The GCU Academic Calendar 2025‑2026 brings together every deadline and key date from application and enrollment cut‑offs, tuition payment due dates, and course add/drop periods to campus holidays and final exam schedules.
The Grand Canyon University academic calendar helps students stay ahead of GCU term dates, track GCU registration windows, and never miss critical milestones such as the last day to withdraw with a “W” or the start of Summer Session add/drop deadlines.
GCU operates on a semester‑plus‑sessions model to fit diverse schedules:
- Fall and Spring Semesters each span approximately 15 weeks (14 instructional weeks plus one finals week).
- Summer offerings include two accelerated Session A and Session B blocks (each about 7 weeks), as well as a 15‑week Summer term, each with distinct registration, add/drop, and grading deadlines.
- Year‑round accelerated courses run in varying lengths from 1‑ to 16‑week formats, allowing you to tailor your pace and complete prerequisites or electives on your own timeline.
Whether you’re mapping out your 14‑week semester load, enrolling in a 7‑week summer block, or taking advantage of short‑term accelerated classes, the GCU Academic Calendar 2025‑2026 is your definitive guide to every date and deadline, so you can focus on thriving at Grand Canyon University.
Table of Contents
GCU Academic Calendar Fall 2025
- Fall housing move-in occurs from Monday, August 25, 2025, to Wednesday, August 27, 2025.
- Labor Day is observed with no classes on Monday, September 1, 2025.
- Fall 2025 instruction begins on Monday, September 2, 2025. It is the first day of classes.
- Fall Nontraditional Campus Commencements are scheduled during the week of October 13, 2025.
- Veteran’s Day is observed with no classes on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
- The final drop date for fall courses with a “W” grade is Sunday, November 16, 2025.
- Most courses move to asynchronous online instruction from Monday, November 24, 2025, to Wednesday, November 26, 2025.
- GCU Thanksgiving Break occurs with no classes on Thursday, November 27, 2025, and Friday, November 28, 2025.
- Winter Traditional Campus Commencements are scheduled during the week of December 8, 2025.
- Face-to-face instruction ends on Friday, December 12, 2025.
- The fall term ends on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
- Living areas will be closed for all students on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
- Undergraduate students observe Christmas Break from Friday, December 22, 2025, to Sunday, December 28, 2025.
- Graduate students observe Christmas Break from Tuesday, December 25, 2025, to Monday, December 31, 2025.
- Christmas Eve/Day is observed with no classes on Monday, December 24, 2025, and Tuesday, December 25, 2025.
- Final course grades for the fall term are due by Sunday, December 21, 2025.
- GCU Winter and Christmas Break runs from Sunday, December 15, 2025, to Saturday, January 4, 2026.
GCU Academic Calendar Spring 2026
- Spring housing move-in occurs on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
- Spring 2026 instruction begins on Monday, January 5, 2026. It is the first day of classes.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed with no classes on Monday, January 19, 2026.
- President’s Day is observed with no classes on Monday, February 16, 2026.
- GCU Spring Break 2026 runs from Monday, March 16, 2026, to Sunday, March 22, 2026.
- The final drop date for spring courses with a “W” grade is Sunday, March 29, 2026.
- Good Friday is observed with no classes on Friday, April 3, 2026.
- Spring Traditional Campus Commencements are scheduled during the week of April 20, 2026.
- Face-to-face instruction ends on Saturday, April 24, 2026.
- The spring term ends on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
- The spring housing move-out deadline is Monday, April 27, 2026.
- Spring Nontraditional Campus Commencements (Online College) are scheduled during the week of April 27, 2026.
- Summer Break runs from Monday, April 27, 2026, to Sunday, May 3, 2026.
- Final course grades for the spring term are due by Sunday, May 3, 2026.
For more on the GCU Academic Calendar 2025-2026, visit the Grand Canyon University Calendar website.
