Academic Calendar

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 summer session May 20-Jun 16, 2024
3-week summer session
May 28-Jun 16, 2024
Memorial Day observed May 27, 2024 (Monday)
8-week summer session
Jun 17-Aug 11, 2024
Independence Day observed Jul 4, 2024 (Thursday)
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) Aug 14, 2024 (Wednesday)
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 22-Mar 30, 2025*
Classes resume Mar 31, 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 summer session May 19-Jun 15, 2025
3-week summer session
May 27-Jun 15, 2025
Memorial Day observed May 26, 2025 (Monday)
8-week summer session
Jun 16-Aug 10, 2025
Independence Day observed Jul 4, 2025 (F)
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) Aug 13, 2025 (Wednesday)

*Dates updated as a result to a change in spring recess scheduling parameters, per Faculty Senate document 3132 (February 2024)

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 summer session May 18-Jun 14, 2026
3-week summer session
May 26-Jun 14, 2026
Memorial Day observed May 25, 2026 (Monday)
8-week summer session
Jun 15-Aug 9, 2026
Independence Day observed Jul 4, 2026 (Saturday)
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) Aug 12, 2026 (Wednesday)
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 summer session May 17-Jun 13, 2027
3-week summer session
May 24-Jun 13, 2027
Memorial Day observed May 31, 2027 (Monday)
8-week summer session
Jun 14-Aug 8, 2027
Independence Day observed Jul 4, 2027 (Sunday)
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) Aug 11, 2027 (Wednesday)
Faculty contract year begins Aug 23, 2027 (Monday)
Labor Day Sep 6, 2027 (Monday)
Fall semester instruction begins Sep 8, 2027 (Wednesday)
Thanksgiving recess Nov 25 (Thursday)-Nov 28 (Sunday), 2027
Last class day Dec 15, 2027 (Wednesday)
Study day Dec 16, 2027 (Thursday)
Exams Dec 17 (Friday)-Dec 23 (Thursday), 2027
Commencement (no exams) Dec 19, 2027 (Sunday)
Grading deadline Dec 26, 2027 (Sunday)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Jan 17, 2028 (Monday)
Spring semester instruction begins Jan 25, 2028 (Tuesday)
Spring recess Mar 25 (Saturday)-April 2 (Sunday), 2028*
Classes resume April 3, 2028 (Monday)*
Last class day May 5, 2028 (Friday)
Study day May 6, 2028 (Saturday)
Exams May 7 (Sunday)-May 12 (Friday), 2028
Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional May 12, 2028 (Friday)
Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law May 13, 2028 (Saturday)
Grading deadline May 15, 2028 (Monday)
Faculty contract year ends May 21, 2028 (Sunday)
4-week summer session May 22 (Monday)-Jun 18 (Sunday), 2028
Memorial Day (observed)
May 29, 2028 (Monday)
3-week summer session May 30 (Tuesday)-Jun 18 (Sunday), 2028
8-week summer session
Jun 19 (Monday)-Aug 13 (Sunday), 2028
Independence Day observed Jul 4, 2028 (Tuesday)
Grading deadline (8-week summer session) Aug 16, 2028 (Wednesday)

*Dates updated as a result to a change in spring recess scheduling parameters, per Faculty Senate document 3132 (February 2024)

January 12, 2024

TO:          Deans, Directors, Faculty, and Instructional Academic Staff
CC:          Facilities and Administrative Unit Directors, Teaching Assistants
FROM:   Charles Isbell, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Lori Reesor, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Faculty
RE:          Religious Observances Policy and Guidelines

We write to remind you of UW–Madison’s religious observances policy. Our policy is meant to be sensitive to the needs of individual students. As you finalize your syllabi for the upcoming term and head into the semester, please review these guidelines:

Religious Observances

State law mandates that any student with a conflict between an academic requirement and any religious observance (including travel time) must be given an alternative for meeting the academic requirement. There are a variety of valid claims, and there is no practical, dignified, or legal means to assess individual claims.

With this in mind, please:

  • Proactively plan ahead to avoid conflicts between examinations or major course activities and religious observances when possible. You can use this calendar (scroll to the end of the message on the page) to assist in your planning. You can also add religious observances to your Outlook calendar.
  • Communicate with your students early (g., mention in your course syllabi and class announcements), and highlight your shared responsibilities. Even as we ask you to plan ahead, students are responsible for notifying instructors within the first two weeks of classes of the date(s) when they request relief due to a religious observance.
  • Accept students’ requests at face value.
  • Be prepared to offer students alternative pathways to fulfill course requirements (including class attendance) in cases where conflicts cannot be avoided.

Putting policy into practice – The attachment has further explanation and guidance on putting these policy requirements into practice.

Election Day Observances

Similarly (while not legally required), we ask that instructors please follow these guidelines regarding election day observances:

  • Proactively plan ahead to avoid conflicts between examinations or other major course activities and election days when possible.
  • Communicate with your students early (e.g., mention in your course syllabi and class announcements) and highlight the shared responsibility – students are responsible for notifying instructors at least two weeks prior to an election day about their commitment to work as an election official and thus their need to miss class.
  • Be prepared to offer students alternative pathways to fulfill course requirements (including class attendance) in cases where conflicts can’t be avoided.

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
Ulrich Rosenhagen, Director of the Center for Interfaith Dialogue, 608-890-1665, rosenhagen@wisc.edu

CALENDAR FOR SPRING SEMESTER 2024

The list does not include all possible religious observances and cultural observances that may be requested by students, but rather should be used as a guide for understanding potential scheduling conflicts for major religious observances that may be observed by a number of students in your class.

Martin Luther King Jr Day 15 January (Mon)
Last day to cancel enrollment without transcript record 22 January (Mon)
Instruction begins 23 January (Tue)
Last day to cancel spring enrollment and have no spring transcript record 31 January (Wed)
Last day for 100% tuition adjustment on dropped class 2 February (Fri)
Lunar New Year (East Asia) 10 February (Sat) ***
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
14 February (Wed)
Nirvana (Parinirvana) Day (Buddhist) 15 February (Thu)
Election Day 20 February (Tues)
Magha Puja Day (Buddhist) (dates vary by region) 24 or 26 February (Sat or Mon)
Maha Shivaratri (Hindu) (dates may vary) 8 March (Fri)
Ramadan (Islamic) 10 or 11 March- 9 or 10 April**
Naw Ruz (Zoroastrian/Persian and Baha’i) 21 March (Thurs)
Spring recess 23-31 March (Sat-Sun)
Purim (Jewish) 24 March (Sun)*
Holi (Hindu) (dates may vary) 25 March (Mon)
Hola Mohalla (Sikh) 25-27 March (Mon-Wed)
Good Friday (Christian) 29 March (Fri)
Easter (Christian) 31 March (Sun)
Classes resume 1 April (Mon)
Enrollment for summer term begins 1 April (Mon)
Election Day 2 April (Tues)
Enrollment for fall term begins 8 April (Mon)
Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) (Islamic) 9 or 10 April (Tue or Wed)**
New Year (South and Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka)c 13-15 April (Sat-Mon)***
Vaisakhi (Sikh) 13 April (Sat)
Last day to withdraw from Spring term (undergraduate students) 19 April (Fri)
Ridvan (Baha’i) 19-30 April (Fri-Tues)
Mahavir Jayanti (Jainism) (date may vary) 21 April (Sun)
Passover (Pesach) (Jewish) 23-30 April (Tue-Tue)*
Beltane (Interfaith) 1 May (Wed)
Last day to withdraw from Spring term (graduate students) 3 May (Fri)
Last class day 3 May (Fri)
Good Friday (Orthodox Christian) 3 May (Fri)
Study day 4 May (Sat)
Easter (Orthodox Christian) 5 May (Sun)
Exam (summary) period 5-10 May (Sun-Fri)
Ascension Day (Christian) 9 May (Thu)
Commencement ceremony: doctoral and MFA candidates 10 May (Fri)****
Commencement ceremony: undergraduate and master’s degree candidates 11 May (Sat)****

Spring 2024 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.
**            Observances of Islamic holidays begin at sunset on the day preceding that which is listed as the holiday. The dates of Ramadan are based on the lunar cycle, and may vary by one day.
***          New Year’s or Lunar New Year’s celebrations take place in many countries during these periods; exact days of observance may vary. These dates are of religious and cultural significance to many Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and others.
****        The official date of degree conferral on the diploma will be 12 May 2024.

 

 

Julie Scharm
Deputy Secretary of the Faculty
University of Wisconsin-Madison
129 Bascom Hall
500 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI  53706-1380

julie.scharm@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3958

For questions about commencement, see: commencement.wisc.edu/
or email your questions to: commence@chancellor.wisc.edu

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.