SAIC Academic Calendar 2026-2027: Important Dates

SAIC academic calendar 2026-2027 details the official schedule of studio courses, academic seminars, registration access periods, critique weeks, and exhibition milestones for students and faculty at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Whether you are planning your studio elective sequence, preparing for thesis reviews, or mapping out travel around institutional breaks, tracking key dates across the entire academic year ensures seamless progress through your undergraduate or graduate fine arts curriculum.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago operates on a semester-based academic calendar structured around two primary 15-week terms: the Fall Semester (running late August through mid-December) and the Spring Semester (spanning late January through mid-May).

Full-time undergraduate students typically enroll in 12 to 18 credit hours per term to maintain steady progress toward completing the standard 120-to-126-credit Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree requirements.

To support studio exploration, study trips, and accelerated coursework, SAIC also offers an intensive 3-week Winter Interim term in January and multiple multi-week summer sessions.

This guide provides immediate access to essential administrative dates and registration deadlines across all departments. You will find verified timelines for advance registration appointments via SAIC Self-Service, the add/drop deadline, off-campus study trip registration, and course withdrawal cutoffs.

Staying proactive with these milestones helps you secure required studio spaces, fulfill liberal arts and art history core requirements, and prevent billing holds or financial aid disruptions.

In addition to day-to-day class schedules, this overview highlights key institutional closures from the SAIC holiday calendar 2026-2027, including Labor Day, Thanksgiving break, and the extended SAIC winter break 2026-2027.

It also details non-class critique weeks, graduate thesis exhibitions, and events leading up to the SAIC graduation 2027 schedule and commencement ceremonies. Having these dates organized in one place ensures your creative and academic projects stay structured from start to finish.

SAIC Academic Calendar Fall 2026

1. SAIC Fall 2026 classes start on Monday, August 24, 2026. It is the first day of classes.
2. The add or drop period for the Fall 2026 semester ends on Friday, September 4, 2026.
3. There are no classes on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of Labor Day.
4. Registration for the Winter 2027 study trip opens on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
5. The deadline to withdraw from Fall 2026 courses is Friday, October 23, 2026.
6. Advance registration for the Winter and Spring 2027 terms runs from Monday, November 9, 2026, through Sunday, November 15, 2026.
7. SAIC Thanksgiving break 2026 takes place with no classes held from Monday, November 23, 2026, through Sunday, November 29, 2026.
8. Fall 2026 critique week runs from Monday, November 30, 2026, through Friday, December 4, 2026.
9. The Fall 2026 semester ends on Monday, December 14, 2026.
10. Fall 2026 final grades are due on Monday, December 21, 2026.

SAIC Academic Calendar Winter 2027

1. Winter 2027 classes begin on Monday, January 4, 2027.
2. The add or drop period for the Winter 2027 term ends on Tuesday, January 5, 2027.
3. The deadline to withdraw from Winter 2027 courses is Thursday, January 14, 2027.
4. There are no classes on Monday, January 18, 2027, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
5. Winter 2027 classes end on Friday, January 22, 2027.
6. Final grades for the Winter 2027 term are due on Friday, January 29, 2027.

SAIC Academic Calendar Spring 2027

1. Spring 2027 classes begin on Monday, January 25, 2027.
2. The add or drop period for the Spring 2027 semester ends on Friday, February 5, 2027.
3. Registration for the Summer 2027 study trip opens on Wednesday, March 10, 2027.
4. SAIC Spring Break 2027 takes place with no classes held from Monday, March 15, 2027, through Sunday, March 21, 2027.
5. The deadline to withdraw from Spring 2027 courses is Friday, March 26, 2027.
6. Advance registration for the Summer and Fall 2027 terms runs from Monday, April 5, 2027, through Sunday, April 11, 2027.
7. The Undergraduate Admissions ArtBash event takes place on Saturday, April 10, 2027, and Sunday, April 11, 2027.
8. Spring 2027 critique week runs from Monday, April 26, 2027, through Friday, April 30, 2027.
9. The Spring 2027 semester ends on Saturday, May 15, 2027.
10. The Spring 2027 commencement ceremony takes place on Monday, May 17, 2027.
11. Spring 2027 final grades are due on Saturday, May 22, 2027.

For more information on the SAIC Academic Calendar 2026-2027, visit the School of the Art Institute of Chicago Office of the Registrar website.