Reading's academic year consists of three trimesters allowing students to participate in:
-Fall
-Winter
-back-to-back terms (Fall and Winter, or Winter and Spring)
-Academic Year (Fall, Winter and Spring)

Students cannot enroll in only the Spring term due to the academic structure of the University of Reading.

Students take classes with local students. (Additional charges or admission requirements may apply for some courses.) Please inquire at the ISA office for more details. The University of Reading will host an orientation upon arrival during the fall term and pre-trip and on-site academic advising will be offered.

Prospective study abroad students may not be able to identify easily the precise level at which to study; in general, study abroad students follow mainly second-year courses, with the addition of some first- and third-year work in appropriate cases.

Students should be flexible regarding their classes and should be prepared to leave final decisions about which courses you follow until arrival at Reading.