Academic Term - Philippines

Philippines

The Philippine school year runs for 10 months, and a school year must be at least 200 days as prescribed by law. The school year begins on the first week of June and ends on the last week of March. In most schools, summer break usually lasts for two months, from the first week of April to the last week of May. Most schools end the school year before Holy Week. Christmas break usually begins in the third week of December, and class resumes the Monday after New Year's Day (unless that Monday is January 2). Commencement ceremonies are often held in late March or early April.

For primary and secondary schools, an academic year is usually divided in quarters. Each quarter is approximately two to two and a half months months. The second quarter immediately begins after the first quarter exams. There is a one-week break between the second and third quarters called the semestral break (also known as sem break). The one-week break commonly coincides with All Saints' Day. There is also a Christmas break that runs for two weeks between December and January. Some schools use all the remaining months after the new year for the fourth quarter.

For universities and colleges, an academic year is divided into two semesters. Each semester is approximately 17–18 weeks long. The first semester is followed by a break consisting of two to four weeks before the second semester. The semestral break for all universities and colleges usually occurs between the second week of October to the second week of November, normally including the All Saints' and All Souls' holidays) and can be between two to three weeks long. Private schools also use the semester system which has one-week semestral break to coincide with All Saints' Day.

Other schools such as the De La Salle University and Far Eastern University - East Asia College operate under a trimestral system. Classes start in the fourth week of May and ends in the third week of April. Under this system, students are typically able to finish their academic studies a year earlier than those from other universities with a semestral programme. Mapúa Institute of Technology began using the quarterly system with eleven weeks to a term after its acquisition by the Yuchengco Group. This allows their engineering programmes to be completed a year ahead of schools running on a semestral schedule.

Exceptions to this schedule are international schools operating in the country, which normally follow the September to June schedule.