Full Term Dates for 2023/24

2023/24 Full Term
Michaelmas 2023 Tuesday 3 October - Friday 1 December
Lent 2024 Tuesday 16 January - Friday 15 March
Easter 2024 Tuesday 23 April - Friday 14 June

General Admission (Graduation):  Friday 28 June 2024 TBC

Future Term Dates

2024/2025 Full Term
Michaelmas 2024 Tuesday 8 October - Friday 6 December 
Lent 2025 Tuesday 21 January - Friday 21 March
Easter 2025 Tuesday 29 April - Friday 20 June
2025/2026 Full Term
Michaelmas 2025 Tuesday 7 October - Friday 5 December 
Lent 2026 Tuesday 20 January - Friday 20 March 
Easter 2026  Tuesday 28 April - Friday 19 June
2026/2027 Full Term
Michaelmas 2026 Tuesday 6 October - Friday 4 December 
Lent 2027 Tuesday 19 January - Friday 19 March 
Easter 2027 Tuesday 27 April - Friday 18 June
2027/2028 Full Term
Michaelmas 2027 Tuesday 5 October - Friday 3 December 
Lent 2028 Tuesday 18 January - Friday 17 March
Easter 2028 Tuesday 25 April - Friday 16 June
2028/2029 Full Term
Michaelmas 2028  Tuesday 3 October - Friday 1 December 
Lent 2029 Tuesday 16 January - Friday 16 March
Easter 2029  Tuesday 24 April - Friday 15 June

Term dates and calendars are available from the University website or the Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge. 

Keeping Term

The University requires all candidates for the B.A. degree to have spent no less than nine Terms in Cambridge and the College has to certify to the University that this is the case for each undergraduate.  In order to 'keep term' an undergraduate must be residing in accommodation approved by the Tutor for no less than 59 nights during the Michaelmas and Lent Terms and 52 nights in the Easter Term. These nights must be between 1 October and 19 December (Michaelmas), 5 January and 25 March (or in any leap year on 24 March) (Lent) and 17 April and 25 June (except for any year in which full Easter Term begins before 22 April, in which case the dates are 10 April and 18 June).

This does not mean that you are obliged to stay in Cambridge for this period continuously, but if you wish to be away from Cambridge for any number of nights you should let your Tutor know, in advance, the reasons for your planned absence and advise how long you expect to be away from Cambridge. You should not leave Cambridge without the permission of your Tutor.

If an undergraduate student fails to 'keep term' it is not possible for the College to certify to the University that the term in question has been kept and this may then prevent or delay you graduating.

Normal Periods of Residence

Downing College operates a system of Normal Periods of Residence (NPR) which allows students to be in residence for a few days at either end of Full Term.

Junior Members wishing to apply for accommodation outside the Normal Periods of Residence (NPR) should complete an application online no fewer than two weeks prior to the first date of requested residence.  Apply for residence outside NPR on our Student Forms portal. 

For NPR dates, please see below:

2023/2024 NPR
Michaelmas 2023 Saturday 30 September - Saturday 9 December
Lent 2024 Saturday 6 January - Saturday 16 March
Easter 2024 Saturday 13 April - Saturday 22 June
2024/2025 NPR
Michaelmas 2024 Saturday 5 October - Saturday 14 December 
Lent 2025 Saturday 11 January - Saturday 22 March
Easter 2025 Saturday 19 April - Saturday 28 June
2025/2026 NPR
Michaelmas 2025 Saturday 4 October - Saturday 13 December 
Lent 2026 Saturday 10 January - Saturday 21 March
Easter 2026 Saturday 18 April - Saturday 27 June
2026/2027 NPR
Michaelmas 2026 Saturday 3 October - Saturday 12 December
Lent 2027 Saturday 9 January - Saturday 20 March
Easter 2027 Saturday 17 April - Saturday 26 June
2027/2028 NPR
Michaelmas 2027 Saturday 2 October - Saturday 11 December 
Lent 2028 Saturday 8 January - Saturday 18 March
Easter 2028 Saturday 15 April - Saturday 24 June
2028/2029 NPR
Michaelmas 2028 Saturday 30 September - Saturday 9 December 
Lent 2029 Saturday 6 January - Saturday 17 March 
Easter 2029 Saturday 14 April - Saturday 23 June

*Please check your room agreement to verify the date you need to vacate your room by in Michaelmas, as for some buildings in College NPR ends a week earlier.  If in doubt, please contact the Accommodation Officer.