WPI Academic Calendar 2026-2027: Important Dates

The WPI Academic Calendar is structured completely differently from most traditional universities, substituting classic semesters for high-intensity terms.

Managing your schedule at Worcester Polytechnic Institute requires understanding this unique pace so you can successfully track registration windows, project deadlines, and school holidays.

Instead of two long terms, the undergraduate regular academic year at WPI is split into four fast-paced, 7-week terms (labeled A, B, C, and D), alongside two optional 5-week summer terms (E-Term 1 and E-Term 2).

While undergraduate students take three courses per 7-week block to maintain a full-time workload, many graduate-level courses still operate on traditional 14-week semesters that run concurrently.

WPI Academic Calendar Fall 2026

1. The first day of the A-Term and the first day of the Fall Semester is Thursday, August 20, 2026.
2. The last day to add or drop an A-Term course without a registration fee is Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
3. The last day to add or drop an A-Term course with a registration fee, the last day to add or drop a Fall Semester course, and the CDR/ETD deadline for Summer 2026 projects is Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
4. Labor Day is observed with no classes on Monday, September 7, 2026.
5. Classes will follow a Monday schedule on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
6. The last day for graduate students to withdraw from A-Term courses is Thursday, September 24, 2026.
7. Wellness Day is observed with no classes on Friday, September 25, 2026.
8. The last day of the A-Term and the last day for graduate students to withdraw from 10-week courses is Friday, October 9, 2026.
9. A-Term grades are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
10. The first day of the B-Term is Monday, October 19, 2026.
11. The last day to add or drop a B-Term course without a registration fee is Friday, October 23, 2026.
12. The last day to add or drop a B-Term course with a registration fee and the CDR deadline for A-Term projects is Friday, October 30, 2026.
13. Wellness Day is observed with no classes on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
14. The last day for graduate students to withdraw from Fall Semester courses is Monday, November 9, 2026.
15. The last day for graduate students to withdraw from B-Term courses is Monday, November 23, 2026.
16. The Thanksgiving holiday is observed with no classes from Wednesday, November 25, 2026, to Friday, November 27, 2026.
17. The last day to withdraw or take a leave of absence for the Fall Semester is Monday, November 30, 2026.
18. Reading Day and Make-up Day are observed on Monday, December 7, 2026.
19. The last day of the B-Term, the last day of the Fall Semester, and the IQP and MQP CDR/ETD deadline for December graduation candidates is Friday, December 11, 2026.
20. Final grades are due by 4:00 p.m., and HUA CDRs for December graduation candidates are due by noon on Wednesday, December 16, 2026.

WPI Academic Calendar Spring 2027

1. The first day of the C-Term and the first day of the Spring Semester, where classes will follow a Monday schedule, is Wednesday, January 13, 2027.
2. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed with no classes on Monday, January 18, 2027.
3. The last day to add or drop a C-Term course without a registration fee is Wednesday, January 20, 2027.
4. The last day to add or drop a C-Term course with a registration fee, the last day to add or drop a Spring Semester course, and the CDR/ETD deadline for B-Term and Fall Semester projects is Wednesday, January 27, 2027.
5. Wellness Day is observed with no classes on Friday, February 12, 2027.
6. The last day for graduate students to withdraw from C-Term courses is Thursday, February 18, 2027.
7. Academic Advising Day is observed with no classes on Thursday, February 25, 2027.
8. The last day of the C-Term and the last day for graduate students to withdraw from 10-week courses is Friday, March 5, 2027.
9. C-Term grades are due by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10, 2027.
10. The first day of the D-Term is Monday, March 15, 2027.
11. The last day to add or drop a D-Term course without a registration fee is Friday, March 19, 2027.
12. The last day to add or drop a D-Term course with a registration fee and the CDR deadline for C-Term projects is Friday, March 26, 2027.
13. Wellness Day is observed with no classes on Monday, March 29, 2027.
14. Classes will follow a Monday schedule on Tuesday, March 30, 2027.
15. The last day for graduate students to withdraw from Spring Semester courses is Monday, April 5, 2027.
16. The Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase is observed with no classes on Friday, April 16, 2027.
17. Patriot’s Day is observed with no classes on Monday, April 19, 2027.
18. The last day to withdraw or take a leave of absence for the Spring Semester and the last day for graduate students to withdraw from D-Term courses is Wednesday, April 21, 2027.
19. The deadline for IQP and MQP CDRs/ETDs for all May graduation candidates is Thursday, April 29, 2027.
20. The last day of the D-Term and the last day of the Spring Semester, where classes will follow a Friday schedule, is Wednesday, May 5, 2027.
21. HUA CDRs are due at 12:00 p.m. for all May graduation candidates, and D-Term and Spring Semester grades are due by 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2027.

WPI Academic Calendar Summer 2027

1. Summer Session I and Full Summer courses begin online and on-campus on Thursday, May 20, 2027.
2. The last day to add or drop a Summer Session I course is Wednesday, May 26, 2027.
3. Memorial Day is observed with no classes on Monday, May 31, 2027.
4. The last day to add or drop a Full Summer course, the CDR/ETD deadline for D-Term and Spring Semester projects, and the day classes follow a Monday schedule is Thursday, June 3, 2027.
5. The last day for graduate and non-degree students to withdraw from a Summer Session I course is Thursday, June 10, 2027.
6. Juneteenth is observed with no classes on Friday, June 18, 2027.
7. The last day of Summer Session I is Friday, June 25, 2027.
8. Summer Session I and Late Spring grades are due at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30, 2027.
9. Summer Session II begins on Tuesday, July 6, 2027.
10. The last day to add or drop a Summer Session II course is Monday, July 12, 2027.
11. The last day for graduate and non-degree students to withdraw from a full-summer course is Monday, July 19, 2027.
12. The last day for graduate and non-degree students to withdraw from a Summer Session II course is Monday, July 26, 2027.
13. The last day of Summer Session II and Full Summer, and the deadline for IQP and MQP CDRs/ETDs for all August graduation candidates is Monday, August 9, 2027.
14. Summer Session II and Full Summer grades are due at 4:00 p.m., and HUA CDRs for all August graduation candidates are due by noon on Thursday, August 12, 2027.

For more on the WPI Academic Calendar 2026-2027, visit the Worcester Polytechnic Institute calendar website.