UW Madison Academic Calendar 2025-2026

UW Madison Academic Calendar 2025-2026; UW–Madison 2023 calendar

UW–Madison 2025 calendar

The faculty of the University of Wisconsin–Madison can set the academic calendar, as stated in Faculty Policies and Procedures. The Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate, and the State of Wisconsin legislation all set forth certain norms and criteria that must be followed while constructing the academic calendar. The Faculty Senate establishes a new academic calendar that covers the following five years roughly every five years.

In the same meeting, the Senate enacted standing rules that established, among other things, regular beginning and ending dates for semesters, uniform lengths for each, and a formula that produces an annual academic calendar.

This new method of standard calculation was used to create the academic calendar shown below for 2025–2026. The Faculty Senate’s approval of this extension of the academic year is sought after and advised by the University Committee. Students may visit the sites of the Office of the Registrar for additional dates and deadlines. UW Madison Academic Calendar 2025–2026;

UW Madison Academic Calendar Fall Semester 2025

UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 Faculty contract year begins August 18, 2025, Monday
Labor Day is on September 1, 2025, Monday
UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 Instruction begins September 3, 2025, Wednesday
Thanksgiving recess for UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 starts November 27-November 30, 2025
UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 The Last class day is on December 10, 2025, Wednesday
UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 Study day begins December 11, 2025, Thursday
UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 Exams begin December 12 Friday-December 18 Thursday, 2025
UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 Commencement (no exams) December 14, 2025, Sunday
UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 Grading deadline is December 21, 2025, Sunday
UW Madison Fall Semester 2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is on January 19, 2026, Monday

UW Madison Academic Calendar Spring Semester 2026

Martin Luther King Jr. Day at UW Madison is on Jan 15 Monday 2024
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Instruction begins January 20, 2026, Tuesday
UW Madison Spring recess starts March 28-April 5, 2026
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Classes resume April 6, 2026 Monday
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Last class day is May 1, 2026 Friday
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Study day begins May 2, 2026, on Saturday
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Exams begin May 3 Sunday-May 8 Friday 2026
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Commencement: Doctoral & Medical Professional start May 8, 2026 Friday
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Commencement: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Law is on May 9, 2026 Saturday
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Grading deadline is on May 11, 2026, Monday
UW Madison Spring Semester 2026 Faculty contract year ends May 17, 2026, Sunday