DD doesn't have a uni Term 3

[Globules]

Just that really.

She chose modules this year, her first year, that all completed in terms 1 & 2.

She has no lectures and no assignments, nothing, until October 2025.

£9250 academic fees, plus 39 week let fees.

Surely this can't be considered ok?!

She was the one that chose the course, and the accommodation, and the modules.

In her position I’d be looking to get as much out of the available provisions as possible. It may well be possible to attend lectures even if she’s not being examined in them.

That’s normal isn’t it? I remember finishing in April/May for exams and not going back till the following academic year

@Globules Is she absolutely sure? Doesn’t sound like any uni course I’ve ever known 🤔

Its been a few years since I finished but my course (and all my flatmates etc) had set modules each semester and then you selected certain other modules yourself which then filled up the timetable.

Does she have exams @Globules?

some of dd friends had course assignments rather than exams and finished earlier. They can still stay in accommodation and use library etc

Does she have friends doing new courses starting now? When I was at uni we had two semesters and an exam session, not three terms. How would they have time to start a new course right at the end of April and be examined in it by the summer?

What course and what uni?

University isn't pay per view.
She'll have either coursework or exams and (unless in final year) she'll be getting stuff started for her next year. There may be opportunities for volunteering or being a research assistant.
Many universities now have two semesters, rather than three terms, and you are paying for access to the resources, not by the hour for lectures.

Definitely no exams.

Some of her friends are starting modules in term 3, yes. Most aren't.

My dd has just sat her first and last exam today for this academic year. If she's chosen courses that are coursework only then she won't have anything to do during the exam period that's just started

Lots of unis have two semesters and if none of the courses they chose have exams in the May diet then they would be finished by now. This was how it was when I was at uni over 20 years ago too. The summer months were always spent working and saving for me and a lot of my peers

My DD is a first year and most of her friends just have exams this term and finished by mid May . DD is at Oxford and will be there until the end of June but terms are only 8 weeks . My DS has finished at uni ( History at Exeter ) and he never had teaching in term 3 only exams or dissertation writing and sporting stuff

Aren’t they all finishing up round about now? Where would they fit another whole term in?!

Am aware this is the case of some of my DDs friends - no lectures now but assignments to complete. My DD has more lectures as. Then exams before end of May. Will depend on type of course.

My uni experience in the 90s was 3 x 10 terms. Term 3 always finished around 25th June.

Everyone on campus had lectures/exams/assignments in every term.

Her experience is completely foreign to me. Thanks to those of you sharing your more recent experiences.

Two semesters at ours. Last teaching week is next week. Then assessments. If no resits, they'll be off until September.

I did 3 terms when I was a student but started later and finished a bit later but had more holiday at Easter and I think Xmas. We were definitely finished by beginning of June at the latest.

Is she at quite a good uni? Like a Russell group, very typical of the RG uni I worked at, 2 semesters of teaching and third semester would be assignments only depending on how each modules assessment schedule fell. Exam boards to progress into the next academic year usually occur in June so it ensures all marking is completed in time to sign them off for the next academic year, or offer them resits to be completed and signed off before September if necessary.

Ds1 had just 2 weeks of teaching in term 3 followed by exams which were over before the end of May, a whole month before end of term. It does give them time to sort their room and declutter before you try to stuff everything back into the car.

This is in stark contrast to Dh and myself who remember definitely having work in term 3, teaching, exams and I feel more teaching to go over anything they felt we hadn't done well on collectively.

That was my experience too - lectures right up to exams which were in June. DS is at the same uni, but 40 years later. The exam period is May and June but different departments have been allotted a 2 week period to hold exams within that time. So, DS with exams in May, technically has nothing in June but end of term is still end of June.

Mine in the 90s was also three terms but those terms covered two semesters. Modules ran in semester 1, from September with assessment in January and semester 2, starting in late January and running till assessment in May.

Nobody started any modules in term 3. That would be very odd.

This is perfectly normal. I have 3 degrees and apart from my MA, this is what happens. Perfect time to work and earn some extra money.

Yep. Snap. DD is home, exams over and I’m still paying halls 🤷🏼‍♀️ they have you over a barrel tbh.

Lots of UG courses don't have teaching in T3.
However, there will be marking, internal and external moderation taking place and all the background work that is required to ensure students progress to their next year or graduate if in their final year.

I think it’s normal to have no classes though there are normally some assignments or exams
she can start next years reading list, volunteer, get a job, get work experience, look at being a research assistant of some sort, take part in clubs and sport, use the sports facilities, if lectures are still on she could crash some, she could do study skills courses, see what events the students union and the library have on, test some societies she may want to join next year or any number of other services. Uni isn’t just about the course, view it as a holistic experience and spare time to save money or gain a new experience or work on her cv.

A lot of universities have only 2 teaching terms, third time being for assessments and any exams. Normally it’s the more ‘prestigious’ unis