Academic calendar
Primer Período 2026-2027 runs Sep 7, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Primer Período 2026-2027Relevant now
- Segundo Período 2026-2027
- Tercer Período 2026-2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 17 of 17 terms
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- ¿Qué bolá?
- The quintessential casual Cuban greeting used by students to ask 'What's up?' or 'How's it going?'
1
- 12 y Malecón
- The waterfront residence 'Capitán Mario Escalona' in Vedado, named after its street location.
A
- Alamar VI
- A student residence in the Alamar district, primarily for students in Tourism, Geography, and Design.
- Asere
- A very common Cuban greeting for a friend, equivalent to 'buddy' or 'mate'.
B
- Bahía
- A student residence located in the Reparto Bahía neighborhood of Habana del Este.
- Beca
- The general term used by students to refer to their campus housing or a student scholarship residence.
- Botella
- A ride shared with a driver; students often 'pedir botella' (hitchhike/carpool) to commute given transport shortages.
C
- CIM-UH
- Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, the marine research center which maintains field sites in Guanabo.
- Comedor Machado
- The main centralized dining hall near the Vedado campus used by students from multiple faculties.
E
- El Comedor
- General shorthand used by students when referring to the assigned meal facility at their specific 'beca' (residence).
F
- F y 3ra
- The 24-story tower 'Lázaro Cuevas' in Vedado, known simply by its intersection and housing many international students.
- FENHI
- Facultad de Español para No Hispanohablantes, the department specifically for international students learning Spanish.
- FEU
- Federación Estudiantil Universitaria, the highly influential and official university student federation.
J
- Jamar
- Informal slang for 'to eat,' commonly used when heading to the dining hall.
L
- La Guagua
- The city bus, which is the primary and often crowded method for students to reach various campus sites.
P
- Pincha
- Slang for work, referring both to study tasks and part-time jobs.
U
- UJC
- Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas, the prominent political youth organization on campus.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Aula Magna
- The grand ceremonial hall used for the university's most prestigious events and graduations.
- Carné
- The mandatory student ID card required for campus entry, library access, and student-rate transportation.
- Curso Diurno
- The standard full-time daytime track for undergraduate students.
- Curso por Encuentro
- The part-time or flexible learning modality designed for working students.
- Edificio Poey
- The building housing the Faculty of Biology and the Museum of Natural History.
- Edificio Varona
- The main humanities building on the hill, home to the Faculty of Philosophy, History, and Sociology.
- Escalinata
- The iconic 88-step grand staircase that serves as the ceremonial entrance to the university.
- La Colina
- The central campus site in Vedado, elevated on a hill and used as a synecdoche for the university itself.
- P1/P2/P4
- Specific high-capacity bus routes (Metrobus) that are vital for students commuting across Havana to the university.
- Quinta de los Molinos
- A historic botanical garden and university site housing science-related facilities near the main campus.
- residencia_estudiantil_dining_services
- Residencia Estudiantil Dining Services
- Subir la Escalinata
- The traditional act of climbing the main university stairs, often done as a symbolic ritual during the first day of classes.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Primer Período 2026-2027 runs Sep 7, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 17 approved campus terms and 12 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.