The University of Cape Town (UCT) runs its year in four quarters, with a vacation after each of the first three. The central term dates for 2027 have been approved by Senate and Council, and UCT lists them on its Terms page next to the 2026 dates. This page sets out the 2027 dates as UCT's Registrar's Secretariat published them in May 2026, so you can plan your application, funding and travel around them.
UCT term dates for 2027
- First quarter: 8 February to 19 March 2027
- First vacation: 20 to 29 March 2027
- Second quarter: 30 March to 7 June 2027
- Mid-year vacation: 8 June to 11 July 2027
- Third quarter: 12 July to 20 August 2027
- Mid-term vacation: 21 to 29 August 2027
- Fourth quarter: 30 August to 17 December 2027
Summer and winter terms
UCT also offers shorter terms that run inside the vacations. The 2027 Summer Term runs from 8 November to 6 December, and the Winter Term runs from 8 June to 8 July. These shorter terms exist so that some students can catch up on courses or take extra credits. They are optional and they are not part of the main four quarters.
What the central dates do not cover
The central term dates are the framework for the whole university, but they are not the full picture. Each faculty sets its own test and examination timetable inside the quarters. The Faculty of Health Sciences publishes separate undergraduate term dates, because medical and allied health programmes follow clinical blocks rather than the standard quarters. If you are applying for one of those programmes, use the Health Sciences dates instead of the central table.
UCT's own page also reminds students that it may adjust dates. Check the Terms page again before you book flights or residence moves.
How to use these dates
- Put 8 February 2027 in your diary as the first day of lectures, and work back from it for registration and fee payment.
- Check the residence and fee deadlines on the UCT how to apply and fees pages, because they fall before term starts.
- If you have a bursary, tell your funder the term dates, since many funders pay tuition and living allowances in instalments tied to terms.
- Use the vacations to plan work, holiday jobs or vacation programmes with your funder.
What the quarter pattern means in practice
The quarters are uneven, and that shapes your year. The first quarter lasts only about six weeks, so assignments and tests arrive quickly after you arrive. The fourth quarter is the longest, at roughly fifteen weeks, and it carries most of the second-half workload. Students who plan their study time around these blocks, and who keep a copy of the term table next to their timetable, tend to avoid last-minute surprises. The mid-year vacation is the longest break, at about five weeks, and the optional winter term fits inside it.
Related pages
See UCT admission requirements, the UCT application status page and the UCT bursaries page. All dates here are as published on the UCT Terms page in May 2026 and were checked on 5 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the UCT academic year 2027 start?
The first quarter starts on 8 February 2027 and ends on 19 March 2027.
When is the UCT mid-year vacation in 2027?
From 8 June to 11 July 2027, after the second quarter ends.
When does the UCT year end in 2027?
The fourth quarter runs from 30 August to 17 December 2027.
Do Health Sciences students follow these dates?
Not always. The Faculty of Health Sciences publishes its own undergraduate term dates, so check that faculty's page.