5 days
Term 4 Recess	Saturday, 05 December 2026	to	Wednesday, 31 Dec 2026	25 days
University Closes	Tuesday, 22 December 2026

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESSMENT PERIODS
MBChB II & III
Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Sunday, 04 January 2026	4 days
University Opens to the public	Monday, 12 January 2026

Teaching Cycle 1	Monday, 02 February 2026	to	Friday, 10 April 2026	48 days
First teaching cycle student recess	Saturday, 11 April 2026	to	Monday, 27 April 2026	17 days

Teaching Cycle 2	Tuesday, 28 April 2026	to	Friday, 19 June 2026	35 days
Second teaching cycle student recess:	Saturday, 20 June 2026	to	Monday, 12 July 2026	30 days

Teaching Cycle 3	Monday, 13 July 2026	to	Friday, 04 September 2026	39 days
Third teaching cycle student recess	Friday, 05 September 2026	to	Sunday, 13 September 2026	9 days

Teaching Cycle 4	Monday, 14 September 2026	to	Wednesday, 11 November 2026	42 days
Study Period	Sunday, 12 November 2026	to	Tuesday, 17 November 2026	6 days
Year-End Assessment Period	Wednesday, 18 November 2026	to	Friday, 27 November 2026	8 days
Re-assessment Study Period	Saturday, 30 November 2026	to	Sunday, 6 December 2026	5 days
Year-End Re-assessment Period	Monday, 07 December 2026	to	Friday, 11 December 2026	5 days
Fourth teaching cycle recess	Saturday, 12 December 2026	to	Thursday, 31 December 2026	12 days
University Close	Tuesday, 22 December 2026

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESMENT PERIODS: FOURTH YEAR
MBChB IV
Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Sunday, 04 January 2026	2 days
New Years Day:	Thursday, 01 January 2026			1 day
University opens to the public	Monday, 12 January 2026			1 day
Teaching Cycle 1 & 2	Monday, 12 January 2026	to	Friday, 29 May 2026	94 days
Study Period	Saturday, 30 May 2026	to	Thursday, 04 June 2026	6 days
Assessment Period	Friday, 05 June 2026	to	Friday, 12 June 2026	6 days
Second teaching cycle student recess:	Saturday, 13 June 2026	to	Sunday, 05 July 2026	23 days

Teaching Cycle 3 & 4	Monday, 06 July 2026	to	Friday, 06 November 2026	87 days
Study Period	Saturday, 07 November 2026	to	Wednesday, 11 November 2026	7 days
Assessment Period	Thursday, 12 November 2026	to	Friday, 20 November 2026	7 days
Clinical remediation	Monday, 23 November 2026	to	Friday, 27 November 2026	5 days
Re-assessment/Clinical remediation	Monday, 30 November 2026	to	Friday, 04 December 2026	5 days
Clinical remediation	Monday, 07 December 2026	to	Friday, 11 December 2026	5 days
Fourth teaching cycle recess	Saturday, 12 December 2026	to	Thursday, 31 December 2026	20 days
University Closes:	Tuesday, 22 December 2026

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESMENT PERIODS: FIFTH YEAR
MBChB V
Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Sunday, 04 January 2026	4 days
University Opens to the public:	Monday, 12 January 2026

Teaching Cycle 1 & 2	Monday, 12 January 2026	to	Wednesday, 27 May 2026	94 days
Study Period	Thursday, 28 May 2026	to	Tuesday, 02 June 2026	6 days
Assessment Period	Wednesday, 03 June 2026	to	Friday, 12 June 2026	8 days
Second Teaching cycle recess	Saturday, 13 June 2026	to	Sunday, 05 July 2026	22 days

Taching Cycle 3 & 4	Monday, 06 July 2026	to	Wednesday, 11 November 2026	91 days
Study Period	Thursday, 12 November 2026	to	Tuesday, 17 November 2026	6 days
Assessment Period	Wednesday, 03 June 2026	to	Friday, 12 June 2026	8 days
Clinical/Reassessment Period	Monday, 30 November 2026	to	Friday, 11 December 2026	4 days
Fourth teaching cycle recess	Saturday, 12 December 2026	to	Thursday, 31 December 2026	20 days
University Close	Tuesday, 22 December 2026

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESMENT PERIODS
MBChB 6 Group A
Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Sunday, 04 January 2026	4 days

Teaching Cycle 1 & 2 (Semester 1)	Monday, 12 January 2026	to	Friday, 29 May 2026	96 days
Semester 1 Recess	Monday, 01 June 2026	to	Sunday, 14 June 2026	10 days
Teaching Cycle 3 & 4 (Semester 2)	Wednesday, 17 June 2026	to	Friday, 13 November 2026	105 days
Clinical Remediation and Reassessment	Monday, 16 November 2026	to	Friday, 27 November 2026	10 days
Semester 2 Recess	Saturday, 28 November 2026	to	Thursday, 31 December 2026	24 days
University Closes	Tuesday, 22 December 2026

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESMENT PERIODS
MBChB 6 Group B
Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Sunday, 04 January 2026	4 days

Teaching Cycle 1 & 2 (Semester 1)	Monday, 12 January 2026	to	Friday, 12 June 2026	106 days
Semester 1 Recess	Saturday, 13 June 2026	to	Sunday, 28 June 2026	10 days
Teaching Cycle 3 & 4 (Semester 2)	Monday, 29 June 2026	to	Friday, 13 November 2026	97 days
Clinical Remediation and Reassessment	Monday, 16 November 2026	to	Friday, 27 November 2026	10 days
Semester 2 Recess	Saturday, 12 December 2026	to	Thursday, 31 December 2026	21 days
University Closes	Tuesday, 22 December 2026

BUSINESS SCHOOL TEACHING CYCLES AND ASSESSMENT AND RECESS PERIODS

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESMENT PERIODS

Recess:	Thursday, 01 January 2026	to	Sunday, 04 January 2026	5 days
University Opens for internal processes and preparations:	Tuesday, 06 January 2026
University Opens to the public:	Monday, 12 January 2026

Registration	Monday, 12 January 2026	to	Saturday, 17 January 2026	6 days

2025 Trimester 3 teaching cycle re-assessment period	Wednesday, 07 January 2026	to	Friday, 09 January 2026	3 days

Trimester 1 teaching cycle:	Monday, 19 January 2026	to	Thursday, 30 April 2026	79 days
Trimester 1 teaching cycle assessment period	Monday, 04 May 2026	to	Friday, 08 May 2026	5 days
Trimester 1 teaching cycle re-assessment period	Wednesday, 17 June 2026	to	Friday, 19 June 2026	3 days

Trimester 2 teaching cycle:	Monday, 11 May 2026	to	Friday, 31 July 2026	43 days
Trimester 2 teaching cycle assessment period	Monday, 03 August 2026	to	Friday, 07 August 2026	5 days
Trimester 2 teaching cycle re-assessment period	Wednesday, 16 September 2026	to	Friday, 18 September 2026	3 days

Trimester 3 teaching cycle:	Tuesday, 11 August 2026	to	Friday, 06 November 2026	58 days
Trimester 3 teaching cycle assessment period	Monday, 09 November 2026	to	Friday, 13 November 2026	5 days
Recess:	Saturday, 14 November 2026	to	Monday, 30 November 2026	54 days
Trimester 3 teaching cycle assessment period	Wednesday, 06 January 2027	to	Friday, 08 January 2027	3 days

GRADUATION CEREMONIES

Autumn graduation (George):	Tuesday, 31 March 2026	to	Wednesday, 01 April 2026
Autumn graduation (Gqeberha):	Tuesday, 07 April 2026	to	Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Summer graduation (Gqeberha):	Monday, 14 December 2026	to	Tuesday, 15 December 2026

NOTE: The University reserves the right to amend the planned institutional dates.

PUBLIC AND UNIVERSITY HOLIDAYS

First teaching cycle	Thursday, 01 January 2026	New Year's Day
	Saturday, 21 March 2026	Human Rights Day
	Friday, 03 April 2026	Good Friday
	Monday, 06 April 2026	Family Day
Second teaching cycle	Monday, 27 April 2026	Freedom day
	Friday, 01 May 2026	Workers’ Day
	Monday, 15 June 2026	University Holiday
	Tuesday, 16 June 2026	Youth Day
Third teaching cycle	Sunday, 09 August 2026	National Women's Day
	Monday, 10 August 2026	Public Holiday
Fourth teaching cycle	Thursday, 24 September 2026	Heritage Day
	Friday, 25 September 2026	University Holiday
	Wednesday, 16 December 2026	Day of Reconciliation
	Friday, 25 December 2026	Christmas Day
	Saturday, 26 December 2026	Day of Goodwill

SCHOOL CALENDAR

Term 1	Wednesday, 14 January 2026	Friday, 27 March 2026
Term 1 Student Recess	Saturday, 28 March 2026	Tuesday, 07 April 2026
Term 2	Wednesday, 08 April 2026	Friday, 26 June 2026
Term 2 Student Recess	Saturday, 27 June 2026	Monday, 20 July 2026
Term 3	Tuesday, 21 July 2026	Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Term 3 Student Recess	Thursday, 24 September 2026	Monday, 05 October 2026
Term 4	Tuesday, 06 October 2026	Wednesday, 09 December 2026
Term 4 Student Recess	Thursday, 10 December 2026	Thursday, 31 December 2026

Academic Calendar - 2026

TEACHING CYCLES, RECESS PERIODS AND ASSESSMENT PERIODS

MEDICAL SCHOOL TEACHING CYCLES AND ASSESSMENT AND RECESS PERIODS

BUSINESS SCHOOL TEACHING CYCLES AND ASSESSMENT AND RECESS PERIODS

GRADUATION CEREMONIES

PUBLIC AND UNIVERSITY HOLIDAYS

SCHOOL CALENDAR

MAIL AND PORTALS

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