The academic calendar of Washington University in St. Louis is designed to provide an optimal amount of classroom instruction and examination within a manageable time frame, facilitating our educational mission to promote learning among both students and faculty. The dates listed here are the outline of the standard semester calendar, applicable to traditional undergraduate and many graduate programs. Certain schools or programs may have varying calendars due to the nature of particular fields of study. Please refer to the Office of the University Registrar's website for more information.
Fall Semester 2025
Date/Day/Description
| Date |
Day |
Description |
| August 25 |
Monday |
First day of classes |
| September 1 |
Monday |
Labor Day (no classes) |
| October 4-7 |
Saturday-Tuesday |
Fall Break (no classes) |
| November 26-November 30 |
Wednesday-Sunday |
Thanksgiving Break (no classes) |
| December 5 |
Friday |
Last day of classes |
| December 8-10 |
Monday-Wednesday |
Reading days |
| December 11-17 |
Thursday-Wednesday |
Final exams |
Spring Semester 2026
Date/Day/Description
| Date |
Day |
Description |
| January 12 |
Monday |
First day of classes |
| January 19 |
Monday |
Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (no classes) |
| March 8-15 |
Sunday-Sunday |
Spring Break (no classes) |
| April 24 |
Friday |
Last day of classes |
| April 27-29 |
Monday-Wednesday |
Reading days |
| April 30-May 6 |
Thursday-Wednesday |
Final exams |
Commencement
Date/Day/Description
| Date |
Day |
Description |
| May 15 |
Friday |
Class of 2026 Commencement |
Summer Semester 2026
Date/Day/Description
| Date |
Day |
Description |
| May 18 |
Monday |
First Summer Session begins |
| May 25 |
Monday |
Memorial Day (no classes) |
| July 3 |
Friday |
Independence Day (no classes) |
| August 13 |
Thursday |
Last Summer Session ends |
Washington University recognizes the individual student’s choice in observing religious holidays (PDF). Students are encouraged to make arrangements with instructors to complete work missed due to religious observance. Instructors are asked to make every reasonable effort to accommodate such requests.