Harvard Academic Calendar 2026‑2027: Important Dates

The Harvard Academic Calendar 2026‑2027 is your central hub for every crucial deadline from enrollment and course registration windows, tuition payment due dates, and add/drop cut‑offs, to university holidays and final exam periods.

The Harvard University academic calendar helps students plan around Harvard term dates, lock in their course selection during Registration Period, and never miss the last day to withdraw without “W” or the start of Summer School.

Harvard College and the School of Arts & Sciences operate on a two‑semester system:

• Fall Semester (mid‑September to mid‑December; roughly 14 weeks of instruction + a one‑week Reading Period and finals)
• Spring Semester (mid‑January to early May; 14 instructional weeks + one Reading Period and finals)

Harvard Extension School and Harvard Summer School run Summer Sessions (June through August) with multiple accelerated modules ideal for makeup courses or accelerated study.

Harvard’s terms are governed by NECHE accreditation rules requiring at least 62 instructional days per term, with a minimum of 12 Mondays, 12 Tuesdays, etc., resulting in an approximate 15‑week semester (14 instructional weeks plus Reading Period and finals).

Fall term starts the week of Labor Day: if Labor Day falls later, classes begin the Wednesday before (on a Monday schedule); if earlier, they start the Tuesday after.

For continuing Griffin GSAS students, fall term officially begins on July 1. The Reading Period is flexibly 5–7 days, and the exam period spans about 9 days (excluding Sundays), ending before winter move‑out and never on a Monday.

Spring term kicks off on the fourth Monday of January, concluding roughly 18 weeks later with Thursday Commencement.

Whether you’re mapping out your full 15‑week semester, scheduling around variable holidays like Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, or planning GSAS summer work, the Harvard Academic Calendar 2026‑2027 is your authoritative guide to every date and deadline.

Harvard Academic Calendar Spring 2027

1. Winter Recess ends for GSAS students on Monday, January 4, 2027.
2. Spring Online Check-In opens for General and GSAS students on Tuesday, January 5, 2027.
3. January@Harvard Griffin GSAS takes place from Monday, January 11, 2027, through Friday, January 22, 2027.
4. Spring 2027 Instructor’s Permission petitions for limited enrollment courses reopen on Monday, January 11, 2027.
5. The deadline for electronic submission of approved dissertations for February degree candidates is Tuesday, January 12, 2027.
6. The January Term Add/Drop deadline for GSAS students is Wednesday, January 13, 2027.
7. Wintersession begins on Friday, January 15, 2027, and continues through Sunday, January 24, 2027.
8. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed as a university holiday on Monday, January 18, 2027.
9. Open Add/Drop begins at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 2027. Instructor consent is not required to enroll during this period.
10. Spring 2027 Instructor’s Permission petitions for limited enrollment courses reopen for GSAS students on Tuesday, January 19, 2027.
11. The TAP Spring Add/Drop period begins on Tuesday, January 19, 2027.
12. Make-up examinations for the Fall Term will take place on Wednesday, January 20, 2027, and Thursday, January 21, 2027.
13. January@Harvard Griffin GSAS ends on Friday, January 22, 2027.
14. Winter Recess and Wintersession end on Sunday, January 24, 2027.
15. Harvard Spring Term 2027 begins on Monday, January 25, 2027. Spring Session 1 Half Term classes begin, the first meeting of spring term classes takes place, and the Spring Online Check-In and Minimum Course Enrollment deadlines occur.
16. The Open Add/Drop deadline is Monday, February 1, 2027. After this date, students must obtain permission from all instructors to enroll in courses.
17. The last day to enroll in a course from a waitlist is Monday, February 1, 2027.
18. The TAP deadline to drop Spring Full Term and Session 1 Half Term courses and receive a full refund is Monday, February 1, 2027.
19. February degree conferral takes place on Tuesday, February 2, 2027.
20. The Spring Session 1 Half Term Add/Drop deadline without fees is Monday, February 8, 2027.
21. Monday, February 8, 2027, is the last day for undergraduates to add or drop any Spring Term course without a fee.
22. Monday, February 8, 2027, is the deadline for GSAS students to add or drop a Spring Term course without paying a fee.
23. The TAP Spring Session 1 Half Term deadline to drop a course and receive a 50% TAP fee refund is Monday, February 8, 2027.
24. May Degree Applications open on Wednesday, February 10, 2027.
25. The Spring Session 1 Half Term Add/Drop deadline for GSAS students is Thursday, February 11, 2027.
26. Presidents’ Day will be observed as a university holiday on Monday, February 15, 2027.
27. The Spring Session 1 Half Term course withdrawal deadline without fees is Tuesday, February 16, 2027.
28. The Spring Term 5th Monday deadline is Monday, February 22, 2027. This is the last day to add or drop a course, submit cross-registration petitions, and complete required registration changes.
29. The TAP deadline for students to enroll in an FAS course for Spring Full Term and Spring Session 1 and 2 Half Term courses is Monday, February 22, 2027.
30. The 7th Monday deadline for GSAS students to change to or from SAT/UNS grading options for designated language courses is Monday, March 8, 2027.
31. The TAP deadline to drop a Spring Full Term course and receive a 50% TAP fee refund is Monday, March 8, 2027.
32. Spring Session 1 Half Term classes end on Friday, March 12, 2027.
33. The Declaration of Concentration deadline for third-semester students is Friday, March 12, 2027.
34. The Spring Session 1 Half Term course withdrawal deadline without fees for GSAS students is Friday, March 12, 2027.
35. Harvard Spring Break 2027 takes place from Saturday, March 13, 2027, through Sunday, March 21, 2027. Classes resume on Monday, March 22, 2027.
36. Spring Session 2 Half Term classes begin on Monday, March 22, 2027.
37. The deadline for May degree candidates to change concentration without Administrative Board approval is Wednesday, March 24, 2027.
38. Final degree applications for May degree candidates are due on Wednesday, March 24, 2027.
39. The last day for May degree candidates to declare a Secondary Field, Language Citation, and/or Certificate in Civic Engagement is Wednesday, March 24, 2027.
40. The final application for a May degree Secondary Field is due for GSAS students on Wednesday, March 24, 2027.
41. Fall 2027 preparation begins on Wednesday, March 24, 2027, including the opening of FAS Crimson Cart and Instructor’s Permission.
42. The Spring Session 2 Half Term course registration deadline is Friday, March 26, 2027.
43. The 10th Monday deadline for students to declare a Leave of Absence and return the following term is Monday, March 29, 2027.
44. The Spring Session 2 Half Term Add/Drop deadline without fees is Monday, March 29, 2027.
45. The TAP deadline to drop a Spring Session 2 Half Term course and receive a full refund is Monday, March 29, 2027.
46. The 11th Monday deadline to submit completed forms to withdraw from a Spring Term course is Monday, April 5, 2027.
47. The Spring Session 2 Half Term course withdrawal deadline without fees is Monday, April 5, 2027.
48. Monday, April 5, 2027, is the final day to change Spring Term courses between letter grading and Pass/Fail grading options.
49. The Spring Session 2 Half Term Add/Drop deadline for GSAS students is Thursday, April 8, 2027.
50. The TAP deadline to drop a Spring Session 2 Half Term course and receive a 50% TAP fee refund is Monday, April 12, 2027.
51. Course Evaluation (Q Guide) opens on Tuesday, April 20, 2027.
52. Fall Session 1 Half Term course registration deadline for continuing students is Wednesday, April 21, 2027.
53. The deadline for First-Year students to report an advising conversation is Monday, April 26, 2027.
54. The last day of Spring Term classes is Wednesday, April 28, 2027.
55. Spring Session 2 Half Term classes end on Wednesday, April 28, 2027.
56. The Spring Session 2 Half Term course withdrawal deadline without fees for GSAS students is Wednesday, April 28, 2027.
57. The TAP course withdrawal deadline is Wednesday, April 28, 2027.
58. The last day undergraduates will ordinarily be granted a leave of absence from the College is Thursday, April 29, 2027.
59. The Spring Reading Period takes place from Thursday, April 29, 2027, through Wednesday, May 5, 2027.
60. The deadline for GSAS students to submit an approved Petition to Withdraw from a Spring Term course to the Office of Student Affairs is Wednesday, May 5, 2027.
61. The Spring Final Examination Period takes place from Thursday, May 6, 2027, through Saturday, May 15, 2027. Sundays are excluded.
62. The deadline for electronic submission of approved dissertations for May degree candidates is Wednesday, May 12, 2027.
63. The last day to submit work for a course with an incomplete (INC) grade for the Fall Term is Saturday, May 15, 2027.
64. Early Grade Release and Course Evaluation (Q Guide) closing takes place on Monday, May 17, 2027.
65. All grades are released on Monday, May 24, 2027.
66. Commencement takes place on Thursday, May 27, 2027.
67. Memorial Day will be observed as a university holiday on Monday, May 31, 2027.
68. Juneteenth will be observed as a university holiday on Friday, June 18, 2027.
69. Independence Day will be observed as a university holiday on Monday, July 5, 2027.

For more on the Harvard Academic Calendar, visit the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences Registrar’s Office, which is part of the FAS Office of Student Services, serving Harvard College, Harvard Griffin GSAS, and SEAS.