NVCC Academic Calendar 2026-2027: Important Dates

NVCC academic calendar 2026-2027 provides the official schedule of class registration windows, instructional start dates, tuition payment deadlines, holiday closures, and final examination periods across Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).

Whether you are enrolling at one of the six regional campuses—such as Annandale, Alexandria, Loudoun, or Woodbridge—or completing coursework remotely through NOVA Online, tracking these crucial dates ensures smooth academic planning, timely financial aid processing, and on-target degree or certificate completion.

Operating under the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), Northern Virginia Community College follows a flexible semester-based academic calendar divided into three main terms: the Fall Semester (running late August through mid-December), the Spring Semester (spanning mid-January through early May), and a comprehensive Summer Semester (offered from mid-May through early August).

Within each primary term, NOVA offers traditional 15-week sessions alongside multiple dynamically dated, accelerated formats—including 13-week, 10-week, 8-week, and two 7-week sessions—allowing students to customize course intensity.

A standard full-time course load typically ranges from 12 to 18 credits per semester, helping students maintain steady momentum toward their 60-credit associate degree or seamless transfer pathways to four-year universities.

This comprehensive overview outlines critical registration checkpoints and academic deadlines to help you navigate your semester with ease.

You will find target dates for Priority and Open Registration in the myNOVA (SIS) portal, the last days to add classes, tuition refund cutoffs, and individual course withdrawal (W-grade) deadlines.

Monitoring these milestones is vital to avoiding registration holds, preventing unintended tuition liabilities, and ensuring you meet prerequisite standards for upcoming semesters.

Additionally, this guide maps out official student recess periods—such as Labor Day, Thanksgiving break, winter break, and the March spring recess—alongside the designated reading days, the final exam testing week, and annual commencement ceremonies.

Whether you are coordinating next term’s class schedule, preparing for accelerated dynamic sessions, or planning your graduation timeline, having all verified dates organized in one place keeps your college journey structured and on track.

NVCC Academic Calendar Fall 2026

1. Open registration for all students begins on Monday, April 6, 2026.
2. Student Success Week takes place from Monday, April 6, 2026, through Friday, April 10, 2026.
3. The tuition payment deadline is Monday, August 10, 2026, for registrations completed on or before Sunday, August 9, 2026, while registrations on or after Monday, August 10, 2026, require payment the following day.
4. Purchasing books and supplies at the bookstore using financial aid is available from Monday, August 10, 2026, through Thursday, October 29, 2026.
5. The last day to add your name to the waitlist for the 15-week term is Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
6. NVCC Fall 2026 classes start on Monday, August 24, 2026. It is the first day of classes.
7. The last day to add or enroll in courses for the 15-week term is Monday, August 31, 2026, with payment due at the time of enrollment.
8. The college is closed with no classes scheduled on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of Labor Day.
9. The census date, marking the last day to drop with a tuition refund or change to audit for the 15-week term, is Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
10. Financial aid adjustments begin, and parking enforcement on student and hourly lots starts at 6:00 AM on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
11. The deadline to submit a graduation application is Thursday, October 1, 2026.
12. NVCC Fall Break 2026 takes place with no classes scheduled on Monday, October 12, 2026, and Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
13. The last day to withdraw without grade penalty for the 15-week term is Friday, October 30, 2026.
14. The college closes at noon on Wednesday, November 25, 2026, and remains closed through Sunday, November 29, 2026, for the NVCC Thanksgiving Break 2026.
15. Final exam week for 15-week and 13-week terms runs from Tuesday, December 8, 2026, through Monday, December 14, 2026.
16. Classes and examinations end for the 15-week term on Monday, December 14, 2026.
17. The last day for faculty to submit grades is Wednesday, December 16, 2026.
18. The college is closed for winter break from Wednesday, December 23, 2026, through Thursday, December 31, 2026.

NVCC Academic Calendar Spring 2027

1. Open registration for all students begins on Monday, October 26, 2026.
2. Student Success Week takes place from Monday, October 26, 2026, through Friday, October 30, 2026.
3. The Winter Session payment due date is Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
4. Purchasing books and supplies using financial aid for the Winter Session runs from Wednesday, December 2, 2026, through Monday, December 21, 2026.
5. The tuition payment deadline is Tuesday, January 5, 2027, for registrations completed on or before that date, while registrations on or after Wednesday, January 6, 2027, require payment the following day.
6. Purchasing books and supplies using financial aid for the Spring Session is available from Tuesday, January 5, 2027, through Monday, March 29, 2027.
7. The last day to add your name to the waitlist for the 15-week term is Wednesday, January 6, 2027.
8. The college is closed with no classes scheduled on Monday, January 18, 2027, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
9. Spring 2027 classes begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2027.
10. The last day to add or enroll in courses for the 15-week term is Monday, January 25, 2027, with payment due at the time of enrollment.
11. The census date, marking the last day to drop with a tuition refund or change to audit for the 15-week term, is Thursday, February 4, 2027.
12. Parking enforcement on student and hourly lots begins at 6:00 AM on Friday, February 5, 2027.
13. Financial aid adjustments begin on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
14. The deadline to submit a graduation application is Monday, March 1, 2027.
15. NVCC Spring Break 2027 takes place with no classes scheduled from Monday, March 8, 2027, through Sunday, March 14, 2027.
16. The last day to withdraw without grade penalty for the 15-week term is Friday, March 26, 2027.
17. Final exam week for 15-week and 13-week terms runs from Tuesday, May 4, 2027, through Monday, May 10, 2027.
18. Classes and examinations end for the 15-week term on Monday, May 10, 2027.
19. The last day for faculty to submit grades is Wednesday, May 12, 2027.

For more on the NVCC Academic Calendar 2026-2027, visit the Northern Virginia Community College Academic Calendar and Registrar website.