Academic Calendar
As you review important dates throughout the semester, please review the correlating Refund Policy.
Fall 2024 Heading link
| Orientation for new JD students (day) | August 12–15 |
| Orientation for new JD students (evening) | August 12–16 |
| First day of regular classes (see Refund Policy) | August 26 |
| Labor Day (no classes) | September 2 |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses with tuition refund (see Refund Policy) | September 6 |
| Graduation application deadline | September 13 |
| Last day to late drop with approval and receive "W" grade on academic record (see Refund Policy) | November 1 |
| Spring registration | November 4 – November 8 |
| Last day of regular class | November 25 |
| Review sessions/reading period | November 26 – December 1 |
| Reading Day | November 27 |
| Thanksgiving Holiday | November 28–29 |
| Final exams | December 2 – December 13 |
| Commencement | December 14 (@ 9 a.m.) |
| No classes | December 13 – January 12 |
| Winter recess (administrative offices closed) | December 24 - January 2 |
| Instructor grading deadline* | Jan 1 (@ 5 p.m.) |
Spring 2025 Heading link
| Administrative offices open | January 2 |
| Orientation for new JD students | January 7–9 |
| First day of regular classes (see Refund Policy) | January 13 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no classes) | January 20 |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses with tuition refund (see Refund Policy) | January 24 |
| Graduation application deadline | January 31 |
| Last day to late drop with approval and receive "W" grade on academic record (see Refund Policy) | March 21 |
| Spring Break (no classes) | March 24–28 |
| Summer registration | March 31–April 4 |
| Fall registration | March 31–April 4 |
| Last day of regular classes | April 21 |
| Review sessions/reading period | April 22–25 |
| Final exams | April 28–May 9 |
| Commencement | May 11 (@ 3:30 p.m. CT) |
| Instructor grading deadline* | May 28 (@ 5 p.m. CT) |
Summer 2025 Heading link
| Accelerated Trial Advocacy (see Refund Policy) | May 19 |
| Last day to add/drop Accelerated Trial Advocacy with tuition refund (see Refund Policy) | May 21 |
| First day of Externships (see Refund Policy) | June 9 |
| First day of regular classes (see Refund Policy) | June 16 |
| Instructor grading deadline (Accelerated Trial Ad only)* | June 17 (@ 5 p.m. CT) |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses, including Externships, with tuition refund (see Refund Policy) | June 20 |
| Juneteenth Holiday (no classes) | June 19 |
| Independence Day Holiday (no classes) | July 4 |
| Last day to late drop with approval and receive "W" grade on academic record (see Refund Policy) | July 18 |
| Last day of regular classes | July 31 |
| Final exams | August 4-8 |
| Instructor grading deadline* | August 12 (@ 5 p.m. CT) |
Fall 2025 Heading link
| Orientation for new JD students (day) | August 11–15 |
| Orientation for new JD students (evening) | August 12–16 |
| Gap Week | |
| First day of regular classes (tuition and fees payment due) (Refund Policy) | August 25 |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses with tuition refund (Refund Policy) | |
| Labor Day (no classes) | September 5 |
| Graduation application deadline | September 12 |
| Last day to late drop with approval and receive "W" grade on academic record (see Refund Policy) | October 31 |
| Spring registration | November 3 – November 7 |
| Last day of regular class | November 24 |
| Review sessions/reading period | November 25 –28 |
| Reading Day | November 26 |
| Thanksgiving Holiday | November 27–28 |
| Final exams | December 1 – December 12 |
| Commencement | TBD |
| No classes | December 15 – January 9 |
| Winter recess (administrative offices closed) | TBD |
| Instructor grading deadline* | December 31 (@ 5 p.m.) |
Spring 2026 Heading link
| Administrative offices open | TBD |
| Orientation for new JD students | January 7–9 |
| First day of regular classes (see Refund Policy) | January 12 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no classes) | January 19 |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses with tuition refund (see Refund Policy) | January 23 |
| Graduation application deadline | January 30 |
| Last day to late drop with approval and receive "W" grade on academic record (see Refund Policy) | March 20 |
| Spring Break (no classes) | March 23–27 |
| Summer registration | March 30–April 3 |
| Fall registration | March 30–April 3 |
| Last day of regular classes | April 20 |
| Review sessions/reading period | April 21–24 |
| Final exams | April 27–May 8 |
| Commencement | TBD (@ 3:30 p.m. CT) |
| Instructor grading deadline* | May 20 (@ 5 p.m. CT) |
Summer 2026 Heading link
| Accelerated Trial Advocacy (see Refund Policy) | May 18 |
| Last day to add/drop Accelerated Trial Advocacy with tuition refund (see Refund Policy) | May 20 |
| Memorial Day Holiday (no classes) | May 25 |
| First day of Externships (see Refund Policy) | June 8 |
| First day of regular classes (tuition and fees payment due) (Refund Policy) | June 15 |
| Instructor grading deadline (Accelerated Trial Ad only)* | June 16 (@ 5 p.m. CT) |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses, including Externships, with tuition refund | June 19 |
| Juneteenth Holiday (no classes) | June 19 |
| Independence Day Holiday (no classes) | July 3 |
| Last day to late drop with approval and receive "W" grade on academic record (see Refund Policy) | July 17 |
| Last day of regular classes | July 30 |
| Final exams | August 3-7 |
| Instructor grading deadline* | August 11 (@ 5 p.m. CT) |
Calendar Heading link
Each fall and spring semester includes 13 weeks of instruction, a reading period, and 2 weeks of final examinations.
∗Although this is the instructor deadline, grades will not be visible to students for approximately two business days or more given necessary processing time and/or a holiday.