The Hogwarts Academic Year

The academic year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is the primary structural framework for the education of young witches and wizards in Great Britain. It follows a traditional three-term system common in British boarding schools. The year officially begins on September 1st and concludes in late June. Students travel to and from the school aboard the Hogwarts Express, which departs from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station. The year is marked by a regular rhythm of classes, magical events, holidays, and examinations. Each year is punctuated by the Start-of-Term Feast and the End-of-Term Feast, during which the House Cup is awarded to the Hogwarts house with the most points.

While certain years featured unique events like the Triwizard Tournament or disruptions from Lord Voldemort's return, a standard academic year follows a predictable pattern.

• September 1st: Students board the Hogwarts Express at 11 a.m. and arrive at Hogsmeade Station after nightfall. First-Years are traditionally escorted across the Great Lake by the gamekeeper, while older students travel to the castle in horseless carriages pulled by Thestrals. The evening features the Sorting Ceremony for new students and the Start-of-Term Feast.
• First Week of September: Classes begin. Students receive their timetables from their respective Heads of House.
• October 31st: The annual Halloween Feast is held in the Great Hall, which is lavishly decorated with live bats and enchanted pumpkins.
• November: The Quidditch season begins with the first matches between the houses.
• December: The castle is decorated for Christmas. Students have the option to return home for a two-week holiday or remain at Hogwarts. A feast is held on Christmas Day for those who stay.
• January: Students return from the Christmas holidays, and the second term begins.
• Easter: Students receive another two-week holiday. They are often assigned a significant amount of homework to prepare for final exams.
• June: End-of-year examinations take place for all students. Fifth-years sit their Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.) exams, and seventh-years take their Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (N.E.W.T.) exams. These are formal examinations administered by the Wizarding Examinations Authority.
• Late June: Exam results are distributed. The End-of-Term Feast is held, during which the Headmaster announces the winner of the House Cup.
• Following Day: Students board the Hogwarts Express at Hogsmeade Station to return to London for the summer holidays.

Throughout the year, students in their third year and above who have received permission are allowed to visit the nearby village of Hogsmeade on select weekends.

The school year is divided into three distinct terms, separated by the Christmas and Easter holidays.

• Autumn Term: Runs from September 1st until the start of the Christmas holidays in mid-to-late December. This term includes the start of the school year, Halloween, and the beginning of the Quidditch season.
• Spring Term: Begins in early January after the Christmas break and concludes with the start of the Easter holidays.
• Summer Term: The final term of the year, running from after Easter until the end of June. This term is heavily focused on revision and the crucial end-of-year examinations.

Several academic years during Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts deviated significantly from the standard schedule.

• 1992-1993: The re-opening of the Chamber of Secrets led to multiple student petrifications and a climate of fear. End-of-year exams were cancelled for all students by Professor Dumbledore as a school treat.
• 1994-1995: Hogwarts hosted the Triwizard Tournament, a major international competition. The House Quidditch Cup was cancelled for the year, and the traditional Halloween Feast was replaced by the arrival of the delegations from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute. The Yule Ball was a major social event held on Christmas Day.
• 1995-1996: The Ministry of Magic interfered heavily at Hogwarts through the appointment of Dolores Umbridge as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and later as the first Hogwarts High Inquisitor. She imposed numerous Educational Decrees that disrupted student life.
• 1997-1998: Following the death of Albus Dumbledore and the Ministry's fall, Hogwarts operated under the control of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, with Severus Snape as Headmaster. Attendance became mandatory for pure-blood and half-blood students, and the curriculum was twisted to promote Dark Arts and anti-Muggle propaganda. The year ended abruptly on May 2nd with the Battle of Hogwarts.

The structure of the Hogwarts academic year is heavily based on the real-world system of traditional British boarding schools, which commonly feature a three-term structure (often named Michaelmas, Lent, and Summer) and a school year running from September to June/July (J.K. Rowling interview).