The academic calendar of Washington University in St. Louis is designed to provide an optimal amount of classroom instruction and examination within a manageable time frame, facilitating our educational mission to promote learning among both students and faculty.

Washington University in St. Louis primarily follows a standard semester-based academic calendar: a fall and spring semester of approximately 16 weeks, including sessions of half-semester lengths and intersessions beginning before the term start date, and a summer term of 13 weeks, including sessions of half-term length, an intersession beginning before the term start date, and 3-, 5- and 8-week lengths.  The Doctor of Medicine program follows a yearlong calendar supporting modular curriculum delivery.

Please note * indicates no classes.

Brown School

 FALL SEMESTER2022 – 20232023 – 20242024 – 2025
First Day of Classes08/2908/2808/26
Labor Day*09/0509/0409/02
Fall Break*10/08 to 10/1110/07 to 10/1010/05 to 10/08
Thanksgiving Break*11/23 to 11/2711/22 to 11/2611/27 to 12/01
Last Day of Classes12/0912/1812/16
Final Exams
 SPRING SEMESTER2022 – 20232023 – 20242024 – 2025
Martin Luther King Day*01/1601/1501/20
First Day of Classes01/1701/1601/13
Spring Break*03/12 to 03/1803/10 to 03/1603/09 to 03/15
Last Day of Classes05/0805/0605/05
Final Exams

Law School

 FALL SEMESTER2022 – 20232023 – 20242024 – 2025
First Day of Classes08/2908/2808/26
Labor Day*09/0509/0409/02
Fall Break*10/08 to 10/1110/07 to 10/10 10/05 to 10/08
Thanksgiving Break*11/24 to 11/2711/23 to 11/2611/27 to 12/01
Last Day of Classes12/0212/0111/29
Final Exams12/05 to 12/1612/04 to 12/1512/02 to 12/13
 SPRING SEMESTER2022 – 20232023 – 20242024 – 2025
Martin Luther King Day*01/1601/1501/20
First Day of Classes01/1701/1601/13
Spring Break*03/12 to 03/1803/10 to 03/1603/09 to 03/15
Last Day of Classes04/2104/1904/18
Final Exams04/24 to 05/0504/22 to 05/0304/21 to 05/02

Arts & Sciences, McKelvey School, Olin School, Sam Fox School, School of Continuing & Professional Studies

 FALL SEMESTER2022 – 20232023 – 20242024 – 2025
First Day of Classes08/2908/2808/26
Labor Day*09/0509/0409/02
Fall Break*10/08 to 10/1110/07 to 10/1010/05 to 10/08
Thanksgiving Break*11/23 to 11/2711/22 to 11/2611/27 to 12/01
Last Day of Classes12/0912/0812/06
Reading Days 12/12 to 12/1412/11 to 12/1312/09 to 12/11
Final Exams12/15 to 12/2112/14 to 12/2012/12 to 12/18
Note: The School of Continuing & Professional Studies Last Day of Classes in Fall 2023, including the Final Exam period, is 12/20.

 SPRING SEMESTER2022 – 20232023 – 20242024 – 2025
Martin Luther King Day*01/1601/1501/20
First Day of Classes01/1701/1601/13
Spring Break*03/12 to 03/1803/10 to 03/1603/09 to 03/15
Last Day of Classes04/2804/2604/25
Reading Days05/01 to 05/0304/29 to 05/0104/28 to 4/30
Final Exams05/04 to 05/1005/02 to 05/0805/01 to 05/07
Note: The Last Day of Classes in the spring for the School of Continuing & Professional Studies, including the Final Exam Period, is the last day of finals for Arts & Sciences, McKelvey School, Olin School, and Sam Fox School.

Summer

 2022 – 20232023 – 20242024 – 2025
First Session Begins05/2205/2005/19
Memorial Day*05/2905/2705/26
Independence Day*07/0407/0407/04
Last Session Ends08/1708/1508/14

Commencement

2023-20242024-20252025-20262026-2027
05/1305/1205/1505/21

The Calendar Committee preliminarily approves academic calendars each spring, four years in advance; the calendar is finalized one year in advance by the Office of the University Registrar.  The Calendar Committee is commissioned by the Provost and chaired by the University Registrar.  Representatives from each school and key administrative units, including the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost and the Division of Student Affairs, comprise membership.  In addition to approving preliminary calendars, the Calendar Committee is charged also with considering changes to the calendar and submitting any they endorse to the Provost and Chancellor; ensuring academic calendars are in keeping with federal and accreditation requirements and industry best practices; and ensure any calendar principles and patterns are approved and applied consistently from year to year.