The Senate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has officially approved the academic calendar for the 2024/2025 session. At its meeting held on Thursday, 18th September 2024, the body fixed Saturday, 11th October 2025, as the resumption date for newly admitted students.
In a statement signed by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, and issued on Thursday, 18th September 2025, the institution announced that the new session would begin with phased resumption across faculties. This arrangement, according to the Senate, was designed to ease the admission process and improve logistics for freshmen.
The phased resumption will see students in the Faculties of Administration, Arts, Environmental Design and Management (EDM), Education, Law, and Social Sciences resuming on Saturday, 11th October. Their colleagues in the Faculties of Agriculture, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Computing Science and Engineering, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology are expected to resume on Sunday, 12th October 2025.
Online registration for fresh students will open on Monday, 13th October 2025. Alongside this, the orientation programme has been scheduled to hold between 13th and 17th October, while Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training for new intakes will run from 20th to 24th October.
Returning undergraduate students will join their peers on Sunday, 26th October 2025. Lectures for both fresh and returning students will commence immediately on Monday, 27th October. The University has also fixed the deadline for normal course registration for Friday, 31st October, with a late registration window open between 24th and 28th November, albeit with a penalty.
As part of preparations for the new academic year, the matriculation ceremony for fresh students has been fixed for Wednesday, 3rd December 2025. This event will officially induct the new intakes into the Great Ife community, marking their full admission into the University.
The Harmattan Semester is scheduled to run for 13 weeks of lectures, followed by a revision week and examinations. This academic stretch will be rounded off with semester breaks, all concluding by March 2026. The Rain Semester is expected to commence on 30th March 2026, maintaining the rhythm of OAU’s two-semester system.
The Senate, in approving the calendar, emphasized that the timetable was carefully designed to ensure academic rigour while also considering student welfare. By adopting a structured yet flexible schedule, the University hopes to encourage intellectual engagement, innovation, and holistic development among its students.
Mr. Olarewaju, speaking further on behalf of the management, assured students, staff, and stakeholders of the institution’s commitment to excellence. He noted that OAU remains consistent in upholding its enviable reputation as a centre of academic distinction in Nigeria and beyond.
The Nigeria Education News notes that this development comes as both new and returning students eagerly prepare for the next phase of their academic journey. The Senate’s approval provides clarity after weeks of speculation regarding the resumption date for the 2024/2025 session.
For many incoming students, the phased resumption and structured orientation process will offer a smoother transition into University life. Returning students, meanwhile, will find reassurance in the stable and predictable calendar designed to avoid disruptions that have in the past affected academic timelines.
With the release of this calendar, OAU management looks forward to welcoming a new cohort of students into its historic institution while also supporting returning students in their academic pursuits. The University has, once again, demonstrated its dedication to planning and structure, ensuring that the 2024/2025 academic year proceeds with minimal interruptions and maximum productivity.
