If you are a university student in Catalonia or you are taking higher education courses such as bachelor’s, master’s, postgraduate or doctoral degrees, in this blog we explain all the dates you need to know and take into account during the academic calendar 2026-27.
How does the university academic calendar work in Catalonia?
In Catalonia, the academic calendar starts during the month of September, while higher studies such as master’s, postgraduate or doctoral degrees begin during the month of October.
As a general rule, higher education studies are divided into two semesters: the first, from September to January, and the second, from February to June-July.
During the 2026-27 academic calendar there are various holidays such as Christmas, Easter and the summer holidays.
When do classes start in the 2026-27 academic calendar?
The start of the academic year will depend on the degree or faculty. However, most universities in Catalonia open their doors between 1 and 25 September.
- University of Barcelona: 14th September
- Autonomous University of Barcelona: 7th September and 14th September for masters
- Pompeu Fabra University: 25th September
- Polytechnic University of Catalonia: 1st September
- Ramon Llull University: x th September
- University of Girona: 14th September
- University of Manresa: x st September
University holidays and long weekends in the 2026-27 academic calendar
The beginning of the academic year and the return to routine are fundamental elements for organising our agenda and our calendar. For this reason, at Unihabit we give you a summary of the most important holidays during the 2026-27 academic year.
Regarding holidays and long weekends, there are several dates that you as a student will have to take into account for this academic year 2026-27, regardless of your university.
- Friday, September 11: National Day of Catalonia
- Thursday, September 24: Local Holiday in Barcelona “La Mercè”
- Monday, October 12: National Day of Spain
- Thursday, October 29: Local Holiday in Girona “Sant Narciso”Sunday, November 1: All Saints’ Day
- Sunday, December 6: Constitution DayTuesday
- December 8: Immaculate Conception
- Friday, December 25: Christmas Day
- Saturday, December 26: St. Stephen’s Day
- Thursday, January 1: New Year’s Day
- Wednesday, January 6: Epiphany
- Monday, February 22: Local Holiday in Manresa “La Llum”
- Wednesday, March 3: Local Holiday in Sant Cugat “Sant Medir”
- Friday, March 26: Good Friday
- Monday, March 29: Easter Monday
- Saturday, May 1: National Day of the Worker
- Thursday, June 24: Saint John
When do the Christmas and Easter holidays start?
During the 2026-27 academic calendar, you will find the Christmas holidays which divide the first from the second semester. The Easter holidays, which take place in the middle of the second semester. And once the academic year is over, the summer holidays lead to the start of the next academic year. In the case of Pompeu Fabra, University, which divides the academic year into terms, the Easter holidays divide the second from the third term.
In the 2026-27 academic calendar, the Christmas holidays begin on 19 December and end on 8 January, bringing the first semester of the academic year to an end. Discover the different things to do in Barcelona at Christmas! From friday 8 January, the second semester of the course officially begins. In the middle of the second semester (or end of term in the case of Pompeu Fabra University) we have the Easter holidays, which begin on 20 March and end on 29 March. At the end of the academic year, then, we find ourselves with the summer holidays, a period in which one academic year ends and we start preparing for the next one.
Examination, assessment and make-up period
Examination, assessment and make-up dates depend on each university, as there are no pre-established dates. Generally, first semester exams are held either before or after the Christmas holidays. In this case, the second semester will begin once the evaluations have been completed. Assessments and make-up examinations are usually held in mid and late January. Regarding the second semester evaluation, the exams are usually at the end of May while the evaluation is at the beginning/middle of June, thus concluding the course.
In the case of Pompeu Fabra University, the course is divided into terms, so there are 3 evaluations during the course: December, March and June.
If you are in your last academic year of the university degree and you have to present the TFG (Final Degree Project), the dates established for the presentations are at the end of the second semester (June/July) before the final evaluations depending on the calendar of each university. Also, university graduations take place during the months of June and July, once the academic year has ended and students have passed all the credits and the TFG.
However, you don’t have to worry because it will be your teachers who will mark and tell you which days are the exams for each semester, the evaluations and the make-up exams if necessary. As well as the submission and presentation of the TFG.
Do you want to continue studying next academic year?
During the month of March, the Saló de l’Ensenyament takes place in Barcelona, an event aimed at all students who have doubts or want to find out about their future with regard to their studies. At the Saló de l’Ensenyament you will find different stands belonging to schools, universities, etc. where you can find out about the higher education courses currently available in your field of study and also which courses you can choose to specialise in what you want. The Saló de l’Ensenyament will also help you to make countless interesting contacts in your sector. This event is a unique opportunity for any student who is finishing their studies and wants to continue to broaden their knowledge or specialise in an area.
When are university open days held?
Another date to keep in mind if you are doing a university academic year and you want to go to another school, change university degree or go to another university to do your master’s or postgraduate degree, is the open day. Generally, open days are held in March, April and May. During these months you can schedule a day for a personalised, guided visit to the centre, where a member of staff will give you information about the course you want to do or information about the university or centre in question.
Academic calendar 2026-27 of the different universities
In the following links you will find the necessary information about the academic calendar 2026-27 of each university. As a student, you have to take into account that each centre and each university celebrates its local public holidays in the city where it is located, and also if the university itself celebrates a public holiday or other long weekend different from the general calendar of the academic year. On the other hand, you will also find in the calendars the key dates for exams, evaluations, non-teaching days, etc.
After seeing the 2026-27 academic calendar, Unihabit would like to give you two pieces of advice for the first few days of the academic year. The first piece of advice we would like to give you is that on the first day you should plan ahead so that you don’t get lost and know how to find the classroom you have to attend. Organise your agenda well, both with the established timetable, as well as exam days and the final delivery of assignments. This will help you to manage the course much better, avoiding last minute stress and possible adverse factors.
From Unihabit we would like to wish you a great academic year 2026/2027!
And if you would like to see what it’s like to live during the academic year at Unihabit, you can’t miss our summary of the 2025-26 academic year.
