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Fall and spring terms are 16 weeks in length: Fall starts mid to late August and goes through mid-December. Spring starts around early January and goes through mid-May. Summer sessions vary in length from 4 weeks to 12 weeks, May through August, with classes typically meeting Monday through Friday. Courses are available on the main campus in Madison and online.
Note: No student will be required to participate in more than three evaluative activities on any one day of the final exam week. Permission to reschedule a final evaluative activity should be sought before mid-semester if at all possible. The student, after consulting with or advisor, should petition the dean responsible for the activity to be changed by completing the “Final Week” form which is available on the DSU portal. The dean will coordinate and approve the necessary rescheduling. Any changes or deviations in the schedule for an individual student must have advance approval of the dean in which the college the course is taught.
Note: Dates and events are subject to change. Changes will be communicated to campus via email, campus newspaper or other means as appropriate.
Summer 2025 Academic Calendar
| May 19 (Mon) |
Full 12-week and first 6-week sessions begin |
| May 22 (Thur) |
Census date for first 6-week sessions; Last day to add or drop a first session class with full refund |
| May 26 (Mon) |
Census date for full 12-week session; Last day to add or drop a full session class with full refund |
| May 26 (Mon) |
Memorial Day - no classes |
| June 16 (Mon) |
Last day to withdraw from a first 6-week session - no refund |
| June 19 (Thur) |
Juneteenth - no classes |
| June 27 (Fri) |
First 6-week session ends |
| June 30 (Mon) |
Second 6-week sessions begin |
| July 3 (Thur) |
Census date for second 6-week session; Last day to add or drop a second session class with full refund |
| July 4 (Fri) |
Independence Day - no classes |
| July 16 (Wed) |
Last day to withdraw from the full 12-week session - no refund |
| July 28 (Mon) |
Last day to withdraw from the second 6-week session - no refund |
| Aug. 8 (Fri) |
Full 12-week and second 6-week sessions end |
Fall 2025 Academic Calendar
| Aug 22 (Fri) |
Residence Halls open for first year students only
New Student Orientation activities begin |
| Aug 23 (Sat) |
Residence Halls open for all students |
| Aug 25 (Mon) |
Classes begin |
| Sept 1 (Mon) |
Labor Day - No Classes |
| Sept 4 (Thurs) |
CENSUS DAY
Last day to register for any fall classes to determine financial aid eligibility
Last day to add a full semester class
Last day to drop a full semester class and receive 100% refund |
| Sept 5 (Fri) |
Tuition and Fees - Deadline for payment or payment plan to avoid cancellation of registration and late fee assessment |
| Sept 22 (Mon) |
Last day to apply for Fall 2025 graduation |
| Sept 29 (Mon) |
Second 5-week session begins - see census and drop dates below calendar |
| Oct 13 (Mon) |
Native American Day - No Classes |
| Oct 17 (Fri) |
Mid-term |
| Oct 20 (Mon) |
Second 8-week session begins - see census and drop dates below calendar
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| Oct 22 (Wed) |
Mid-term grades due for undergraduate full term courses |
| TBD |
Registration dates for continuing students’ pre-registration for summer/fall of 2026 |
| Nov 3 (Mon) |
Third 5-week session begins - see census and drop dates below calendar |
| Nov 7 (Fri) |
Last day to withdraw from a full semester course or withdraw from the university entirely with no refund of university charges |
| Nov 11 (Tue) |
Veterans’ Day Holiday Observed - No Classes |
| Nov 26 (Wed) |
No Classes |
| Nov 27 (Thurs) |
Thanksgiving Holiday - No Classes |
| Nov 28 (Fri) |
No Classes |
| Dec 10 (Wed) |
No Classes |
| Dec 11-17 (Thurs-Wed) |
Final Examination Period |
| Dec 13 (Sat) |
Commencement |
| Dec 17 (Wed) |
Semester Ends* (*Official graduation date noted on transcript) |
| Dec 22 (Mon) |
Final grades due by faculty |
Fall 2025 Section Dates/Deadlines
| Standard full term |
8/25-5/17 |
| Census date |
9/4 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
11/7 |
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|
| First 8-week section |
8/25-10/17 |
| Census date |
8/29 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
10/1 |
| Second 8-week section |
10/20-12/17 |
| Census date |
10/24 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
12/1 |
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| First 5-week section |
8/25-9/26 |
| Census date |
8/27 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
9/17 |
| Second 5-week section |
9/29-10/31 |
| Census date |
10/1 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
10/22 |
| Third 5-week section |
11/3-12/9 |
| Census date |
11/5 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
11/25 |
Fall 2025 Final Schedule - December 11-17 (Thursday-Wed)
| Schedule for classes meeting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Combination(MWF, M, MW, WF, MTWTh, MTWF, MTWThF, F) |
| Time class begins |
Day of Final |
Date of Final |
Time of Final |
| 8:00 AM |
Monday |
December 15 |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| 9:00 AM |
Friday |
December 12 |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| 10:00 AM |
Monday |
December 15 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 11:00 AM |
Friday |
December 12 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM |
Friday |
December 12 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| 1:00 PM |
Monday |
December 15 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 2:00 PM |
Friday |
December 12 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 3:00 PM |
Monday |
December 15 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| 4:00 PM |
Wednesday |
December 17 |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| Schedule for class meetings on Tuesday and Thursday Combination (TTh, T, Th) |
| Time class begins |
Day of Final |
Date of Final |
Time of Final |
| 8:00 AM |
Tuesday |
December 16 |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| 9:30 AM |
Tuesday |
December 16 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 11:00 AM |
Thursday |
December 11 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM |
Tuesday |
December 16 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 1:00 PM |
Thursday |
December 11 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 2:30 PM |
Tuesday |
December 16 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| 4:00 PM |
Thursday |
December 11 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| Courses beginning 5:00 PM or later will be held during their regular scheduled times. |
Spring 2026 Academic Calendar
| Jan 10 (Sat) |
8:00 AM Residence Halls open for all students |
| Jan 12 (Mon) |
Classes begin |
| Jan 19 (Mon) |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No classes |
| Jan 21 (Wed) |
CENSUS Day
Last day to register for any spring classes to determine financial aid eligibility
Last day to add a full semester class
Last day to drop a full semester class and receive 100% refund |
| Jan 22 (Thur) |
Tuition and Fees - Deadline for payment or payment plan to avoid cancellation of registration and late fee assessment |
| Feb 6 (Fri) |
Last day to apply for Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 graduation |
| Feb 16 (Mon) |
President’s Day - No classes |
| Feb 17 (Tue) |
Second 5-week session begins - see census and drop dates below calendar |
| Mar 6 (Fri) |
Last day of first half semester classes |
| Mar 9 (Mon) |
Midterm - Second 8-week session begin - see census and drop dates below calendar |
| Mar 12 (Thurs) |
Midterm grades due for undergraduate full term courses |
| Mar 14-22 (Sat-Sun) |
Spring break - Residence Halls close at 5:00 PM on Friday, March 13 and reopen 8:00 AM on Sunday, March 22 |
| TBD |
Registration dates for continuing students’ pre-regisration for summer and fall 2026 and Spring 2027 |
| Mar 30 (Mon) |
Third 5-week session begins - see census and drop dates below calendar |
| Apr 6 (Mon) |
Last day to withdraw from a full semester course or withdraw from the university entirely with no refund of university charges |
| Apr 17-19 (Fri-Sun) |
Easter Holiday |
| May 4-8 (Mon-Fri) |
Final examination period - see full testing schedule below |
| May 8 (Fri) |
Semester ends* (*official graduation date noted on transcript) |
| May 9 (Sat) |
Commencement - DSU Fieldhouse |
| May 13 (Wed) |
Final grades due by midnight |
Spring 2026 Section Dates/Deadlines
| Standard full term |
1/12 - 5/8 |
| Census date |
1/21 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
4/6 |
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| First 8-week session |
1/12 - 3/6 |
| Census date |
1/15 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW |
2/19 |
| Second 8-week session |
3/9 - 5/8 |
| Census date |
3/13 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
4/22 |
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| First 5-week session |
1/12 - 2/13 |
| Census date |
1/13 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
2/4 |
| Second 5-week session |
2/17 - 3/27 |
| Census date |
2/19 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
3/11 |
| Third 5-week session |
3/30 - 5/1 |
| Census date |
3/31 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
4/22 |
Spring 2026 Final Schedule - May 4-8 (Mon-Fri)
| Schedule for classes meeting on Monday, wednesday, and Friday Combination (MWF, M, MW, WF, MTWTh, MTWThF, F) |
| Time class begins |
Day of Final |
Date of Final |
Time of Final |
| 8:00 AM |
Monday |
May 4 |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| 9:00 AM |
Friday |
May 8 |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| 10:00 AM |
Monday |
May 4 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 11:00 AM |
Friday |
May 8 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM |
Friday |
May 8 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| 1:00 PM |
Monday |
May 4 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 2:00 PM |
Friday |
May 8 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 3:00 PM |
Monday |
May 4 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| 4:00 PM |
Wednesday |
May 7 |
8:00 -10:00 AM |
| Schedule for class meeting on Tuesday and Thursday Combination (TTh, T, Th) |
| Time class begins |
Day of Final |
Date of Final |
Time of Final |
| 8:00 AM |
Tuesday |
May 5 |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| 9:30 AM |
Tuesday |
May 5 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 11:00 AM |
Thursday |
May 7 |
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM |
Tuesday |
May 5 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 1:00 PM |
Thursday |
May 7 |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
| 2:30 PM |
Tuesday |
May 5 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| 4:00 PM |
Thursday |
May 7 |
3:30 - 5:30 PM |
| Courses beginning 5:00 PM and later wil be held during their regular scheduled times. |
Summer 2026 Academic Calendar
| May 18 (Mon) |
Full 12-week and first 6-week sessions begin |
| May 21 (Thurs) |
CENSUS date for first 6-week sessions
Last day to add or drop a first session class with full refund |
| May 25 (Mon) |
CENSUS date for full-12 week sessions
Last day to add or drop a full session class with full refund |
| May 25 (Mon) |
Memorial Day - no classes |
| June 15 (Mon) |
Last day to withdraw from first 6-week session - no refund |
| June 19 (Fri) |
Juneteenth - no classes |
| June 26 (Fri) |
Second 6-week session ends |
| July 2 (Thurs) |
CENSUS date for second 6-week session
Last day to add or drop a second session class with full refund |
| July 3-4 (Fri-Sat) |
Independence Day - no classes |
| July 15 (Wed) |
Last day to withdraw from the full 12-week sessions - no refund
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| July 27 (Fri) |
Last day to withdraw from the second 6-week sessions - no refund |
| Aug 7 (Fri) |
Full 12-week and second 6-week sessions end |
Summer 2026 Section Dates/Deadlines
| Standard full term |
5/18 - 8/7 |
| Census date |
5/25 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
7/15 |
| |
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| First 8-week section |
5/18 - 6/26 |
| Census date |
5/21 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
6/15 |
| |
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| Second 8-week section |
6/29 - 8/7 |
| Census date |
7/2 |
| Last day to withdraw (LDW) |
7/27 |
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