Cal Poly Academic Calendar 2026-2027: Important Dates

The Cal Poly Academic Calendar 2026-2027 includes information on admission deadlines, tuition payment due dates, course add/drop periods, campus holidays, and final exam schedules for the upcoming academic year.

For the 2026-2027 academic year, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo will continue to operate on its established quarter system.

This means the academic year is primarily structured around three main quarters: Fall, Winter, and Spring, each spanning approximately 10 weeks of instruction, followed by dedicated final examination periods.

Additionally, a flexible Summer Quarter is offered, providing various session lengths for accelerated study or summer coursework.

Let’s move into the detailed sections for Fall Quarter 2026, Winter Quarter 2027, Spring Quarter 2027, and Summer Quarter 2027 to meticulously plan your academic year at Cal Poly SLO.

Cal Poly academic calendar fall 2026

1. The university year begins on Monday, August 17, 2026.
2. The Fall Term for faculty begins on Monday, August 17, 2026.
3. Fall Term classes begin on Monday, August 24, 2026.
4. Labor Day is Monday, September 7, 2026. This is an academic holiday.
5. The Twentieth Day of Instruction (Census Date) is Monday, September 21, 2026.
6. Early voting sites are open throughout October and November 2026. Dates, times, and locations may be confirmed through the Secretary of State website or the local county elections office.
7. Twenty percent of instruction remaining for the 7.5-week Session 1 occurs on Friday, October 2, 2026.
8. The last day of classes for the 7.5-week Session 1 is Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
9. Classes for the 7.5-week Session 2 begin on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
10. The deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 20, 2026.
11. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
12. Veterans Day is Wednesday, November 11, 2026. This is an academic holiday.
13. Twenty percent of instruction remaining for the 15-week term occurs on Friday, November 13, 2026.
14. Fall Break runs from Monday, November 23, 2026, through Sunday, November 29, 2026. This is an academic holiday.
15. Twenty percent of instruction remaining for the 7.5-week Session 2 occurs on Thursday, December 3, 2026.
16. The last day of classes for the 15-week term and the 7.5-week Session 2 is Friday, December 11, 2026.
17. Common final exams for the 15-week term (optional) and a faculty workday are scheduled for Saturday, December 12, 2026.
18. The final examination period for the 15-week term runs from Monday, December 14, 2026, through Friday, December 18, 2026.
19. Saturday, December 19, 2026, is a faculty workday with no classes.
20. Monday, December 21, 2026, is a faculty workday with no classes.
21. Tuesday, December 22, 2026, is a faculty workday with no classes.
22. The Fall Term ends on Tuesday, December 22, 2026.
23. The academic holiday period runs from Wednesday, December 23, 2026, through Thursday, January 21, 2027.

Cal Poly Academic Calendar Spring 2026

1. Cal Poly Spring 2026 term classes begin on Monday, March 30, 2026.
2. Cesar Chavez Day (academic holiday) is on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
3. The end of the second week of instruction is Monday, April 13, 2026.
4. The census date (end of the third week of instruction) is on Monday, April 20, 2026.
5. Twenty Percent of Instruction will remain on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
6. Memorial Day is observed (an academic holiday) on Monday, May 25, 2026.
7. The last day of classes is Friday, June 5, 2026.
8. Common final exams (optional) are on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
9. The final examination period runs from Monday, June 8, 2026, to Friday, June 12, 2026.
10. Commencement runs from Saturday, June 13, 2026, to Sunday, June 14, 2026.
11. The end of term/End of university year is Sunday, June 14, 2026.

For more on the Cal Poly academic calendar 2026-2027, visit the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO) academic calendar website.