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.
Please note * indicates no classes.
Fall Semester
Brown School
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
First Day of Classes
08/30
08/29
08/28
Labor Day*
09/06
09/05
09/04
Fall Break*
10/09 to 10/12
10/08 to 10/11
10/07 to 10/10
Thanksgiving Break*
11/24 to 11/28
11/23 to 11/27
11/22 to 11/26
Last Day of Term
12/20
12/21
12/08
Finals
—
—
—
Law School
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
First Day of Classes
08/30
08/29
08/28
Labor Day*
09/06
09/05
09/04
Fall Break*
10/09 to 10/12
10/08 to 10/11
10/07 to 10/10
Thanksgiving Break*
11/24 to 11/28
11/24 to 11/27
11/23 to 11/26
Last Day of Classes
12/03
12/02
12/01
Final Exams (remote Fall 2020)
12/6 to 12/17
12/05 to 12/16
12/04 to 12/15
Arts & Sciences, McKelvey School, Olin School, Sam Fox School, University College
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
First Day of Classes
08/30
08/29
08/28
Labor Day*
09/06
09/05
09/04
Fall Break*
10/09 to 10/12
10/08 to 10/11
10/07 to 10/10
Thanksgiving Break*
11/24 to 11/28
11/23 to 11/27
11/22 to 11/26
Last Day of Classes
12/10
12/09
12/08
Reading Days and Finals
12/13 to 12/22
12/12 to 12/21
12/11 to 12/20
Note: University College’s Last Day of Classes in Fall 2021, including the Final Exam period, is 12/22.
Spring Semester
Brown School
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
Martin Luther King Day*
01/17
01/16
01/15
First day of classes
01/18
01/17
01/16
Spring Break*
03/13 to 03/19
03/12 to 03/18
03/10 to 03/16
Wellness Breaks*
—
—
—
Last Day of Classes
05/06
05/08
05/05
Finals
—
—
—
Law School
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
Martin Luther King Day*
01/17
01/16
01/15
First Day of Classes
01/18
01/17
01/16
Spring Break I*
03/13 to 03/19
03/12 to 03/18
03/10 to 03/16
Spring Break II*
—
—
—
Last Day of Classes
04/22
04/21
04/19
Final Exams
04/25 to 05/06
04/24 to 05/05
04/22 to 05/03
Arts & Sciences, McKelvey School, Olin School, Sam Fox School, University College
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
Martin Luther King Day*
01/17
01/16
01/15
First Day of Classes
01/18
01/17
01/16
Spring Break*
03/13 to 03/19
03/12 to 03/18
03/10 to 03/16
Wellness Days*
—
—
—
Last Day of Classes
04/29
04/28
04/26
Reading and Finals
05/02 to 05/11
05/01 to 05/10
04/29 to 05/08
Note: University College’s Last Day of Classes in the spring, including the Final Exam period, is the last day of finals for Arts & Sciences, McKelvey School, Olin School, and Sam Fox School
Summer
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
First Session Begins
05/23
05/22
05/20
Memorial Day*
05/30
05/29
05/27
Independence Day*
07/04
07/04
07/04
Last Session Ends
08/18
08/17
08/15
Commencement
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
05/20
05/15
05/13
Changes to the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic calendars reflect accommodations made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The academic calendar committee is appointed annually by the Provost. Committee members include representatives from each school; the chairperson of the committee is the University Registrar. New academic calendars are generally established in the spring, four years in advance of the current academic year.