Without you knowing the various academic and non academic activities that will go on in the school, you will not be able to follow up with school activities. It will be as a car without fuel. Find out information on the Northwestern Academic Calendar for 2026-2027 below.
Northwestern’s highly-ranked graduate schools include the Kellogg School of Management, the School of Education and Social Policy, the Pritzker School of Law, the Feinberg School of Medicine, the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program.
Northwestern is committed to excellent teaching, innovative research and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community.
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.
Northwestern Academic Calendar
Table of Interests
August
New Transfer Student Registration at 9:00 AM
September
Monday, September 1, 2025
Labor Day – University Offices Closed
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Continuing Student Registration for Fall Quarter 2025 ends 11:59 PM
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Fall registration for new TGS students and most Evanston graduate programs
Friday, September 12, 2025
New Undergraduate Fall 2025 Registration
Monday, September 15, 2025
Classes begin for Kellogg School of Management MBA programs
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Fall Classes Begin. Change of Registration (Drop/Add) Late registration for returning students begins
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Undergraduate students enrolled in courses with in-person class meetings are expected to be on campus and in attendance at the start of classes and must plan to remain until the end of the quarter.
Monday, September 22, 2025
Fall Quarter 2025 Tuition Adjustment Deadline and Add/Swap Deadline (last day for tuition adjustment related to enrollment changes. No reductions are made to bills for dropped or swapped classes after this date)
Monday, September 22, 2025
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 100% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Friday, September 26, 2025
Last day to request academic accommodations for religious observance in Fall Quarter
October
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 75% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Monday, October 6, 2025
Last day to drop a five-week course ending in week 5 of the Fall term (5W1)
Friday, October 10, 2025
Last day to withdraw from a five-week course ending in week 5 of the Fall term (5W1) 5:00 PM
Friday, October 24, 2025
Application for degree due to The Graduate School to receive a degree in Fall
Friday, October 24, 2025
Last day to drop a FULL-TERM class for Fall in CAESAR. Any requests after this date result in a W on the transcript and must go through the course withdrawal process. (No tuition adjustment after 9/22/2025)
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 50% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Monday, October 27, 2025
Winter quarter courses viewable in CAESAR for the following: Communication, Education, Engineering, Journalism and Music Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, Non-Degree, TGS
November
Monday, November 3, 2025
Pre-registration for Winter quarter begins
Friday, November 7, 2025
Last day to change grading status to PN
Monday, November 10, 2025
Last day to drop a five-week course ending in week 10 of the Fall term (5W2)
Monday, November 10, 2025
Registration for Winter quarter begins
Friday, November 14, 2025
Last day to withdraw from a five-week course ending in week 10 of the Fall term (5W2) 5:00 PM
Friday, November 21, 2025
Dissertation, PhD Final Exam, and change of grade forms due to TGS for Fall PhD candidates
Monday, November 24, 2025
Thanksgiving Vacation begins at for students 6:00 PM. A calendar anomaly permits a longer Thanksgiving Break this year only. This is not a permanent change to all Fall quarters.
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Term withdrawal and full-term course withdrawal petition deadline for Fall 5:00 PM
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
University offices close at 5:00 pm for Thanksgiving break
December
Monday, December 1, 2025
Fall Classes Resume
Monday, December 1, 2025
WCAS Reading Period Begins
Friday, December 5, 2025
Master’s completion form due for TGS Fall master’s candidates
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Fall classes end
Sunday, December 7, 2025
WCAS Reading Period Ends
Monday, December 8, 2025
Fall Exams begin
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Fall exams end (Winter Break for students starts)
Monday, December 15, 2025
Grades due 3:00 PM
Friday, December 19, 2025
Fall 2025 Degrees Conferred
Friday, December 19, 2025
Winter registration for new TGS students and most Evanston graduate programs
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Winter Recess Starts – University Closed Through January 1st, 2026
January
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Winter Recess – University Closed Through January 1st, 2026
Monday, January 5, 2026
Undergraduate students enrolled in courses with in-person class meetings are expected to be on campus and in attendance at the start of classes and must plan to remain until the end of the quarter.
Monday, January 5, 2026
Winter classes begin
Friday, January 9, 2026
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 100% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Friday, January 9, 2026
Winter Quarter 2026 Tuition Adjustment Deadline and Add/Swap Deadline (last day for tuition adjustment related to enrollment changes. No reductions are made to bills for dropped or swapped classes after this date)
Friday, January 16, 2026
Last day to request academic accommodations for religious observance in Winter Quarter
Monday, January 19, 2026
No classes- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Friday, January 23, 2026
Last day to drop a five-week course ending in week 5 of the Winter term (5W1)
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 75% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Friday, January 30, 2026
Application for degree due to The Graduate School to receive a degree in Winter
Friday, January 30, 2026
Last day to withdraw from a five-week course ending in week 5 of the Winter term (5W1) 5:00 PM
February
Friday, February 6, 2026
Application for degree due to The Graduate School to receive a degree in Spring
Monday, February 9, 2026
Spring quarter courses viewable in CAESAR for the following: Communication, Education, Engineering, Journalism and Music Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, Non-Degree, TGS
Friday, February 13, 2026
Last day to drop a FULL-TERM class for Winter in CAESAR. Any requests after this date result in a W on the transcript and must go through the course withdrawal process. (No tuition adjustment after 1/9/2026)
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 50% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Monday, February 16, 2026
Pre-registration for Spring quarter begins
Monday, February 23, 2026
Registration for Spring Quarter begins
Friday, February 27, 2026
Dissertation, PhD Final Exam, and change of grade forms due to TGS for Winter PhD candidates
Friday, February 27, 2026
Last day to change grading status PN
Friday, February 27, 2026
Last day to drop a five-week course ending in week 10 of the Winter term (5W2)
March
Friday, March 6, 2026
Last day to withdraw from a five-week course ending in week 10 of the Winter term (5W2) 5:00 PM
Friday, March 6, 2026
Term withdrawal and full-term course withdrawal petition deadline for Winter 5:00 PM
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
WCAS Reading Period Begins
Friday, March 13, 2026
Master’s completion form due for TGS Winter master’s candidates
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Winter classes end
Sunday, March 15, 2026
WCAS Reading Period Ends
Monday, March 16, 2026
Winter exams begin
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Spring Break Begins
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Winter exams end
Monday, March 23, 2026
Grades due 3:00 PM
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Spring registration for new TGS students and most Evanston graduate programs
Friday, March 27, 2026
Winter Degrees Conferred
Monday, March 30, 2026
Spring Break Ends
Monday, March 30, 2026
Summer quarter courses viewable in CAESAR for the following: Communication, Education, Engineering, Journalism and Music Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, Non-Degree, TGS
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Spring Classes Begin – Northwestern Monday: Classes scheduled to meet on Mondays meet on this day.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Undergraduate students enrolled in courses with in-person class meetings are expected to be on campus and in attendance at the start of classes and must plan to remain until the end of the quarter.
April
Monday, April 6, 2026
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 100% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Monday, April 6, 2026
Registration for Summer Quarter begins
Monday, April 6, 2026
Spring Quarter 2026 Tuition Adjustment Deadline and Add/Swap Deadline (last day for tuition adjustment related to enrollment changes. No reductions are made to bills for dropped or swapped classes after this date)
Friday, April 10, 2026
Last day to request academic accommodations for religious observance in Spring Quarter
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 75% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Monday, April 20, 2026
Last day to drop a five-week course ending in week 5 of the Spring term (5W1)
Friday, April 24, 2026
Last day to withdraw from a five-week course ending in week 5 of the Spring term (5W1) 5:00 PM
May
Monday, May 4, 2026
Fall quarter courses viewable in CAESAR for the following: Communication, Education, Engineering, Journalism and Music Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, Non-Degree, TGS
Friday, May 8, 2026
Dissertation, PhD Final Exam, and change of grade forms due to TGS for Spring PhD candidates
Friday, May 8, 2026
Last day to drop a FULL-TERM class for Spring in CAESAR. Any requests after this date result in a W on the transcript and must go through the course withdrawal process. (No tuition adjustment after 04/06/2026)
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Last day for full term withdrawals to receive 50% refund, Schedule A programs except for Kellogg and Physician’s Assistant program
Monday, May 11, 2026
Pre-Registration for Fall begins
Friday, May 15, 2026
Master’s completion form due for TGS Spring master’s candidates
Monday, May 18, 2026
Registration for Fall begins
Friday, May 22, 2026
Last day to change Grading status PN
Monday, May 25, 2026
Last day to drop a five-week course ending in week 10 of the Spring term (5W2)
Monday, May 25, 2026
No classes – Memorial Day – University offices are closed
Friday, May 29, 2026
Last day to withdraw from a five-week course ending in week 10 of the Spring term (5W2) 5:00 PM
Friday, May 29, 2026
Term withdrawal and full-term course withdrawal petition deadline for Spring 5:00 PM
June
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
WCAS Reading Period Begins
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Spring classes end
Sunday, June 7, 2026
WCAS Reading Period Ends
Monday, June 8, 2026
Spring examinations begin
Friday, June 12, 2026
Spring examinations end
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Grades due 3:00 PM
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Summer registration for new TGS students and most Evanston graduate programs
Friday, June 19, 2026
Juneteenth – University Closed
Monday, June 22, 2026
Spring Degree Conferral
Monday, June 22, 2026
Summer classes begin
July
Friday, July 3, 2026
Independence Day (observed) – University Closed
Friday, July 10, 2026
Application for degree due to The Graduate School to receive a degree in Summer
August
Friday, August 7, 2026
Dissertation, PhD Final Exam, and change of grade forms due to TGS for Summer PhD candidates
Friday, August 21, 2026
Master’s completion form due for TGS Summer master’s candidates
September
Friday, September 4, 2026
Summer degrees conferred.