The academic year begins on September 1st and ends on August 31st of the following calendar year. The educational work of each academic year is structured into two semesters, the winter and the spring, each of which includes 13 weeks of instruction and two or three weeks of examinations.

The winter semester starts in the last week of September and ends in early January. This is followed by the first examination period of the winter semester. The spring semester starts in mid-February and ends in late May, followed by the first examination period of the spring semester.

The exact dates are determined by the university senate. In exceptional cases, the Minister of Education may, upon the proposal of the senate, adjust the start and end dates of the two semesters outside the regular dates to complete the required number of teaching weeks.

Each semester has two examination periods:
– Winter semester courses are examined during the period of January-February and resit exams take place in September.
– Spring semester courses are examined during the period of June, with resit exams in September.

The examination periods of January-February and September last for three weeks, while the June period, according to the law, lasts for two weeks, but all periods usually extend over a longer period.

Before the start of each examination period, students have the right and obligation to evaluate their courses and instructors, aiming to improve the quality of their studies. More information is available on the website of the Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP-AUTH http://qa.auth.gr) and on the website of their School/Department.

HOLIDAY DAYS
During the months of July and August, there are no classes or exams, and these are considered summer vacation months. Also included in the holidays are:
– Christmas holidays: From December 24th to January 7th.
– Carnival holidays: From Clean Monday to the day after Ash Monday.
– Easter holidays: From Holy Monday to Thomas Sunday.

CELEBRATION AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
– October 26th: Feast of the patron saint of the city of Thessaloniki, Saint Dimitrios. Liberation of Thessaloniki (National holiday).
– October 28th: Anniversary of the “OXI” to Italian fascism (National holiday).
– November 17th: Anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising in 1973.
– January 30th: Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs (Religious holiday).
– March 25th: Anniversary of the 1821 revolution against Turkish rule (National holiday).
– May 1st: International Workers’ Day – Labor Day and solidarity day for workers (Labor holiday – strike).
– Pentecost: (Moveable religious holiday).