When does the 2026/2027 academic session start at UNILORIN?
The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has released its proposed 2026/2027 academic calendar for undergraduates. The session begins on Monday, 5 October 2026 for both new and returning students, with registration running from 5 to 16 October 2026. Harmattan lectures start on Monday, 19 October 2026, and the 2027/2028 session is scheduled to begin on 5 October 2027.
Key Highlights
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Session commencement | Monday, 5 October 2026 (new and returning students) |
| Registration | Monday, 5 to Friday, 16 October 2026 |
| Late registration | Monday, 19 to Friday, 23 October 2026 |
| Harmattan lectures begin | Monday, 19 October 2026 |
| Matriculation | Friday, 27 November 2026 |
| Harmattan exams | Monday, 1 to Friday, 26 February 2027 |
| Rain semester lectures begin | Monday, 15 March 2027 |
| Rain semester exams | Monday, 28 June to Friday, 23 July 2027 |
| Next session begins | 5 October 2027 |
| Status | Proposed dates, published in the University of Ilorin Bulletin on 21 September 2026 |
About the University of Ilorin
The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) was established in 1975 and is a federal university located in Ilorin, Kwara State. It is accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and is widely known for running a stable academic calendar.
This calendar covers undergraduate students. Postgraduate programmes follow their own schedule.
UNILORIN Academic Calendar 2026/2027
The table below lists the proposed dates published by the university, arranged in date order and grouped by stage of the session.
Harmattan Semester (October 2026 to March 2027)
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday, 5 October 2026 | Commencement of the 2026/2027 academic session for new and returning students |
| Monday, 5 to Friday, 16 October 2026 | Registration of new and returning students |
| Monday, 19 October 2026 | Commencement of lectures for the Harmattan semester (new and returning students) |
| Monday, 19 to Friday, 23 October 2026 | Late registration for returning and new students |
| Monday, 9 to Friday, 13 November 2026 | Faculty Board considers the list of registered students (returning students and freshers) |
| Tuesday, 17 to Thursday, 19 November 2026 | Business Committee of Senate considers the list of registered students |
| Monday, 23 November 2026 | Special Senate considers the list of registered students |
| Friday, 27 November 2026 | Matriculation |
| Tuesday, 1 to Tuesday, 15 December 2026 | CBT and written continuous assessment (Harmattan semester) |
| Tuesday, 1 to Tuesday, 22 December 2026 | Certificate clearance for the penultimate level |
| Thursday, 24 December 2026 to Monday, 4 January 2027 | Semester break |
| Friday, 22 January 2027 | End of Harmattan semester lectures |
| Monday, 25 to Friday, 29 January 2027 | Lecture-free week and uploading of continuous assessment results |
| Monday, 1 February 2027 | Commencement of Harmattan semester examinations |
| Friday, 26 February 2027 | End of Harmattan semester examinations |
| Friday, 26 February to Sunday, 14 March 2027 | Mid-session break |
Rain Semester (March to July 2027)
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday, 15 March 2027 | Commencement of Rain semester lectures |
| Wednesday, 17 to Friday, 19 March 2027 | Faculty Board of Examiners considers final year results (Presentation I) |
| Monday, 22 to Wednesday, 24 March 2027 | Business Committee of Senate considers final year results (Presentation I) |
| Monday, 29 March 2027 | Senate considers final year results (Presentation I) |
| Monday, 12 to Friday, 16 April 2027 | CBT and written continuous assessment (Rain semester) |
| Friday, 18 June 2027 | End of Rain semester lectures |
| Monday, 21 to Friday, 25 June 2027 | Lecture-free week and uploading of continuous assessment results |
| Monday, 28 June 2027 | Commencement of Rain semester examinations |
| Friday, 23 July 2027 | End of Rain semester examinations |
End of Session and 2027/2028 Session
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday, 9 to Thursday, 12 August 2027 | Faculty Board of Examiners considers final year results (Presentation II) |
| Monday, 16 to Thursday, 19 August 2027 | Business Committee of Senate considers final year results (Presentation II) |
| Monday, 23 August 2027 | Senate considers final year results (Presentation II) |
| Wednesday, 25 to Friday, 27 August 2027 | Faculty Board considers goodstanding results |
| Monday, 30 to Tuesday, 31 August 2027 | Business Committee of Senate considers goodstanding results |
| Monday, 6 September 2027 | Special Senate considers goodstanding results (end of session) |
| Monday, 6 September 2027 | End of the session break |
| 15 September to 31 October 2027 | Teaching practice by the Faculty of Education |
| 5 October 2027 | Commencement of the 2027/2028 academic session |
| 5 October 2027 | Resumption of new students |
Wednesdays from 4 pm to 6 pm are lecture-free for sports activities.
How the Session Is Structured
The university’s calendar also sets out how long each stage of the session should last.
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Registration (new and returning students) | 2 weeks |
| Late registration | 1 week |
| Instruction, Harmattan semester | 15 weeks |
| Lecture-free week and uploading of continuous assessment results (Harmattan) | 1 week |
| Harmattan semester examinations | 4 weeks |
| Marking and computation of results (Harmattan) | 2 weeks |
| Instruction, Rain semester | 15 weeks |
| Lecture-free week and uploading of continuous assessment results (Rain) | 1 week |
| Rain semester examinations | 4 weeks |
| Marking and computation of results (Rain) | 2 weeks |
| End of session break | 3 weeks |
Key Dates by Student Group
| Student Group | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| New students | Register from 5 October, lectures begin 19 October, matriculation on 27 November 2026 |
| Returning students | Register from 5 October, lectures begin 19 October, late registration 19 to 23 October 2026 |
| Penultimate level students | Certificate clearance from 1 to 22 December 2026 |
| Final year students | Results considered in March 2027 (Presentation I) and August 2027 (Presentation II) |
| Faculty of Education students | Teaching practice from 15 September to 31 October 2027 |
Things to Note About the Calendar
These dates are labelled proposed by the university, so a change is possible. Confirm on the official portal before you plan travel or payments.
The calendar does not list dates for school fees payment, hostel allocation or the release of results to students. Watch the university’s official channels for those announcements.
Frequently Asked Questions: UNILORIN Academic Calendar 2026/2027
When does the UNILORIN 2026/2027 academic session begin?
The session begins on Monday, 5 October 2026 for both new and returning students, according to the proposed academic calendar.
When is UNILORIN registration for 2026/2027?
Registration for new and returning students runs from Monday, 5 to Friday, 16 October 2026. Late registration follows from Monday, 19 to Friday, 23 October 2026.
When do Harmattan semester lectures start at UNILORIN?
Harmattan semester lectures for new and returning students commence on Monday, 19 October 2026 and end on Friday, 22 January 2027.
When is the UNILORIN matriculation ceremony?
Matriculation is scheduled for Friday, 27 November 2026.
When are the UNILORIN Harmattan semester exams?
Harmattan semester examinations start on Monday, 1 February 2027 and end on Friday, 26 February 2027. Continuous assessment for the semester holds from 1 to 15 December 2026.
When does the UNILORIN Rain semester start?
Rain semester lectures begin on Monday, 15 March 2027. Continuous assessment holds from 12 to 16 April 2027, lectures end on 18 June 2027, and examinations run from 28 June to 23 July 2027.
When will UNILORIN resume for the 2027/2028 session?
The 2027/2028 academic session is scheduled to begin on 5 October 2027, with new students resuming on the same date.
Is there a break during the UNILORIN 2026/2027 session?
Yes. The calendar lists a semester break from 24 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 and a mid-session break from 26 February to 14 March 2027.
Final Thoughts
UNILORIN’s 2026/2027 session opens on 5 October 2026, runs through two semesters, and closes with the Senate’s consideration of goodstanding results on 6 September 2027. Before you plan travel or pay any charges, confirm the latest dates on the official portal at portal.unilorin.edu.ng and on unilorin.edu.ng. If any date here changes or is unclear, drop your question in the comments and we will respond.
Applying for admission? See our UNILORIN Post UTME form 2026/2027 page, and check the JAMB cut-off marks 2026 for all schools and courses.
Source: The dates in this article are taken from the University of Ilorin’s 2026/2027 Academic Calendar for Undergraduates (proposed dates), published in the Unilorin Bulletin notice dated 21 September 2026. This page will be updated when the university announces any change. If you notice a difference between our figures and the official calendar, alert us in the comments below.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Academic calendars are subject to change by the institution at any time. Always verify on the official University of Ilorin website before making plans. CampusNinja is not affiliated with the University of Ilorin and cannot be held responsible for changes made after our last update date.