Are you looking for UW Madison Academic Calendar for 2026-2027? I am glad to let you know that the academic calendar is now out and you can do well to check below for the information as regards your school activities.
The academic calendar lists the dates of important academic occasions that take place each academic year and is used by students, teachers, staff, families, and outside organizations as a planning tool and information source. The academic schedule is released once a year, however it is always subject to change.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded when Wisconsin achieved statehood in 1848, UW–Madison is the official state university of Wisconsin and the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System.
It was the first public university established in Wisconsin and remains the oldest and largest public university in the state. UW–Madison became a land-grant institution in 1866.[9] The 933-acre (378 ha) main campus, located on the shores of Lake Mendota, includes four National Historic Landmarks.
The university also owns and operates the 1,200-acre (486 ha) University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum, located 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the main campus, which is also a National Historic Landmark.
What is Wisconsin Madison University known for? Academic excellence is at the heart of UW-Madison’s mission–that’s why the university is recognized worldwide for its commitment to academics and out-of-classroom learning.
UW Madison Academic Calendar 2026-2027
Table of Interests
2025-2026
| Faculty contract year begins | Aug 18, 2025 (Monday) |
| Labor Day | Sept 1, 2025 (Monday) |
| Fall semester instruction begins | Sept 3, 2025 (Wednesday) |
| Thanksgiving recess | Nov 27-30, 2025 |
| Last class day | Dec 10, 2025 (Wednesday) |
| Study day | Dec 11, 2025 (Thursday) |
| Exams | Dec 12 (Friday) – Dec 18 (Thursday), 2025 |
| Commencement (no exams) | Dec 14, 2025 (Sunday) |
| Grading deadline | Dec 21, 2025 (Sunday) |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 19, 2026 (Monday) |
| Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday) |
| Spring recess | Mar 28-Apr 5, 2026 |
| Classes resume | Apr 6, 2026 (Monday) |
| Last class day | May 1, 2026 (Friday) |
| Study day | May 2, 2026 (Saturday) |
| Exams | May 3 (Sunday) – May 8 (Friday), 2026 |
| Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 8, 2026 (Friday) |
| Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 9, 2026 (Saturday) |
| Grading deadline | May 11, 2026 (Monday) |
| Faculty contract year ends | May 17, 2026 (Sunday) |
| 4-week summer session | May 18-Jun 14, 2026 |
| Memorial Day (observed) | May 25, 2026 (Monday) |
| 3-week summer session | May 26-Jun 14, 2026 |
| 8-week summer session | Jun 15-Aug 9, 2026 |
| Independence Day (observed) | Jul 4, 2026 (Saturday) |
| Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 12, 2026 (Wednesday) |
2026-2027
| Faculty contract year begins | Aug 17, 2026 (Monday) |
| Fall semester instruction begins | Sept 2, 2026 (Wednesday) |
| Labor Day | Sept 7, 2026 (Monday) |
| Thanksgiving recess | Nov 26-29, 2026 |
| Last class day | Dec 9, 2026 (Wednesday) |
| Study day | Dec 10, 2026 (Thursday) |
| Exams | Dec 11 (Friday) – Dec 17 (Thursday), 2026 |
| Commencement (no exams) | Dec 13, 2026 (Sunday) |
| Grading deadline | Dec 20, 2026 (Sunday) |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 18, 2027 (Monday) |
| Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 19, 2027 (Tuesday) |
| Spring recess | Mar 20-Mar 28, 2027 |
| Classes resume | Mar 29, 2027 (Monday) |
| Last class day | Apr 30, 2027 (Friday) |
| Study day | May 1, 2027 (Saturday) |
| Exams | May 2 (Sunday) – May 7 (Friday), 2027 |
| Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 7, 2027 (Friday) |
| Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 8, 2027 (Saturday) |
| Grading deadline | May 10, 2027 (Monday) |
| Faculty contract year ends | May 16, 2027 (Sunday) |
| 4-week summer session | May 17-Jun 13, 2027 |
| 3-week summer session | May 24-Jun 13, 2027 |
| Memorial Day (observed) | May 31, 2027 (Monday) |
| 8-week summer session | Jun 14-Aug 8, 2027 |
| Independence Day (observed) | Jul 4, 2027 (Sunday) |
| Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 11 , 2027 (Wednesday) |
2027-2028
| Faculty contract year begins | Aug 23, 2027 (Monday) |
| Labor Day | Sept 6, 2027 (Monday) |
| Fall semester instruction begins | Sept 8, 2027 (Wednesday) |
| Thanksgiving recess | Nov 25-28, 2027 |
| Last class day | Dec 15, 2027 (Wednesday) |
| Study day | Dec 16, 2027 (Thursday) |
| Exams | Dec 17 (Friday) – Dec 23 (Thursday), 2027 |
| Commencement (no exams) | Dec 19, 2027 (Sunday) |
| Grading deadline | Dec 26, 2027 (Sunday) |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 17, 2028 (Monday) |
| Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 25, 2028 (Tuesday) |
| Spring recess | Mar 25-Apr 2, 2028* |
| Classes resume | Apr 3, 2028 (Monday)* |
| Last class day | May 5, 2028 (Friday) |
| Study day | May 6, 2028 (Saturday) |
| Exams | May 7 (Sunday) – May 12 (Friday), 2028 |
| Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 12, 2028 (Friday) |
| Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 13, 2028 (Saturday) |
| Grading deadline | May 15, 2028 (Monday) |
| Faculty contract year ends | May 21, 2028 (Sunday) |
| 4-week summer session | May 22-Jun 18, 2028 |
| Memorial Day (observed) | May 29, 2028 (Monday) |
| 3-week summer session | May 30-Jun 18, 2028 |
| 8-week summer session | Jun 19-Aug 13, 2028 |
| Independence Day (observed) | Jul 4, 2028 (Tuesday) |
| Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 16, 2028 (Wednesday) |
2028-2029
| Faculty contract year begins | Aug 21, 2028 (Monday) |
| Labor Day | Sept 4, 2028 (Monday) |
| Fall semester instruction begins | Sept 6, 2028 (Wednesday) |
| Thanksgiving recess | Nov 23-26, 2028 |
| Last class day | Dec 13, 2028 (Wednesday) |
| Study day | Dec 14, 2028 (Thursday) |
| Exams | Dec 15 (Friday) – Dec 21 (Thursday), 2028 |
| Commencement (no exams) | Dec 17, 2028 (Sunday) |
| Grading deadline | Dec 24, 2028 (Sunday) |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 15, 2029 (Monday) |
| Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 23, 2029 (Tuesday) |
| Spring recess | Mar 24-Apr 1, 2029 |
| Classes resume | Apr 2, 2029 (Monday) |
| Last class day | May 4, 2029 (Friday) |
| Study day | May 5, 2029 (Saturday) |
| Exams | May 6 (Sunday) – May 11 (Friday), 2029 |
| Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 11, 2029 (Friday) |
| Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 12, 2029 (Saturday) |
| Grading deadline | May 14, 2029 (Monday) |
| Faculty contract year ends | May 20, 2029 (Sunday) |
| 4-week summer session | May 21-Jun 17, 2029 |
| Memorial Day (observed) | May 28, 2029 (Monday) |
| 3-week summer session | May 29-Jun 17, 2029 |
| 8-week summer session | Jun 18-Aug 12, 2029 |
| Independence Day (observed) | Jul 4, 2029 (Wednesday) |
| Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 15, 2029 (Wednesday) |
2029-2030
| Faculty contract year begins | Aug 20, 2029 (Monday) |
| Labor Day | Sept 3, 2029 (Monday) |
| Fall semester instruction begins | Sept 5, 2029 (Wednesday) |
| Thanksgiving recess | Nov 22-25, 2029 |
| Last class day | Dec 12, 2029 (Wednesday) |
| Study day | Dec 13, 2029 (Thursday) |
| Exams | Dec 14 (Friday) – Dec 20 (Thursday), 2029 |
| Commencement (no exams) | Dec 16, 2029 (Sunday) |
| Grading deadline | Dec 23, 2029 (Sunday) |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 21, 2030 (Monday) |
| Spring semester instruction begins | Jan 22, 2030 (Tuesday) |
| Spring recess | Mar 23-Mar 31, 2030 |
| Classes resume | Apr 1, 2030 (Monday) |
| Last class day | May 3, 2030 (Friday) |
| Study day | May 4, 2030 (Saturday) |
| Exams | May 5 (Sunday) – May 10 (Friday), 2030 |
| Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional | May 10, 2030 (Friday) |
| Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law | May 11, 2030 (Saturday) |
| Grading deadline | May 13, 2030 (Monday) |
| Faculty contract year ends | May 19, 2030 (Sunday) |
| 4-week summer session | May 20-Jun 16, 2030 |
| Memorial Day (observed) | May 27, 2030 (Monday) |
| 3-week summer session | May 28-Jun 16, 2030 |
| 8-week summer session | Jun 17-Aug 11, 2030 |
| Independence Day (observed) | Jul 4, 2030 (Thursday) |
| Grading deadline (8-week summer session) | Aug 14, 2030 (Wednesday) |