Calendars
Key dates and deadlines for Harvard College, Harvard Griffin GSAS, and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).
What's on this page?
Who is this for?
Students, staff and faculty
Academic Calendar - Detailed Upcoming Events
Detailed calendar for the current academic year events from today going forward. There is an option on each calendar to print the whole academic year as a list.
Dates can be subject to change.
See the FAS Multi-Year calendar below for a less detailed calendar.
Academic Calendar - Detailed Past Events
Calendar events that have already occurred in the last year.
You are viewing Harvard College academic dates and deadlines that have already passed.
Clicking on individual events will open the event in a new browser window with no enabled browser back arrow.
You are viewing GSAS academic dates and deadlines that have already passed.
Clicking on individual events will open the event in a new browser window with no enabled browser back arrow.
You are viewing TAP academic dates and deadlines that have already passed.
Clicking on individual events will open the event in a new browser window with no enabled browser back arrow.
FAS Multi-Year Academic Calendar - Major Events
Multi-year calendar for major events occurring last year, this year and two years ahead.
FALL SEMESTER EVENTS FOR COLLEGE AND HARVARD GRIFFIN GSAS
Tentative Dates: Please note that all dates below are tentative and subject to change.
Note: The start of term for continuing Harvard Griffin GSAS students is July 1st.
| Event | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Check-In Deadline for All Students | Sept. 2 (Tu) | Sept. 2 (W) | Sept. 1 (W) | Sept. 5 (Tu) |
Course Registration begins (enroll in courses) | Returning: Apr. 2 (W) Incoming: Aug. 12 (Tu) | Returning: Apr. 1 (W) Incoming: HCOL - Aug. 11 (Tu), GSAS - Aug. 17 (M) | Returning: Apr. 7 (W) Incoming: HCOL - Aug. 10 (Tu), GSAS - Aug. 16 (M) | Returning: Apr. 5 (W) Incoming: TBD |
Course Registration Deadline (For minimum course enrollment - 8 credits.) | Returning: Apr. 16 (W) Incoming: Aug. 14 (Th) | Returning: Apr. 15 (W) Incoming: HCOL - Aug. 13 (Th), GSAS - Aug. 28 (F) | Returning: Apr. 21 (W) Incoming: HCOL - Aug. 12 (Th), GSAS Aug. 27 (F) | Returning: Apr. 19 (W) Incoming: TBD |
Academic Year Begins - First meeting of fall term classes. | Sept. 2 (Tu) | Sept. 2 (W *) | Sept. 1 (W *) | Sept. 5 (Tu) |
University Holiday: Labor Day | Sept. 1 (M) | Sept. 7 (M) | Sept. 6 (M) | Sept. 4 (M) |
University Holiday: Indigenous People's Day (City of Cambridge) | Oct. 13 (M) | Oct. 12 (M) | Oct. 11 (M) | Oct. 10 (M) |
Veteran's Day - Classes are held | Nov. 11 (Tu) | Nov. 11 (W) | Nov. 11 (Th) | Nov. 10 (Fr) |
University Holiday: Thanksgiving Recess Begins | Nov. 26 (W) | Nov. 25 (W) | Nov. 24 (W) | Nov. 22 (W) |
University Holiday: Thanksgiving Recess Ends | Nov. 30 (Su) | Nov. 29 (Su) | Nov. 28 (Su) | Nov. 26 (Su) |
Last Day of Fall Term Classes | Dec. 3 (W) | Dec. 4 (F) | Dec. 2 (Th) | Dec. 5 (Tu) |
Fall Reading Period Begins | Dec. 4 (Th) | Dec. 5 (Sa) | Dec. 3 (F) | Dec. 6 (W) |
Fall Reading Period Ends | Dec. 9 (Tu) | Dec. 9 (W) | Dec. 8 (W) | Dec. 10 (Su) |
Fall Term Final Examinations Begin | Dec. 10 (W) | Dec. 10 (Th) | Dec. 9 (Th) | Dec. 11 (M) |
Fall Term Final Examinations End | Dec. 19 (F) | Dec. 19 (Sa) | Dec. 18 (Sa) | Dec. 20 (We) |
* For start of classes on a Wednesday indicates classes will follow a Monday Schedule.
HARVARD COLLEGE WINTER
Tentative Dates: Please note that all dates below are tentative and subject to change.
| Event | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Winter Recess Begins | Dec. 20 (Sa) | Dec. 20 (Su) | Dec. 19 (Su) | Dec. 21 (Th) |
Limited Opening for Pre-Approved Students | Jan. 2 (F) | Jan. 2 (Sa) | Jan. 2 (Su) | Jan. 2 (Tu) |
Wintersession Begins for Undergraduates Choosing to Return | Jan. 16 (F) | Jan. 15 (F) | Jan. 14 (F) | Jan. 12 (F) |
Wintersession Ends for Undergraduates | Jan. 25 (Su) | Jan. 24 (Su) | Jan. 23 (Su) | Jan. 21 (Su) |
Winter Recess Ends | Jan. 25 (Su) | Jan. 24 (Su) | Jan. 23 (Su) | Jan. 21 (Su) |
HARVARD GRIFFIN GSAS WINTER
Tentative Dates: Please note that all dates below are tentative and subject to change.
| Event | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Winter Recess Begins | Dec. 20 (Sa) | Dec. 20 (Su) | Dec. 19 (Su) | Dec. 21 (Th) |
Winter Recess Ends | Jan. 2 (F) | Jan. 4 (M) | Jan. 4 (Tu) | Jan. 2 (Tu) |
January@HarvardGriffinGSAS Begins | Jan. 12 (M) | Jan. 11 (M) | Jan. 10 (M) | Jan. 8 (M) |
January@HarvardGriffinGSAS Ends | Jan. 23 (F) | Jan. 22 (F) | Jan. 21 (F) | Jan. 19 (F) |
SPRING SEMESTER EVENTS FOR COLLEGE AND HARVARD GRIFFIN GSAS
Tentative Dates: Please note that all dates below are tentative and subject to change.
| Event | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Check-In Deadline for All Students | Jan. 26 (M) | Jan. 25 (M) | Jan. 24 (M) | Jan. 22 (M) |
Course Registration begins (enroll in courses) | Nov. 5, 2025 (W) | Nov. 4, 2026 (W) | Nov. 3, 2027 (W) | Nov. 1, 2028 (W) |
University Holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Jan. 19 (M) | Jan. 18 (M) | Jan. 17 (M) | Jan. 15 (M) |
Course Registration Deadline (For minimum course enrollment - 8 credits.) | Nov. 19, 2025 (W) | Nov. 18, 2026 (W) | Nov. 17, 2027 (W) | Nov. 15, 2028 (W) |
Spring Term Begins - First meeting of spring term classes. | Jan. 26 (M) | Jan. 25 (M) | Jan. 24 (M) | Jan. 22 (M) |
University Holiday: President's Day | Feb. 16 (M) | Feb. 15 (M) | Feb. 21 (M) | Feb. 19 (M) |
Spring Recess Begins | Mar. 14 (Sa) | Mar. 13 (Sa) | Mar. 11 (Sa) | Mar. 10 (Sa) |
Spring Recess Ends | Mar. 22 (Su) | Mar. 21 (Su) | Mar. 19 (Su) | Mar. 18 (Su) |
Last Day Spring Classes | Apr. 29 (W) | Apr. 28 (W) | Apr. 26 (W) | Apr. 25 (W) |
Reading Period Begins | Apr. 30 (Th) | Apr. 29 (Th) | Apr. 27 (Th) | Apr. 26 (Th) |
Reading Period Ends | May 6 (W) | May 5 (W) | May 3 (W) | May 2 (W) |
Spring Term Final Examinations Begin | May 7 (Th) | May 6 (Th) | May 4 (Th) | May 3 (Th) |
Spring Term Final Examinations End | May 16 (Sa) | May 15 (Sa) | May 13 (Sa) | May 12 (Sa) |
Harvard University Commencement | May 28 (Th) | May 27 (Th) | May 25 (Th) | May 24 (Th) |
University Holiday: Memorial Day | May 25 (M) | May 31 (M) | May 29 (M) | May 28 (M) |
University Holiday: Juneteenth | Jun. 19 (F) | Jun. 18 (F - observed) | Jun. 19 (M) | Jun. 19 (Tu) |
Summer School Begins | Jun. 22 (M) | Jun. 21 (M) | Jun. 20 (Tu) | Jun. 25 (M) |
University Holiday: Independence Day | Jul. 3 (F - observed) | Jul. 5 (M - observed) | Jul. 4 (Tu) | Jul. 4 (W) |
Summer School Ends | Aug. 7 (F) | Aug. 6 (F) | Aug. 4 (F) | Aug. 10 (F) |
Ten-Year Academic Calendar - Major Events
Ten-Year Academic Calendar. Downloadable file, ignore password request and click on Read Only to open. Current year is indicated in blue font.
About the FAS Academic Calendar
The FAS academic calendars for the college, Griffin GSAS and TAP you see on this page are managed by the FAS Registrar’s Office.
The calendar dates are calculated based on accreditation policies, and various rules based on the academic and administrative requirements of the FAS. Accreditation policy comes from the New England Commission on Higher Education.
At a minimum, each term must have 62 instructional days, each day of the week must have a minimum of 12 days each – 12 Mondays, 12 Tuesdays, 12 Wednesdays, etc. The number of weeks per term is approximately 15.
The first day of classes for the fall term is assigned depending when Labor Day falls. A later holiday will start the term before Labor Day on Wednesday - using a Monday schedule. An earlier holiday will start the term on Tuesday following Labor Day, on a normal Tuesday through Friday schedule.
Start of fall term for continuing Griffin GSAS Students is July 1st.
Final exams must end before move-out for the winter break in December, and the last exam day must not fall on a Monday. To adhere to the rules related to total number of instructional days and minimum number of 12, a fall term start on a Wednesday means we start on a Monday schedule. Given (typically) two Monday holidays and Thanksgiving break, Veteran’s Day (which is not stationary) is used as an instructional day and reading period is flexible regarding number of days (5 to 7 days) long. Exam period length is typically 9 days not including Sundays.
Spring term starts the fourth Monday of January with Commencement on a Thursday approximately 18 weeks after start of classes.