Disclosed is an ultraviolet absorbing glass for fluorescent lamps which is composed of a borosilicate glass containing, in mass %, 60 to 80% of SiO.sub.2, 1 to 7% of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 10 to 25% of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 3 to 15% of Li.sub.2O+Na.sub.2O+K.sub.2O, 0 to 5% of CaO+MgO+BaO+SrO+ZnO, 0.001 to 0.05% of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, 0.1 to 5% of CeO.sub.2, 0.01 to 5% of SnO+SnO.sub.2 and 0.01 to 5% of ZrO.sub.2+ZnO+Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, and having an average linear expansion coefficient in a range of 36 to 57.times.10.sup.-7/.degree. C. at 0 to 300.degree. C. defined in JIS R 3102.