By the OnlineU team | Updated 12/28/2023 Most U.S. colleges and universities organize their academic calendars using semesters. Incoming first-year students tend to be familiar with semesters, which nearly all middle and high schools prefer to quarters. But how long is a semester, and how long is a quarter? What is the difference between these types of academic terms? And are there possible benefits to one system over the other? By the OnlineU team | Updated 12/28/2023 Most U.S. colleges and universities organize their academic calendars using semesters. Incoming first-year students tend to be familiar with semesters, which nearly all middle and high schools prefer to quarters. But how long is a semester, and how long is a quarter? What is the difference between these types of academic terms? And are there possible benefits to one system over the other?
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What Is the Difference Between a Semester and a Quarter?
There are two semesters in an academic year, separated by a break during the U.S. winter and an even longer break for summer. Academic quarters divide the year into four terms, with the first three together lasting the equivalent of two semesters. The last quarter covers the summer break and is usually more sparsely attended — fewer classes are offered, so many students still take the summer off.
The quarter system is a more recent innovation dating to the 1890s, so fewer schools have adopted this model.
To learn more about what to expect in college, see What Is an Undergraduate?
How Long Is a College Semester?
Semesters usually have 14-16 weeks of instructional time, or between three and four months. This works out to 60-80 weekdays on which students might have class. The second semester features at least one week off for spring break.
Quarters last an average of 10 weeks, or about two-and-half months. Less common are eight-week terms, which are primarily an innovation of online colleges that offer accelerated degrees.
How Many College Semesters in a Year?
There are always two main semesters in an academic year; the word is derived from the Latin word for "half-yearly." But colleges on semesters usually offer at least one extra term during the summer, which they may call a semester or something like "summer term."
There are four academic quarters per year, but many students only attend the non-summer terms.
College Semester Dates
Academic years in the U.S. run from late summer through late spring, with an optional summer term. The following is a typical college academic schedule, though some particulars can vary by institution.
First semester: Late August through early-to-mid December
Second semester: Early January through early May, with a week off in March
Summer term: mid-May through early August
College Quarter Dates
Schools on quarters tend to start a bit later, sometimes after Labor Day.
Fall quarter: Early September through late November or early December
Winter quarter: Early January through mid-to-late March
Spring quarter: Late March through late May or early June
How Many Semesters Are in a College Degree?
Administrators design bachelor's degrees to last eight semesters, or four years. It's possible to graduate early — you can transfer enough credits from a community college or high school AP classes to shave off a semester or two, enroll in summer classes, or load your schedule with extra classes each term.
But in reality, nearly 60% of students take more than four years to graduate for various reasons. For example, they might study abroad and need to take an extra semester to make up for required classes that weren't offered overseas. Many students also change majors, which can necessitate extra semesters of required courses that weren't needed for the previous major.
FAQs About College Semesters
Which Is Better, Semesters or Quarters?
It mainly depends on personal preference. Proponents of semesters appreciate the extra time spent on important topics, while quarter defenders point to the ability to take courses on a greater variety of topics during college. There's some evidence that schools suffer lower graduation rates when they switch from quarters to semesters.
Is Fall or Spring Semester Longer?
Most schools feature the same number of instructional days in the spring and fall semesters. But spring semester might last for a longer period of time because the spring recess is in the middle, which adds a week.
How Long Is a Summer Semester in College?
Summer semesters are usually shorter than regular semesters at about 10-12 weeks. Because of this, summer classes often meet more times per week to ensure the same amount of instruction time as a fall or spring course.
How Long Is a Community College Semester?
Community college semesters are usually 14-16 weeks long, the same length as those at four-year colleges. Program administrators design associate degrees to take two years, or four semesters.
Bottom Line
Most U.S. colleges use semesters in their academic calendars, which last 14-16 weeks each. Other schools prefer quarters of about 10 weeks. For each type of school, the academic year begins in late summer and mainly ends in the late spring, though students may take summer classes.
