The UCSC Academic Calendar 2025–2026 is your go-to resource for tracking all essential academic milestones covering quarter start and end dates, course enrollment periods, tuition deadlines, add/drop windows, final exams, and campus holidays.
Whether you’re planning your schedule as a first-year Banana Slug or managing your final year, the UC Santa Cruz academic calendar helps you stay ahead.
Unlike semester-based campuses, UCSC uses a quarter system, offering three main academic terms:
- Fall Quarter (Late September – Early December): 10 weeks of instruction + 1 week of final exams. Includes Thanksgiving break and Veterans Day.
- Winter Quarter (Early January – Mid-March): Begins just after New Year’s and includes MLK Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day. Finals wrap up before Spring Break.
- Spring Quarter (Late March – Mid-June): Includes Memorial Day and ends with final exams before Commencement in mid-June.
Optional Summer Session(s) (June – September):
Choose from Session 1, Session 2, or 8-week/full-length sessions ideal for completing extra units or accelerating graduation.
The UCSC term schedule includes critical dates that every student should bookmark:
- Enrollment opens via MyUCSC portal
- Instruction begins and final add/drop deadlines
- Tuition and fee payment due dates
- Withdrawal deadlines and “No Record” grade cutoffs
- Grade submission dates
- Reading days and final exam week
Each quarter has its own timeline, so always consult the official UCSC Academic Calendar for the latest updates.
Whether you’re balancing coursework with research at Long Marine Lab or enjoying UCSC’s redwood-lined campus between classes, having the UCSC academic calendar on hand keeps you aligned with university expectations and deadlines. From registration to finals, don’t miss a beat.
Table of Contents
UCSC Academic Calendar Fall 2025
The following are the important dates and deadlines for Fall 2025 from the UCSC Academic Calendar 2025–2026.
- Labor Day will be observed on Monday, September 1, 2025.
- The Fall Quarter begins on Saturday, September 20, 2025.
- Instruction for the Fall Quarter begins on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
- Veterans Day will be observed on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
- Thanksgiving Break includes holidays on Thursday, November 27, and Friday, November 28, 2025.
- Instruction for the Fall Quarter ends on Friday, December 5, 2025.
- Final exams for the Fall Quarter take place from Monday, December 8, to Friday, December 12, 2025.
- The Fall Quarter ends on Friday, December 12, 2025.
- Final grades for the Fall Quarter are due on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
- The university will be closed for winter holidays on Wednesday, December 24, Thursday, December 25, and Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
UCSC Academic Calendar Winter 2026
The following are the important dates and deadlines for Winter 2026 from the UCSC Academic Calendar 2025–2026.
- New Year’s Day will be observed on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
- The Winter Quarter begins on Monday, January 5, 2026.
- Instruction for the Winter Quarter also begins on Monday, January 5, 2026.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed on Monday, January 19, 2026.
- Presidents’ Day will be observed on Monday, February 16, 2026.
- Instruction for the Winter Quarter ends on Friday, March 13, 2026.
- Final exams for the Winter Quarter will take place from Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, 2026.
- The Winter Quarter ends on Friday, March 20, 2026.
- Final grades for the Winter Quarter are due on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
- A university holiday not falling within the Winter Quarter will be observed on Friday, March 27, 2026.
UCSC Academic Calendar Spring 2026
The following are the important dates and deadlines for Spring 2026 from the UCSC Academic Calendar 2025–2026.
- The Spring Quarter begins on Monday, March 30, 2026.
- Instruction for the Spring Quarter also begins on Monday, March 30, 2026.
- Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 25, 2026.
- Instruction for the Spring Quarter ends on Friday, June 5, 2026.
- Final exams for the Spring Quarter will be held from Monday, June 8, to Thursday, June 11, 2026.
- The Spring Quarter ends on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
- Final grades for the Spring Quarter are due on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
- Spring Commencement ceremonies are scheduled from Friday, June 12, to Monday, June 15, 2026.
UCSC Academic Calendar Summer 2026
The following are the important dates and deadlines for Summer 2026 from the UCSC Academic Calendar 2025–2026.
- Juneteenth will be observed on Thursday, June 19, 2026, during Summer Quarter.
- The Summer Quarter begins on Monday, June 22, 2026.
- Instruction for the Summer Quarter also begins on Monday, June 22, 2026.
- Independence Day (observed) will be on Friday, July 3, 2026.
- Instruction for the Summer Quarter ends on Friday, August 29, 2026.
- The Summer Quarter officially ends on Friday, August 28, 2026.
For more on the UCSC Academic Calendar 2025-2026 and download the PDF, visit the University of California, Santa Cruz Calendar website.
