UW-Madison Academic Calendar 2025-2026: Important Dates

UW-Madison Academic Calendar 2025-2026 provides all the vital dates and deadlines for students, faculty, and staff, from course registration, graduation dates, and class start dates, to add/drop deadlines, financial aid timelines, and final exam schedules.

UW–Madison operates on a semester system, with both Fall and Spring semesters lasting approximately 15 weeks, usually beginning in late August or early September for the fall and late January for the spring.

UW-Madison also offers comprehensive summer sessions (with various lengths like 3, 4, or 8 weeks), catering to diverse academic needs.

For full-time undergraduate students, a semester costs approximately $5,500 for in-state and over $19,000 for out-of-state tuition, bringing annual tuition to about $11,000–$38,000, excluding housing and fees.

Students typically need 12–18 credits per semester to be considered full-time, and international students must maintain a minimum credit load as part of visa requirements.

UW-Madison Academic Calendar Fall 2025

Here is the UW-Madison academic calendar for Fall 2025.

1. The faculty contract year begins on Monday, August 18, 2025.
2. The deadline for students to cancel fall enrollment without a transcript record is Tuesday, September 2, 2025 (after this date, withdrawals will appear on transcripts).
3. Labor Day Holiday is Monday, September 1, 2025.
4. UW-Madison Fall 2025 classes start on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
5. The deadline for non-special/guest students to enroll without a $50 late fee is Friday, September 5, 2025.
6. The deadline to drop courses or withdraw without course appearances on transcripts is Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (after this, dropped courses show as DR), according to the UW-Madison Academic Calendar 2025-2026.
7. The deadline to drop a course for a 100% tuition adjustment is Friday, September 12, 2025.
8. The deadline to add/swap/change sections without department permission is Friday, September 12, 2025.
9. The deadline for special/guest students to enroll without a $50 late fee is Friday, September 12, 2025.
10. The deadline to enroll without department/dean permission is Friday, September 12, 2025.
11. The deadline to drop a course for a 50% tuition adjustment is Friday, September 26, 2025.
12. The deadline for non-graduate students to request pass/fail or credit/audit options is Friday, September 26, 2025.
13. The deadline for non-graduate students to change variable credits without permission is Friday, September 26, 2025.
14. The deadline for graduate students to request pass/fail or credit/audit options is Sunday, November 23, 2025.
15. The deadline for graduate students to change variable credits without permission is Sunday, November 23, 2025.
16. The deadline to drop a course without the dean’s approval is Monday, November 24, 2025.
17. The deadline to add a course with department permission (no dean approval) is Monday, November 24, 2025.
18. The deadline to change the Honors Optional course status without permission is Monday, November 24, 2025.
19. The withdrawal deadline for non-graduate students is Monday, November 24, 2025, according to the UW-Madison Academic Calendar.
20. The withdrawal deadline for graduate students is Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
21. The last class day of Fall 2025 is Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
22. The study day is scheduled for Thursday, December 11, 2025.
23. Fall 2025 Exams are from Friday, December 12, 2025, to Thursday, December 18, 2025
24. UW Madison’s Graduation and Commencement ceremony is on Sunday, December 14, 2025. There are no exam schedules on that day.
25. Fall 2025 degrees are conferred on Sunday, December 21, 2025 (diploma date).

UW-Madison Academic Calendar Spring 2026

Here is the UW-Madison Spring 2026 academic calendar.

1. The Spring 2026 class schedule is expected to be published on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
2. Spring 2026 enrollment appointment times are assigned to students during the week of Monday, November 3, 2025.
3. Spring 2026 course enrollment begins according to assigned appointment times on Monday, November 10, 2025.
4. The deadline to cancel spring enrollment without a transcript record is Monday, January 19, 2026 (after this date, withdrawals will appear on transcripts).
5. UW-Madison Spring 2026 classes start on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. It is the first day of classes for the Spring 2026 semester.
6. The deadline for non-special/guest students to enroll without a $50 late fee is Friday, January 23, 2026.
7. The deadline to drop courses or withdraw without course appearances on transcripts is Wednesday, January 28, 2026 (after this, dropped courses show as DR).
8. The deadline to drop a course for a 100% tuition adjustment is Friday, January 30, 2026.
9. The deadline to add/swap/change sections without department permission is Friday, January 30, 2026.
10. The deadline for special/guest students to enroll without a $50 late fee is Friday, January 30, 2026.
11. The deadline to enroll without department/dean permission is Friday, January 30, 2026, according to the UW-Madison Academic Calendar.
12. The deadline to drop a course and receive a 50% tuition adjustment is Friday, February 13, 2026.
13. The deadline for non-graduate students to request pass/fail or credit/audit options is Friday, February 13, 2026.
14. The deadline for non-graduate students to change variable credits without permission is Friday, February 13, 2026.
15. The Fall Term 2026 class schedule is expected to be published in mid-March 2026.
16. Summer 2026 enrollment appointment times are assigned to students during the week of Monday, March 16, 2026.
17. Summer 2026 course enrollment begins according to assigned appointment times on Monday, March 23, 2026.
18. Fall 2026 enrollment appointment times are assigned to students during the week of Monday, March 23, 2026.
19. UW-Madison Spring Break 2026 is from Saturday, March 28, 2026, to Sunday, April 5, 2026. Classes resume on Monday, April 6, 2026.
20. Fall 2026 course enrollment begins according to assigned appointment times on Monday, April 6, 2026, according to the UW-Madison Academic Calendar 2026-2027.
21. The deadline for graduate students to request pass/fail or credit/audit options is Sunday, April 19, 2026.
22. The deadline for graduate students to change variable credits without permission is Sunday, April 19, 2026.
23. The deadline to drop a course without the dean’s approval is Monday, April 20, 2026.
24. The deadline to add a course with department permission (no dean approval) is Monday, April 20, 2026, according to the UW-Madison Academic Calendar.
25. The deadline to change the Honors Optional course status without permission is Monday, April 20, 2026.
26. The withdrawal deadline for non-graduate students is Monday, April 20, 2026.
27. The withdrawal deadline for graduate students is Friday, May 1, 2026.
28. The last day of the Spring 2026 class is Friday, May 1, 2026.
29. Study day is Saturday, May 2, 2026.
30. UW-Madison Spring 2026 exams are from Sunday, May 3, to Friday, May 8, 2026.
31. UW Madison Graduation 2026 dates are from Friday, May 8, 2026, to Sunday, May 10, 2026. Doctoral & Medical Professional Commencement is on May 8, 2026 (Friday). Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law Commencement is on May 9, 2026 (Saturday). Spring 2026 degrees are conferred on Sunday, May 10, 2026 (diploma date).

For more on the UW-Madison Academic Calendar, visit the University of Wisconsin-Madison SECFAC Website.