Establishment of the academic calendar for the University of Wisconsin-Madison falls within the authority of the faculty as set forth in Faculty Policies and Procedures. Construction of the academic calendar is subject to various rules and guidelines prescribed by the Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate, and State of Wisconsin legislation. For additional dates and deadlines for students, see the Office of the Registrar’s pages.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
How to Add the Academic Calendar & Religious Observances Outlook Calendar
Within Outlook, click Calendar.
Next, click the Home tab.
In the Manage Calendars group, click Open Calendar.
Select Open Shared Calendar… from within the drop-down menu.
Type SoF Academic Calendar & Religious Observances in the Name box, or click Name to select it from the Global Address Book. This does not search against your personal contact list.
For more detail and related links, See the Office 365 KB article on Accessing Another User’s Calendar
- 2021-2022
- 2022-2023
- 2023-2024
- 2024-2025
- 2025-2026
- 2026-2027
- Religious Observances
- Print versions and historical data
- Contact
- Commencement information
- Final exams/submitting grades
Faculty contract year begins | Aug 23 2021 (Monday) |
Fall semester instruction begins | Sep 8, 2021 (Wednesday) |
Labor Day | Sep 6, 2021 (Monday) |
Thanksgiving recess | Nov 25-Nov 28, 2021 |
Last class day | Dec 15, 2021 (Wednesday) |
Study day | Dec 16, 2021 (Thursday) |
Exams | Dec 17 (Friday)-Dec 23 (Thursday), 2021 |
Commencement (no exams) | Dec 19, 2021 (Sunday) |
Grading deadline | Dec 26, 2021 (Sunday) |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Jan 17, 2022 (Monday) |
Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 25, 2022 (Tuesday) |
Spring recess | Mar 12-Mar 20, 2022 |
Classes resume | Mar 21, 2022 (Monday) |
Last class day | May 6, 2022 (Friday) |
Study day | May 7, 2022 (Saturday) |
Exams | May 8 (Sunday)-May 13 (Friday) 2022 |
Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 13, 2022 (Friday) |
Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 14, 2022 (Saturday) |
Grading deadline | May 16, 2022 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year ends | May 22, 2022 (Sunday) |
4-week session | May 23-Jun 17, 2022 |
3-week summer session |
May 31-Jun 17, 2022 |
Memorial Day observed | May 30, 2022 (Monday) |
8-week summer session |
Jun 20-Aug 12 2022 |
Independence Day observed | July 4, 2022 (Monday) |
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | August 15, 2022 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year begins | Aug 22, 2022 (Monday) |
Fall semester instruction begins | Sep 7, 2022 (Wednesday) |
Labor Day | Sep 5, 2022 (Monday) |
Thanksgiving recess | Nov 24-Nov 27, 2022 |
Last class day | Dec 14, 2022 (Wednesday) |
Study day | Dec 15, 2022 (Thursday) |
Exams | Dec 16 (Friday)-Dec 22 (Thursday), 2022 |
Commencement (no exams) | Dec 18, 2022 (Sunday) |
Grading deadline | Dec. 25, 2022 (Sunday) |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Jan 16, 2023 (Monday) |
Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 24, 2023 (Tuesday) |
Spring recess | Mar 11-Mar 19, 2023 |
Classes resume | Mar 20, 2023 (Monday) |
Last class day | May 5, 2023 (Friday) |
Study day | May 6, 2023 (Saturday) |
Exams | May 7 (Sunday)-May 12 (Friday) 2023 |
Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 12, 2023 (Friday) |
Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 13, 2023 (Saturday) |
Grading deadline | May 15, 2023 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year ends | May 21, 2023 (Sunday) |
4-week session | May 22-Jun 16, 2023 |
3-week summer session |
May 30-Jun 16, 2023 |
Memorial Day observed | May 29, 2023 (Monday) |
8-week summer session |
Jun 19-Aug 11, 2023 |
Independence Day observed | Jul 4, 2023 (Tuesday) |
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 14, 2023 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year begins | Aug 21, 2023 (Monday) |
Fall semester instruction begins | Sep 6, 2023 (Wednesday) |
Labor Day | Sep 4, 2023 (Monday) |
Thanksgiving recess | Nov 23-Nov 26, 2023 |
Last class day | Dec 13, 2023 (Wednesday) |
Study day | Dec 14, 2023 (Thursday) |
Exams | Dec 15 (Friday)-Dec 21 (Thursday), 2023 |
Commencement (no exams) | Dec 17, 2023 (Sunday) |
Grading deadline | Dec 24, 2023 (Sunday) |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Jan 15, 2024 (Monday) |
Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 23, 2024 (Tuesday) |
Spring recess | Mar 23-Mar 31, 2024 |
Classes resume | Apr 1, 2024 (Monday) |
Last class day | May 3, 2024 (Friday) |
Study day | May 4, 2024 (Saturday) |
Exams | May 5 (Sunday)-May 10 (Friday) 2024 |
Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 10, 2024 (Friday) |
Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 11, 2024 (Saturday) |
Grading deadline | May 13, 2024 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year ends | May 19, 2024 (Sunday) |
4-week session | May 20-Jun 14, 2024 |
3-week summer session |
May 28-Jun 14, 2024 |
Memorial Day observed | May 27, 2024 (Monday) |
8-week summer session |
Jun 17-Aug 9, 2024 |
Independence Day observed | Jul 4, 2024 (Thursday) |
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 12, 2024 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year begins | Aug 19, 2024 (Monday) |
Fall semester instruction begins | Sep 4, 2024 (Wednesday) |
Labor Day | Sep 2, 2024 (Monday) |
Thanksgiving recess | Nov 28-Dec 1, 2024 |
Last class day | Dec 11, 2024 (Wednesday) |
Study day | Dec 12, 2024 (Thursday) |
Exams | Dec 13 (Friday)-Dec 19 (Thursday), 2024 |
Commencement (no exams) | Dec 15, 2024 (Sunday) |
Grading deadline | Dec 22, 2024 (Sunday) |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Jan 20, 2025 (Monday) |
Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 21, 2025 (Tuesday) |
Spring recess | Mar 15-Mar 23, 2025 |
Classes resume | Mar 24, 2025 (Monday) |
Last class day | May 2, 2025 (Friday) |
Study day | May 3, 2025 (Saturday) |
Exams | May 4 (Sunday)-May 9 (Friday) 2025 |
Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 9, 2025 (Friday) |
Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 10, 2025 (Saturday) |
Grading deadline | May 12, 2025 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year ends | May 18, 2025 (Sunday) |
4-week session | May 19-Jun 13, 2025 |
3-week summer session |
May 27-Jun 13, 2025 |
Memorial Day observed | May 26, 2025 (Monday) |
8-week summer session |
Jun 16-Aug 8, 2025 |
Independence Day observed | Jul 4, 2025 (F) |
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 11, 2025 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year begins | Aug 18, 2025 (Monday) |
Fall semester instruction begins | Sep 3, 2025 (Wednesday) |
Labor Day | Sep 1, 2025 (Monday) |
Thanksgiving recess | Nov 27-Nov 30, 2025 |
Last class day | Dec 10, 2025 (Wednesday) |
Study day | Dec 11, 2025 (Thursday) |
Exams | Dec 12 (Friday)-Dec 18 (Thursday), 2025 |
Commencement (no exams) | Dec 14, 2025 (Sunday) |
Grading deadline | Dec 21, 2025 (Sunday) |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Jan 19, 2026 (Monday) |
Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday) |
Spring recess | Mar 28-Apr 5, 2026 |
Classes resume | Apr 6, 2026 (Monday) |
Last class day | May 1, 2026 (Friday) |
Study day | May 2, 2026 (Saturday) |
Exams | May 3 (Sunday)-May 8 (Friday) 2026 |
Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 8, 2026 (Friday) |
Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 9, 2026 (Saturday) |
Grading deadline | May 11, 2026 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year ends | May 17, 2026 (Sunda) |
4-week session | May 18-Jun 12, 2026 |
3-week summer session |
May 26-Jun 12, 2026 |
Memorial Day observed | May 25, 2026 (Monday) |
8-week summer session |
Jun 15-Aug 7, 2026 |
Independence Day observed | Jul 4, 2026 (Saturday) |
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 10, 2026 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year begins | Aug 17, 2026 (Monday) |
Fall semester instruction begins | Sep 2, 2026 (Wednesday) |
Labor Day | Sep 7, 2026 (Monday) |
Thanksgiving recess | Nov 26-Nov 29, 2026 |
Last class day | Dec 9, 2026 (Wednesday) |
Study day | Dec 10, 2026 (Thursday) |
Exams | Dec 11 (Friday)-Dec 17 (Thursday), 2026 |
Commencement (no exams) | Dec 13, 2026 (Sunday) |
Grading deadline | Dec 20, 2026 (Sunday) |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Jan 18, 2027 (Monday) |
Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 19, 2027 (Tuesday) |
Spring recess | Mar 20-Mar 28, 2027 |
Classes resume | Mar 29, 2027 (Monday) |
Last class day | Apr 30, 2027 (Friday) |
Study day | May 1, 2027 (Saturday) |
Exams | May 2 (Sunday)-May 7 (Friday) 2027 |
Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 7, 2027 (Friday) |
Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 8, 2027 (Saturday) |
Grading deadline | May 10, 2027 (Monday) |
Faculty contract year ends | May 16, 2027 (Sunday) |
4-week session | May 17-Jun 11, 2027 |
3-week summer session |
May 24-Jun 11, 2027 |
Memorial Day observed | May 31, 2027 (Monday) |
8-week summer session |
Jun 14-Aug 6, 2027 |
Independence Day observed | Jul 5, 2027 (Monday) |
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 9, 2027 (Monday) |
May 5, 2022
TO: Deans, Directors, Faculty, and Instructional Academic Staff
CC: Facilities and Administrative Unit Directors, Teaching Assistants
FROM: John Karl Scholz, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Lori Reesor, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Faculty
RE: Religious and Election Day Observances
We write to remind you of UW-Madison’s religious observances policy and to highlight faculty legislation regarding Election Day observances. State law mandates that any student with a conflict between an academic requirement and any religious observance must be given an alternative for meeting the academic requirement. A student’s claim of a religious conflict, which may include travel time, should be accepted at face value. There is no practical, dignified, or legal means to assess individual claims.
As you finalize your summer term syllabi, we encourage you whenever possible to avoid scheduling conflicts between examinations or other major course activities and religious observances. Please indicate in your syllabus and announce to your students that when conflicts do arise, you and your teaching assistants will follow UW-Madison policy and provide accommodations.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Election observances: Students must inform instructors at least two weeks prior to Election Day about their commitment as election officials. Students will not receive a grade deduction for not attending class, and instructors will attempt to keep election days free of major assignments. Guidelines 2 and 3 listed below for religious observances are also applicable to election observances.
Please provide flexibility to students reporting they may be tardy or absent the day of an election due to waiting to vote at the polls.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
The following guidelines are intended to provide clarity for both students and instructors:
- Announce to students early in the semester that they must notify you within the first two weeks of class which dates they request relief due to a religious observation or election official responsibility. Include this information on your course syllabus by referring to the policy or using the recommended course syllabus template (teachlearn.provost.wisc.edu/course-syllabi/), where a link to the religious observances policy is included.
- Make-ups may be scheduled before or after the regularly scheduled requirements.
- Instructors may set reasonable limits on the total number of days claimed by any student. Occasionally, students may not fully understand the necessity for prior notice, and under these circumstances we urge you to be as flexible as possible. Our policy is meant to be sensitive to the needs of individual students.
- Please refer to the following calendar for a listing, though not exhaustive, of religious observances, election days and cultural observances. Note that some religions mark observances over multiple days, which may begin at sunset on the day preceding the posted date(s) of the holiday. The list should not be taken as an indication of what occasions merit accommodation but as a base for understanding potential scheduling conflicts.
This calendar is also available online at secfac.wisc.edu/academic-calendar and as a shared Outlook calendar named “SoF Academic Calendar & Religious Observances.”
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Faculty, 608-262-3958, sof@secfac.wisc.edu
John Zumbrunnen, Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, 608-262-5701, zumbrunnen@wisc.edu
Christina Olstad, Dean of Students, 608-262-1451, dean@studentlife.wisc.edu
CALENDAR FOR SUMMER SEMESTER 2022
Faculty contract year ends | 22 May (Sun) |
4-week summer session begins | 23 May (Mon) |
Declaration of the Báb (Baha’i) | 23 May (Mon) |
Western Ascension Day (Christian) | 26 May (Thu) |
Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) | 29 May (Sun) |
Memorial Day observed | 30 May (Mon) |
3-week summer session begins | 31 May (Tue) |
Eastern Orthodox Ascension Day | 2 June (Thu) |
Shavuot (Jewish) | 4-6 June (Sat-Mon)* |
Pentecost Sunday (Christian) | 5 June (Sun) |
3-week and 4-week summer sessions end | 17 June (Fri) |
8-week summer session begins | 20 June (Mon) |
Juneteenth | 19 June (Sun) |
Independence Day observed | 4 July (Mon) |
Eid al-Adha (Islamic) | 9-10 July (Mon-Fri)** |
Asalha Puja (Buddhist) | 13 July (Wed) |
Awal Muharram (Islamic) | 29-30 July (Fri-Sat)** |
Tisha B’av (Jewish) | 5-6 August (Friday-Sat)* |
Election day | 9 August (Tue) |
8-week summer session ends | 12 August (Fri) |
Obon (Japanese, Buddhist) | 13-15 August (Sat-Mon) |
Assumption (Christian) | 15 August (Mon) |
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu) | 18-19 August (Thu-Fri) |
Faculty contract year begins | 22 August (Mon) |
Summer 2022 Key Deadlines: registrar.wisc.edu/dates
Please contact the Office of the Registrar for the Apply to Graduate deadline.
* Observances of Jewish holidays begin at sunset on the day preceding that which is listed as the holiday.
** Islamic holidays are based on the lunar cycle, and dates may vary by one day from those listed.
Calendar 2021-2026 (Fac doc 2795, Feb 2019) (PDF)
2021-2026 Academic Calendar TR-MWF
Jane Richard
Office of the Secretary of the Faculty
University of Wisconsin – Madison
129 Bascom Hall
500 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1380
jane.richard@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3958
For questions about commencement, see: commencement.wisc.edu/
or email your questions to: commence@chancellor.wisc.edu
Apply to graduate deadline for Fall 2021: Friday, November 5
Apply to graduate deadline for Spring 2022: Friday, April 1
Final grades are due to the Office of the Registrar 72 hours after the last final exam day, regardless of whether or not a two-hour summary block exam was held. This is the deadline approved by the Faculty Senate.. For questions about final exams or submitting grades, please see the Office of the Registrar’s pages.