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An academic term is the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. Most such schools use either semesters or quarters.
A semester typically lasts between 15 and 18 weeks. Institutions often have two (spring and autumn) semesters in an academic year, with the possibility of a summer semester as well. A quarter (or trimester) lasts between eight and 12 weeks, and there are typically three (autumn, winter and spring) per year, again with the possibility of a summer quarter.
Structure around the world
Australia and New Zealand
In most of Australia and New Zealand, the school year lasts from January to December, and is split into four terms. The exact dates vary from year to year, as well as between states, and for public and private school. In Tasmania, the school year is split in to three terms, the first one being the longest and including an extended Easter holiday.
Australian universities have two semesters a year, between February and November.
Japan
In Japan, it is common for schools to have a first term from April 1 to summer and, after the summer break, a fall term until Christmas break followed by a spring term from January to March.
United Kingdom
In the UK most schools run a three-term school year. They usually have a break half way through (half-term) and are structured as:
- Autumn term: September to December
- Spring term: January to March
- Summer term: April to July
The time between the end of school and the start of the next academic year is known as the summer holiday or, as was the traditional length of the break, the six-week holiday. Some counties and schools have recently experimented with different school year arrangements with the general idea of having shorter blocks of both school and non-school time.
United States
Generally the United States runs on a two-semester arrangement, although in some states three-term trimesters are the dominant method.
See also
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