The University of Limpopo (UL) publishes a university calendar for each academic year, usually early in the year. When we checked on 5 November 2026, the 2027 calendar had not been released. The latest one on the UL website is the 2026 calendar. This page shows the 2026 pattern, which UL tends to repeat, and it lists the 2027 dates that UL has already confirmed. Treat the 2026 dates as a guide only, and swap in the 2027 dates as soon as UL publishes them.
What UL has already confirmed for 2027
- Applications for 2027: UL opened them on 1 April 2026, and they closed on 30 September 2026 for all qualifications other than MBChB. The MBChB (medicine) closing date was 30 July 2026.
- Residence applications for 2027: open until 30 September 2026, and UL said it would not consider late ones.
- Student summer recess in 2026: runs until 31 December 2026.
- Staff summer vacation: ends on 6 January 2027, when the university re-opens for staff.
The 2026 calendar as a guide
- First semester: 26 January to 12 June 2026
- Autumn recess for students: 16 to 19 March 2026
- Winter recess for students: 17 June to 3 July 2026
- Second semester: 6 July to 13 November 2026
- Spring recess for students: 21 to 27 September 2026
- Summer recess for students: 16 November to 31 December 2026
Registration in the 2026 calendar
UL staggers its registration. Returning students register first, followed by first-time entering students, and there is a late registration period for each group. In 2026 UL opened registration on Friday 9 January and started first-time entering registration on Thursday 22 January, shortly before lectures began on 26 January. If the 2027 calendar follows the same pattern, expect registration to open in early January 2027, once the university re-opens on 6 January.
When to expect the 2027 calendar
UL has not been quick to publish. Its 2026 calendar was uploaded to the website in February 2026, after the year had started, while the 2025 calendar was uploaded in January 2025. The 2027 calendar may therefore appear only in the first weeks of 2027. That is why your offer letter and the registration notices from UL should be your main guide to the first dates.
How to use the 2026 pattern
A calendar that is not yet published is a planning risk, so do these things:
- Pencil in late January 2027 for the start of lectures, but do not book travel yet.
- Watch the UL website and its social media for the 2027 calendar.
- If you have been offered a place, follow the registration instructions in your offer first. They are more reliable than any calendar.
- Tell your funder when you expect to register, and send proof once you have it.
See how to apply to UL, the UL application status page and UL bursaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the University of Limpopo published its 2027 calendar?
Not when we checked on 5 November 2026. The latest published calendar is for 2026.
When do UL lectures usually start?
In 2026 the first semester began on 26 January. The 2027 start date will be confirmed in the 2027 calendar.
When did UL 2027 applications close?
On 30 September 2026 for most qualifications, and on 30 July 2026 for MBChB.
Where will the UL 2027 calendar appear?
On the University of Limpopo website, as a downloadable PDF.