2026-2027 Academic Calendar
Last updated May 15, 2026
Fall Semester 1
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Aug 23-24 (Sun-Mon) | First-year arrival window |
| Aug 25-30 (Tue-Sun) | Marhaba first-year orientation program |
| Aug 26 (Wed) | Visiting Student arrival |
| Aug 26 (Wed) | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH)* |
| Aug 27-30 (Thu-Sun) | Visiting Student Marhaba |
| Aug 29-30 (Sat-Sun) | Arrival window for returning students |
| Aug 31 (Mon) | First day of classes |
| Sep 4 (Fri) | Add/drop deadline for 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Sep 11 (Fri) | Add/drop deadline for 14-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Oct 2 (Fri) | Withdrawal deadline for 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Oct 9 (Fri) | Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for first 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Oct 16 (Fri) | Last day of classes for 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Oct 17 (Sat) | Reading day |
| Oct 18-22 (Sun-Thu) | No classes: Final exams for 7-week courses |
| Oct 20 (Tue) | Spring 2027 schedule published online / shopping cart open |
| Oct 23-25 (Fri-Sun) | No classes: Fall Break |
| Oct 24 (Sat) | Final Grades due for first 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
Fall Semester 2
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct 26 (Mon) | Classes resume |
| Oct 30 (Fri) | Add/drop deadline for 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Nov 20 (Fri) | Withdrawal deadline for 14-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Nov 27 (Fri) | Withdrawal deadline for second 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Nov 27 (Fri) | Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for 14-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Dec 2-3 (Wed-Thu) | No classes: National Day Holiday* |
| Dec 4 (Fri) | Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for second 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| Dec 6 (Sun) | Possible legislative day if National Holiday is longer than two days |
| Dec 13 (Sun) | Legislative day - Classes meet on a Wednesday schedule |
| Dec 14 (Mon) | Legislative day - Classes meet on a Thursday schedule |
| Dec 14 (Mon) | Last day of classes (meets on a Thursday schedule) |
| Dec 15 (Tue) | Reading day |
| Dec 16-22 (Wed-Tue) | Final exams |
| Dec 23 (Wed) | Departure day: Winter break begins |
| Dec 24 (Thu) | Final grades due |
| Feb 1 (Mon) | Conferral for Fall/January degree completers |
January Term 2027
Spring Semester 1
| Oct 20 (Tue) | Spring 2027 schedule published online / shopping cart open |
|---|---|
| Date | Event |
| Jan 13 (Wed) | Visiting Student arrival |
| Jan 14-17 (Thu-Sun) | Visiting Student Marhaba |
| Jan 17-18 (Sun-Mon) | Returning student arrivals |
| Jan 19 (Tue) | First day of classes |
| Jan 25 (Mon) | Add/drop deadline for 7-week courses (4:00pm deadline) |
| Feb 1 (Mon) | Add/drop deadline for 14-week courses (4:00pm deadline) |
| Feb 7-Mar 8* | Ramadan |
| Feb 22 (Mon) | Withdrawal deadline for first 7-week courses (4:00pm deadline) |
| March 1 (Mon) | Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for first 7-week courses (4:00pm deadline) |
| March 6 (Sat) | Last day of classes for first 7-week courses |
| March 6 (Sat) | Legislative Day (classes meet on a Monday schedule) |
| March 7 (Sun) | Reading day |
| Spring Break March 8-12 (Mon-Fri) |
No classes: Spring Break / Eid Al-Fitr Holiday |
| March 13-17 (Sat-Wed) | Final Exams for first 7-week courses (no 14-week courses meet) |
| March 19 (Fri) | Grades due for first 7-week classes (4:00pm deadline) |
Spring Semester 2
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 18 (Thu) | Classes begin for second 7-week courses; 14-week courses resume |
| March 24 (Wed) | Add/ drop deadline for second 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| April 1 (Thu) | Withdrawal deadline for 14-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| April 22 (Thu) | Withdrawal deadline for second 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| April 22 (Thu) | Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for 14-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| April 29 (Thu) | Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for second 7-week courses (4pm deadline) |
| May 5 (Wed) | Last day of classes |
| May 6 (Thu) | Reading Day (No classes or exams) |
| May 7-14 (Fri-Fri) | Final exams |
| May 15 (Sat) | Visiting students depart |
| May 15 (Sat) | Returning students depart |
| May 16 (Sun) | Final grades due (4pm deadline) |
| May 17-May 19 (Mon-Wed) | Eid Al-Adha (Holiday)* |
| May 20* (Thu) | NYUAD Commencement (Congratulations to our graduating students!) - No Classes |
| May 21 (Fri) | NYUAD Graduating Seniors depart |
| June 1 (Tue) | Conferral date for spring 2027 degree completers / Diplomas will be ready by June 30 and mailed to students after that time. Instructions on how to collect diplomas will be sent the first week of July. |
Four-Week Summer Session in Abu Dhabi
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| All summer classes are in Abu Dhabi |
|
| April 15 (Thu) | Add deadline for summer courses (4pm deadline). |
| May 4 (Tue) | Drop deadline for summer courses (4pm deadline). Classes dropped after this time will appear as a "W" on the transcript up until May 25, when classes will then be letter graded. |
| May 24 (Mon) | Classes begin for summer courses |
| May 25 (Tue) | End of course swap for enrolled students who did not complete prerequisites successfully. |
| May 25 (Tue) | Last day to withdraw from 4-week summer course without a letter grade - "W" grade will appear on the transcript (4pm deadline). Classes are letter-graded after this deadline. |
| June 6 (Sun) | Holiday: No classes. Hijri New Year 1449. Potential Legislative Day on Saturday, June 12 if holiday is observed on Monday, June 7. |
| June 12 (Sat) | Potential Legislative Day if the Hijri New Year 1449 is observed on a day other than Saturday or Sunday |
| June 17 (Thu) | Last day of classes |
| June 18 (Fri) | Final exams |
| June 21 (Mon) | Final grades due |
| July 15 (Thu) | Conferral date for summer 2027 4-week course degree completers. (Diplomas will be ready and mailed after August 25.) |
*Note: Islamic holidays are determined according to moon sighting and are subject to change. Last-minute changes to the holiday calendar may result in Legislative Days needing to be scheduled after the semester begins.
All registration deadlines are 4pm UAE time on the day listed so they can be reviewed in a timely manner.
Conferral date for late (second summer session) summer 2027 degree completers is September 1, 2027 (All degree requirement must be completed and final grades must be posted by August 10).