bemesters

Bemesters are a time division used in some Dutch-language educational systems to denote one half of an academic year. The term is most commonly seen in higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders, though its use varies by institution. An academic year is typically split into two bemesters: the first bemester and the second bemester. Each bemester contains a teaching period during which courses are delivered, followed by assessment or examination sessions. The exact length of a bemester depends on the institution’s calendar, but it is intended to cover roughly half of the annual teaching period.

In practice, bemesters function as block-based units that organize course registration, instruction, and assessment. Courses may be offered only within a specific bemester, or they may span multiple bemesters, with students completing different components in each period. Many programs schedule lectures, seminars, and practical work within a bemester, with examinations or graded assignments typically placed at the end of the bemester or at a designated evaluation window.

Variations exist between institutions. Some universities use bemesters alongside other calendar terms, while others adopt bemester-based planning as a core feature of their academic structure. The term is primarily a regional designation and may be used interchangeably with concepts such as semesters or terms in English-language descriptions, depending on the institution’s translation and naming choices.

See also: Semester, Academic calendar, Course registration.