Ramadan and fasting while you study

Fasting away from family, with lectures, deadlines and possibly exams, is a very different experience from Ramadan at home. With planning, honest conversations and attention to your health, you can keep your fast and your studies on track.

Plan before the month begins

• Check the expected start date early. Ramadan moves earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar, so it may fall in term time, during exams or in a holiday. The NHS in North East London noted that Ramadan 2026 began on the evening of Tuesday 17 February.
• Fasting hours depend on where you are and the season. In countries far from the equator, the length of the day changes a lot over the year, so check a reliable local timetable from your local mosque or Islamic society.
• Look at your assessment calendar and mark any exams or deadlines that fall in Ramadan. Move your own work earlier where you can, so the heaviest weeks come before the month starts.
• Stock up on easy suhoor and iftar foods in the week before (see the Groceries and Meal Planning module) so you are not shopping while tired and hungry.

Health comes first

• If you have a long-term condition, speak to a doctor before you fast. NHS North East London advises people with diabetes who want to fast to speak to their GP or diabetes nurse first.
• Keep taking prescribed medicines, and ask your GP or pharmacist whether timings need to change (NHS North East London).
• If you are unsure whether you are exempt from fasting, ask a qualified scholar or your imam. The NHS page notes exemptions include people who are unwell or have a poorly controlled long-term condition.
• If you become unwell while fasting, NHS North East London says to consider breaking your fast to avoid harm. In the UK, use your pharmacy, your GP or NHS 111 for advice.
• This lesson does not give religious rulings. Questions about what is permitted, making up days later or alternatives belong with a qualified scholar or faith leader.

Eating and sleeping for focus

• At suhoor, the LSE's guidance suggests complex carbohydrates, protein, fruit, vegetables and plenty of water.
• Drink plenty of water between iftar and suhoor, and limit caffeinated drinks (NHS North East London).
• At iftar, eat a balanced meal and go easy on sugary, fatty and processed foods.
• Protect your sleep: an earlier bedtime, a short daytime nap if your timetable allows, and no late-night scrolling after suhoor.
• In hot weather, the LSE suggests staying indoors or in shade, limiting physical activity and resting where possible.

Exams during Ramadan

• Do not assume exams will move. The University of Hertfordshire says exam dates 'cannot normally be changed', and fasting alone is not normally grounds for an exceptional circumstances claim.
• A claim may be possible if fasting has significantly affected your health, or if a medical condition affects your ability to fast or study, with supporting evidence (Hertfordshire). The LSE also directs students whose observance significantly affects them to its exceptional circumstances process.
• Know your university's 'fit to sit' rule. At both the LSE and Hertfordshire, sitting an exam counts as declaring yourself fit, so make decisions before you walk in, not after.
• Ask about small practical arrangements. The LSE, for example, allows students observing Ramadan to bring unwrapped dates in a clear plastic bag into exams, along with clear water bottles. Rules differ, so check yours.
• Talk to the chaplaincy early. The LSE Faith Centre and Hertfordshire's chaplaincy both offer faith-related advice to fasting students.

Studying and living with others

• Schedule your most demanding study for the hours when you feel most alert, which for many people is the morning after a good suhoor.
• Tell your flatmates in advance that you may be in the kitchen very early and late at night, and agree how to keep noise down.
• Let your study group know your iftar time so meetings are not scheduled across it.
• Find company for iftar: Islamic societies and chaplaincies often hold community iftars, and the Cooking for Others and Hosting module covers hosting iftar yourself.
• Other faiths have fasts too. If a friend is fasting for a different tradition, the same kindness applies: ask what helps and do not tempt them with food.