Best European Universities with Spring Intakes (2024)

Did you miss the 2024 fall intake for your dream European university? There are plenty of European universities with spring intakes to choose from! The spring intake typically takes place in February and March at European universities. Some universities may also offer intakes in April, while in some countries the second alternative intake goes by “summer intake” instead.

Spring intakes offer you an alternative application timeline and semester start date, and in most cases, see lower competition for admissions. On the flip side, you may have fewer courses to choose from during spring intakes. So, you must do your research on the universities that do offer spring intakes and the availability of your chosen courses before you commit to the spring semester! Here’s what you need to know about spring semesters at top universities in Europe.

Types of Intakes in Europe

If you are stressing out about meeting your application deadlines for fall intakes, we have some good news for you. Most universities in Europe offer more than one student intake throughout the year. This means that even if you are running late on your deadlines, you will have a chance to apply for the next best intake.

Intakes in Europe depend on the country you want to apply to as well as the respective universities. Most universities split their academic calendar between two or three semesters. If you miss the fall or autumn semester, which tends to be the biggest intake, you can opt for the spring or winter intakes instead.

There is a summer intake available in some countries as well. You can explore whether the universities you are considering offer a spring intake with GRADSearch. This course matcher tool previews key information about the courses that match your search requirements, including intake dates and tuition information.

Fall Intake

The fall or autumn intake is the main admission term for most universities and tends to start between August and October. Typically, you will find all of the courses in the university available for this semester. You will also typically find the most variety and availability in scholarships during this semester. The fall intake is applicable for both semester systems and trimester systems. It is also the busiest time of the year for international students, with early flight bookings and many students moving into student residences around the same time.

Spring Intake

If you miss the fall intake, you can still apply to top European universities with spring intakes! Most universities in Europe, especially the globally ranking ones popular among international students, have intakes during February and March. This is the spring intake, allowing students the opportunity to start classes in the second semester of the academic year.

Summer Intake

Some universities also offer a summer intake. Summer intakes may commence in June or July, with some universities also offering April or May intakes. Summer intakes are typical in the case of universities with trimester systems. Some universities also offer a summer intake as an alternative to a spring intake. For example, universities in Germany typically offer a second semester around April which generally goes by “summer intake”.

Note, though, that what these universities refer to as summer and spring intakes can vary across countries! Pay extra attention to the application windows, deadlines, and semester start dates by month for an accurate picture of your timeline.

Continuous Intake

Currently, some European universities are adapting some of their programs to a continuous intake model. As the name suggests, you will be able to apply to study at the university at any time of the year and enroll in a course according to availability. Unfortunately, this is not yet available for most universities. If available, it generally applies to only a few available programs and is less of a viable option for prospective international students pursuing full-time degree options.

Pros and Cons of the Spring Intake

As you consider applying to the best European universities with spring intakes, you need to weigh the pros and cons to come to your decision.

Pros

Alternative date to apply:

The Spring intake offers you an alternative date to apply if you are running late on other deadlines. If you miss out on the fall application deadline, don’t manage to put together an application in time, need to re-sit some exams, etc. you will have a second chance to apply with the spring intake. As a result, you won’t have to wait another year before starting your higher education journey.

Lower competition:

Since the spring intake isn’t the main admission term for most universities, you may encounter less competition while applying. Most university admissions are competitive and universities select only a finite number of students for their programs depending on seat availability. If you apply for the spring intake, you may have a higher chance of enrolment acceptance because of the lower number of applications.

Better weather:

The fall semester starts right before the onset of winter, which can be pretty harsh in Europe, especially if you are not familiar with warmer temperatures. On the other hand, the spring semester sees the weather growing more pleasant with summer around the corner. If you are from more tropical and subtropical climates, you might have an easier time adjusting in spring than in the fall and winter.

Cheaper flights:

Since most universities have their main admission intake during September, flights are generally in-demand and ticket prices soar up. You may have an easier time finding cheaper tickets for the spring intake if you start booking early. The demand at this time isn’t quite as high, meaning flight tickets may be cheaper for many countries in Europe. You may also experience a higher availability of tickets and better flexibility in planning your travel itinerary.

Cons

Fewer courses:

The most important drawback of applying to European universities with spring intakes may be the lack of program availability or seats for your programs. For universities that do offer spring intakes, not all may offer every program for their secondary semester. This is an important caveat to keep in mind when looking into your options for the spring intake.

Fewer scholarship opportunities:

Some universities allocate more of their scholarship opportunities to bigger intakes, like the fall intake. There may be fewer scholarship opportunities for spring intake applicants and as a result, higher competition.

Destinations for European Universities with Spring Intakes

Many European countries make frequent appearances among world rankings as home to some of the best global universities for international students. If you are considering studying abroad in Spring 2025, you can consider the following destinations:

The UK

The UK is one of the best options to study in Europe and indeed the world. It historically draws record numbers of international students and is home to several of the best universities in the world. And fortunately, many universities in the UK have a January intake! If you miss the more common fall intake, you can opt for this alternative intake instead.

To apply for the January intake in 2025, you will have to start your application around May 2024 and submit starting September 2024. The deadlines and application windows do vary by university, so make sure you are looking into each university’s requirements well ahead of time! The following world-ranking universities in the UK offer postgraduate programs during the January intake:

Ireland

Ireland is home to some of the best European universities with Spring intakes! Universities in Ireland have an intake in January and February, as an alternative to their main fall intake. Applications for the January semester in Ireland start in September and October, though specific application windows will depend on the university.

Universities offering a January intake in 2025 in Ireland include:

France

Universities in France offer two major intakes, the autumn/fall intake and the spring intake. While the former is the major intake seeing the most applications and admissions, the spring intake is a great alternative if you miss this window.

The application process for the spring semester typically starts around mid-October 2024. Applicants generally have until late December 2024 to early January 2025 to submit their applications, although specific deadlines can vary depending on the university and program.

Once you submit your applications, universities will review them and issue admissions decisions, usually by late January. Spring semester classes generally commence in early February 2025. Some of the best universities for international students in France include:

Germany

Germany is an example of how the term “spring” can mean different things across Europe. In Germany, the second most popular semester goes by its summer intake, starting around April. Nonetheless, while seasons and their classifications can look different around the world, what stays consistent is the quality of German higher education. The country continues to see growing popularity in demand from international students. Although the main language of instruction across most institutions is German, here are some of the best English-taught universities with a spring intake in Germany in 2025:

Rounding Up

The above are just some of your options when it comes to the best European universities with spring intakes. While the spring intake (or summer intake, depending on the country), may not be the biggest intake of the year, it is a great alternative if you missed the autumn intake. To decide whether the university is the right fit for you, confirm whether your program is available for your chosen intake and find out what the application windows and deadlines are. You can also explore top universities with spring intakes using tools like GRADSearch or with support from an educational consultant expert!