Academic Calendar
Introduction
As you review important dates throughout the semester, please review the correlating Refund Policy.
Spring 2026
| Administrative offices open | January 2 |
| First day of regular classes (tuition and fees payment due) (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 | May 9 (@ 4 p.m. CT) |
| Instructor grading deadline* | May 26 (@ 5 p.m. CT) |
Summer 2026
| 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) |
| Juneteenth Holiday (no classes) | June 19 |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses, including Externships, with tuition refund | June 22 |
| 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) |
Fall 2026
| Orientation for new JD students (day) | Week of August 10 |
| Orientation for new JD students (evening) | Week of August 10 |
| Gap Week | August 17 - August 21 |
| First day of regular classes (tuition and fees payment due) (Refund Policy) | August 24 |
| Last day to add/drop individual courses with tuition refund (Refund Policy) | September 4 |
| Labor Day (no classes) | September 7 |
| Graduation application deadline | September 11 |
| Last day to late drop with approval and receive "W" grade on academic record (Refund Policy) | October 30 |
| Spring registration | Week of November 2 |
| Last day of regular classes | November 23 |
| Review sessions/reading period | November 23 - November 27 |
| Reading Day | November 25 |
| Thanksgiving Holiday (no classes) | November 26 |
| Final exams | November 30 - December 11 |
| Commencement | TBD |
| No classes | December 14 - January 10 |
| Winter recess (administrative offices closed) | TBD |
| Instructor grading deadline (5:00 p.m. CT) | December 29 |
Calendar
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.