GMU Academic Calendar 2026-2027: Important Dates and Deadlines

GMU academic calendar 2026-2027 serves as the central operational guide for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across George Mason University campuses.

Whether you are an incoming freshman navigating course selection on PatriotWeb, a graduate student at Mason Square, or a continuing Patriot staying ahead of graduation requirements, having direct access to the George Mason academic calendar 2026-2027 ensures you never miss a registration ticket, fee cutoff, or university holiday.

This comprehensive resource provides a detailed breakdown of essential academic milestones across the entire school year to keep your degree progress on schedule.

George Mason University operates on a traditional semester-based academic calendar composed of primary Fall and Spring terms, supplemented by an optional Winter Intersession and flexible Summer sessions.

Primary Fall and Spring terms run for 15 weeks of active instruction, followed by dedicated reading days and a comprehensive final examination week.

Full-time undergraduate status requires enrollment in 12 to 18 credit hours per semester (averaging 15 credits per term to stay on pace for a four-year degree).

In addition to standard 15-week courses, GMU offers accelerated 8-week and 7.5-week sub-terms, allowing students to complete core requirements or specialized electives in condensed formats.

Preparing for the autumn semester requires close attention to registration timelines and schedule modification windows. Under the GMU academic calendar for fall 2026, classes officially launch in late August, kicking off key administrative periods including the initial add/drop windows and tuition refund tiers.

Students following the George Mason academic calendar for fall 2026 must track important checkpoints on the GMU fall 2026 calendar, such as the 100% and 50% tuition refund drop cutoffs, the Undergraduate Selective Withdrawal period, Fall Break, Thanksgiving recess, and final exam week. Managing these dates in the PatriotWeb self-service portal prevents academic holds and late fee penalties.

Looking ahead to the second half of the academic year, consulting the GMU academic calendar spring 2027 early gives you an advantage when building your schedule and resolving advising holds.

The George Mason academic calendar spring 2027 includes key term events such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, mid-semester evaluation periods, and Spring Recess.

Checking the official George Mason calendar spring 2027 allows you to align personal travel plans with Spring Break and reading days before final evaluations and Commencement ceremonies begin. Explore the full schedule breakdowns below to plan your 2026–2027 academic year with confidence.

GMU Academic Calendar Fall 2026

1. The schedule of classes becomes available in PatriotWeb on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
2. Priority registration dates begin on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
3. The consortium registration deadline is to be announced.
4. GMU Fall 2026 classes start on Monday, August 24, 2026. It is the first day of Fall 2026 classes.
5. The last day to submit a domicile reclassification application is Monday, August 24, 2026.
6. The last day to add classes and submit all individual section forms is Monday, August 31, 2026.
7. The Labor Day Holiday is observed on Monday, September 7, 2026, and the University is closed.
8. The last day to drop classes with a 100% tuition refund is Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
9. The last day to drop classes with a 50% tuition refund is Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
10. The unrestricted withdrawal period with 100% tuition liability takes place from Wednesday, September 16, 2026, to Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
11. The mid-term evaluation period for 100-200 level classes takes place from Monday, September 21, 2026, to Friday, October 16, 2026, and grades are available through PatriotWeb.
12. The selective withdrawal period for undergraduate students only with 100% tuition liability takes place from Wednesday, September 30, 2026, to Monday, October 26, 2026.
13. The Fall Graduation Application Deadline is Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
14. GMU Fall Break 2026 takes place on Monday, October 12, 2026, and classes do not meet.
15. Incomplete work from Spring/Summer 2026 is due to instructors on Friday, October 23, 2026.
16. Incomplete grade changes from Spring/Summer 2026 are due to the Registrar on Friday, October 30, 2026.
17. Election Day is observed on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and there are no classes.
18. GMU Thanksgiving Break 2026 takes place from Wednesday, November 25, 2026, to Sunday, November 29, 2026; there are no classes, and the University is closed.
19. The dissertation and thesis deadline is Friday, December 4, 2026.
20. The last day of classes is Monday, December 7, 2026.
21. Reading Day takes place on Tuesday, December 8, 2026. Students receive additional study time for final examinations, and regular classes or exams may not be held.
22. The examination period takes place from Wednesday, December 9, 2026, to Wednesday, December 16, 2026.
23. Winter Commencement takes place on Thursday, December 17, 2026.
24. The degree conferral date is Saturday, December 19, 2026.

GMU Academic Calendar Spring 2027

1. The schedule of classes becomes available in PatriotWeb on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
2. Graduate student registration begins on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
3. Priority registration dates begin on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
4. Senior student registration begins on Thursday, October 29, 2026, for students with 90 or more earned hours.
5. Junior student registration begins on Monday, November 2, 2026, for students with 60 to 89 earned hours.
6. Sophomore student registration and Non-Degree ADVANCE student registration begin on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, for students with 30 to 59 earned hours.
7. Freshman student registration begins on Friday, November 6, 2026, for students with 0 to 29 earned hours.
8. Non-Degree Graduate student registration begins on Monday, November 9, 2026.
9. Non-Degree Undergraduate student registration begins on Wednesday, January 6, 2027.
10. The first day of Spring 2027 classes is Tuesday, January 19, 2027.
11. The last day to submit a domicile reclassification application is Tuesday, January 19, 2027.
12. The last day to add classes and submit all individual section forms is Tuesday, January 26, 2027.
13. The last day to drop classes with a 100% tuition refund is Tuesday, February 2, 2027.
14. The last day to drop classes with a 50% tuition refund is Tuesday, February 9, 2027.
15. The unrestricted withdrawal period with 100% tuition liability takes place from Wednesday, February 10, 2027, to Tuesday, February 23, 2027.
16. The mid-term evaluation period for 100-200 level classes takes place from Monday, February 15, 2027, to Friday, March 19, 2027, and grades are available through PatriotWeb.
17. The selective withdrawal period for undergraduate students only with 100% tuition liability takes place from Wednesday, February 24, 2027, to Monday, March 29, 2027.
18. The Spring 2027 Graduation Application Deadline is Monday, February 22, 2027.
19. GMU Spring Break 2027 takes place from Monday, March 8, 2027, to Sunday, March 14, 2027, and classes do not meet.
20. Incomplete work from Fall 2025 is due to instructors on Friday, March 26, 2027.
21. Incomplete grade submissions from Fall 2025 are due to the Registrar on Friday, April 2, 2027.
22. The dissertation and thesis deadline is Friday, April 30, 2027.
23. The last day of classes is Monday, May 3, 2027.
24. Reading Days take place on Tuesday, May 4, 2027, and Sunday, May 9, 2027. Students receive additional study time for final examinations, and regular classes or exams may not be held.
25. The examination period takes place from Wednesday, May 5, 2027, to Wednesday, May 12, 2027.
26. Spring Commencement takes place on Thursday, May 13, 2027.
27. The degree conferral date is Friday, May 14, 2027.

For more on the George Mason University Academic Calendar 2026–2027, visit the official George Mason University Office of the University Registrar website.