UCLA Academic Calendar: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the UCLA academic calendar is crucial for students, faculty, and staff to navigate the academic year effectively. This guide provides essential dates, deadlines, and holiday information for upcoming quarters, including Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026, as well as a look at future Fall and Winter quarters. It also covers important policies related to enrollment, dropping courses, withdrawals, and incomplete grades.

Key Dates and Deadlines for 2025-2026

This section outlines the critical dates and deadlines for each quarter, covering enrollment, instruction, holidays, and grade availability. The information is presented in a structured format to enhance clarity.

Fall Quarter 2025

Enrollment Opens: Jul. 28, 2025
Instruction Begins: Sep. 22, 2025
Last Day to Enroll or Transfer into a Course: Sep. 28, 2025
Last Day to Drop and Request a Refund: Oct. 5, 2025
Veterans Day Holiday: Nov. 11, 2025
Thanksgiving Holiday: Nov. 27-28, 2025
Instruction Ends: Dec. 14, 2025
Final Grades Available to Students: Dec. 30, 2025
Winter Holiday Campus Closure: Dec. 24, 2025 - Jan. 1, 2026 (PT)

Additional Fall 2025 Dates:

Quarter Begins: Monday, September 22
Instruction Begins: Thursday, September 25
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, October 10
Common Final Exams: Saturday-Sunday, December 6-7
Final Examinations: Monday-Friday, December 8-12
Quarter Ends: Friday, December 12
Christmas Holiday: Wednesday-Thursday, December 24-25
New Year’s Eve/Day Holiday: Wednesday-Thursday, December 31-January 1, 2026

Winter Quarter 2026

Enrollment Opens: Nov. 3, 2025
Instruction Begins: Jan. 5, 2026
Last Day to Enroll or Transfer into a Course: Jan. 11, 2026
Last Day to Drop and Request a Refund: Jan. 18, 2026
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday: Jan. 19, 2026
Presidents' Day Holiday: Feb. 16, 2026
Instruction Ends: Mar. 22, 2026
Final Grades Available to Students: Apr. 8, 2026 (PT)

Additional Winter 2026 Dates:

Quarter Begins: Friday, January 2
Instruction Begins: Monday, January 5
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, January 16

Spring Quarter 2026

Enrollment Opens: Feb. 2, 2026
Cesar Chavez Day Holiday: Mar. 27, 2026
Instruction Begins: Mar. 30, 2026
Last Day to Enroll or Transfer into a Course: Apr. 5, 2026
Last Day to Drop and Request a Refund: Apr. 12, 2026
Memorial Day Holiday: May 25, 2026
Instruction Ends: Jun. 14, 2026
Final Grades Available to Students: Jun. 30, 2026 (PT)

Summer Quarter 2026

Enrollment Opens: Apr. 27, 2026
Juneteenth Holiday: Friday, June 19, 2026
Instruction Begins: Jun. 22, 2026
Last Day to Enroll or Transfer into a Course: Jun. 28, 2026
Last Day to Drop and Request a Refund: Jul. 5, 2026
Labor Day Holiday: Monday, September 7, 2026
Instruction Ends: Sep. 13, 2026
Final Grades Available to Students: Sep. 29, 2026 (PT)

Future Academic Years

To assist with long-term planning, here are key dates for future Fall and Winter quarters.

Fall Quarter 2026

Quarter Begins: Monday, September 21
Instruction Begins: Thursday, September 24
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, October 9
Veterans Day Holiday: Wednesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Holiday: Thursday-Friday, November 26-27
Instruction Ends: Friday, December 4
Common Final Exams: Saturday-Sunday, December 5-6
Final Examinations: Monday-Friday, December 7-11
Quarter Ends: Friday, December 11
Christmas Holiday: Thursday-Friday, December 24-25
New Year’s Eve/Day Holiday: Thursday-Friday, December 31-January 1, 2027

Winter Quarter 2027

Quarter Begins: Monday, January 4
Instruction Begins: Monday, January 4
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, January 15
**Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday: ** (Date not provided)

Fall Quarter 2027

Quarter Begins: Monday, September 20
Instruction Begins: Thursday, September 23
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, October 8
Veterans Day Holiday: Thursday, November 11
Thanksgiving Holiday: Thursday-Friday, November 25-26
Instruction Ends: Friday, December 3
Common Final Exams: Saturday-Sunday, December 4-5
Final Examinations: Monday-Friday, December 6-10
Quarter Ends: Friday, December 10
Christmas Holiday: Friday/Monday, December 24, 27
New Year’s Holiday: Friday/Monday, December 31, January 3, 2028

Winter Quarter 2028

Quarter Begins: Tuesday, January 4
Instruction Begins: Tuesday, January 4
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, January 14
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday: (Date not provided)

Fall Quarter 2028

Quarter Begins: Wednesday, September 27
Instruction Begins: Monday, October 2
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, October 13
Veterans Day Holiday: Friday, November 10
Thanksgiving Holiday: Thursday-Friday, November 23-24
Instruction Ends: Friday, December 8
Common Final Exams: Saturday-Sunday, December 9-10
Final Examinations: Monday-Friday, December 11-15
Quarter Ends: Friday, December 15
Christmas Holiday: Monday-Tuesday, December 25-26
New Year’s Holiday: Monday-Tuesday, January 1-2, 2029

Winter Quarter 2029

Quarter Begins: Wednesday, January 3
Instruction Begins: Thursday, January 4
Study List Deadline (becomes official): Friday, January 19
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday: (Date not provided)

Enrollment and Course Changes

Navigating enrollment, dropping courses, and withdrawals requires understanding specific deadlines and potential consequences.

Enrollment

Fall enrollment opens on July 28 and closes on September 28. It’s important to enroll promptly to secure desired courses. The last day to enroll or transfer into a course follows different formats:

Regular Format (6 or more weeks of instruction): The deadline is noted in the dates above.
Short Format (2-5 weeks of instruction): The deadline is the day before the first class meeting.
Alternative Format (1-day course or event): The deadline is the day before the first class meeting.

Dropping Courses and Refunds

Students can drop courses and request a refund within a specific timeframe. The deadlines vary depending on the course format:

Regular Format: The last day to drop and request a refund is Sunday at the end of the first week of the course.
Short Format: The deadline is the day before the first class meeting.
Alternative Format: The deadline is the day before the first class meeting.

Withdrawals

Students have the option to discontinue enrollment in a course, with no refund, before taking the final and before a final course grade. Students who have taken or accessed or submitted a final exam, paper, or project may not withdraw from the class. The last day to withdraw from courses is Sunday before the final week of the course or before the final exam, whichever comes first.

International Students (F1 Visa)

International students on an F1 visa should be aware that dropping or withdrawing from a course may jeopardize their immigration status. It is crucial to consult with an international student advisor before making any changes to their enrollment.

Grading and Credit Options

UCLA offers various grading and credit options, and students can petition to change these options under certain conditions. The last day to submit a petition to Change Grading or Credit Option is Sunday before the final week of the course or before the final exam, whichever comes first.

Incomplete Grades

Students who have good cause may request an Incomplete grade by speaking with the Instructor and contacting the academic program unit. Requests must be made via the Incomplete petition form, which is reviewed for approval/denial by the instructor and program director. The last day to submit a petition for an Incomplete is Sunday before the final week of the course or before the final exam, whichever comes first.

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Accessing Important Dates and Deadlines

Students can find specific drop, transfer, or withdrawal dates for their courses in several ways:

On their payment receipt.
By logging into their student account, selecting "My Enrollment History," and clicking the blue dot next to the course.

Summary Calendars

Year-at-a-glance calendars, including term and instruction start and end dates, and school holidays, are available for quick reference. Calendars for past academic years are available in the calendar archive.

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