Fairfield University Academic Calendar 2026-2027
Fairfield University runs both full-semester and accelerated sessions in fall and spring 2026-2027. Key dates for undergraduate and graduate students — including breaks, finals, withdrawal deadlines, and the 77th Commencement — are all here.
Fairfield University’s 2026-2027 academic calendar runs on a full-semester schedule with two parallel accelerated sessions embedded within each semester. Fall and spring semesters each contain a full-semester track and two consecutive accelerated sessions (approximately eight weeks each), allowing students in some programs to complete coursework on a compressed timeline alongside the regular curriculum. Graduate and undergraduate students share the same session structure but have separate final exam schedules in some cases. Dates marked “revised” on the official calendar reflect a 4/30/2026 update — confirm any changes directly with the Fairfield Registrar.
Key Dates at a Glance
Fall Classes Begin
Sep 8, 2026
Tuesday · All courses
Fall Break
Oct 12–13, 2026
Mon–Tue · All schools
Thanksgiving Recess
Nov 25–29, 2026
Wed–Sun · All schools
Fall Classes End (UG)
Dec 11, 2026
Friday · Undergraduate
Undergraduate Final Exams
Dec 14–19, 2026
Mon–Sat · Fall semester
Spring Classes Begin
Jan 19, 2027
Tuesday · All courses
Spring Recess
Feb 27 – Mar 7
Sat–Sun · All schools
Easter Break
Mar 25–29, 2027
Thu–Mon · All schools
Undergraduate Final Exams
May 6–12, 2027
Thu–Wed · Spring semester
77th Commencement
May 22–23, 2027
Sat (Graduate) · Sun (UG)
Summer 2026 Academic Calendar
Summer 2026 offers three overlapping tracks: a Full Summer Session running May 26 through August 17, Summer Session I running May 26 through July 2, and Summer Session II running July 6 through August 17. Add/drop for all summer tracks closes May 28. Withdrawal and credit/no credit deadlines are session-specific.
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | May 25 | Memorial Day – University Holiday / Last Day to Drop Full Summer or Summer I course for 100% refund |
| Tue–Mon | May 26 – Aug 17 | Full Summer Session |
| Tue–Thu | May 26–28 | Full Summer Add/Drop Period |
| Tue–Thu | May 26 – Jul 2 | Summer Session I |
| Tue–Thu | May 26–28 | Summer Session I Add/Drop Period |
| Fri | Jun 12 | Last Day for Summer Session I Course Withdrawals / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit for Summer Session I |
| Tue–Wed | Jun 16–17 | First Year Orientation Sessions A and B |
| Friday | Jun 19 | Juneteenth – University Holiday |
| Mon–Tue | Jun 22–23 | First Year Orientation Sessions C and D |
| Friday | Jul 3 | Independence Day – University Holiday |
| Sunday | Jul 5 | Last Day to Drop Summer II course for 100% refund |
| Monday | Jul 6 | Final Grades Due — All Summer I Courses |
| Mon–Mon | Jul 6 – Aug 17 | Summer Session II |
| Mon–Wed | Jul 6–8 | Summer Session II Add/Drop Period |
| Wednesday | Jul 8 | Last Day for Full Summer Session Course Withdrawals / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit for Full Summer Session |
| Monday | Jul 20 | Deadline to Apply to Graduate for August 2026 |
| Friday | Jul 24 | Last Day for Summer Session II Course Withdrawals / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit for Summer Session II |
| Tuesday | Jul 28 | New Graduate Student Orientation Webinar (Part 1) |
| Monday | Aug 3 | Last Day for Summer Financial Aid to Process |
| Tuesday | Aug 11 | New Graduate Student Orientation Webinar (Part 2) |
| Thursday | Aug 20 | Final Grades Due — All Summer II and Full Summer Courses |
Fall 2026 Academic Calendar
Fall 2026 runs September 8 through mid-December. Alongside the full semester, two accelerated sessions operate within the same period: Fall Accelerated Session I (September 8 – October 30) and Fall Accelerated Session II (November 2 – December 19). Each accelerated session has its own withdrawal and credit/no credit deadlines that differ from the full-semester dates.
Full Semester
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Aug 3 | Deadline for Selected Students on Financial Aid to Submit Verification Documents |
| Friday | Aug 7 | Deadline for Undergraduate Readmission Applications for Fall |
| Wednesday | Sep 2 | International Undergraduate Students Arrival Day |
| Thursday | Sep 3 | New International Student Orientation (Graduate and Undergraduate) |
| Friday | Sep 4 | First Year Move-in and Welcome |
| Saturday | Sep 5 | First Year Convocation at Mahoney Arena, 10:00am |
| Sunday | Sep 6 | Sophomores move in |
| Monday | Sep 7 | Labor Day – University Holiday / Fall Welcome Continues / Juniors and Seniors move in / Last Date for University Withdrawal — 100% Refund (all students) |
| Tuesday | Sep 8 | Fall 2026 All Courses Begin |
| Tue–Mon | Sep 8–14 | Add/Drop Period |
| Friday | Sep 18 | Graduate Student Kickoff Social |
| Monday | Oct 5 | Undergraduate Advising Begins for Spring / Deadline for Undergraduate Major and Minor Changes for Spring Registration |
| Wednesday | Oct 7 | Deadline for Make-Up of Spring and Summer Incompletes |
| Mon–Tue | Oct 12–13 | Fall Break |
| Wednesday | Oct 28 | Winter Registration Begins for All Students |
| Monday | Nov 2 | Spring Registration Begins for Graduate Students |
| Thursday | Nov 5 | Spring Registration Begins for Seniors |
| Monday | Nov 9 | Spring Registration Begins for Juniors |
| Thursday | Nov 12 | Last Day for Fall Full-Semester Course Withdrawals – All Schools / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit (Undergraduates) / Spring Registration Begins for Sophomores |
| Monday | Nov 16 | Spring Registration Begins for First Year Students |
| Wed–Sun | Nov 25–29 | Thanksgiving Recess – All Schools (Residence Halls close at 6:30pm Tuesday; reopen Sunday at 12pm) |
| Wednesday | Nov 25 | Deadline to Apply to Graduate for January and May 2027 / Spring Registration Begins for Non-Matriculated Students |
| Friday | Dec 11 | Last Day of Classes for Undergraduate Students / Last Day for Financial Aid to Process / Last Day for Full-Time UG University Withdrawals (0% Refund) |
| Sat–Sun | Dec 12–13 | Undergraduate Reading Days |
| Mon–Sat | Dec 14–19 | Undergraduate Final Exams (Residence Halls close Saturday at 6:30pm) |
| Friday | Dec 18 | Last Day of Classes for Graduate Students / Deadline for Undergraduate Readmission Applications for Spring |
| Monday | Dec 21 | Final Exam Make-up |
| Tuesday | Dec 22 | All Final Grades Due to the Office of the Registrar |
Fall Accelerated Session I (Sep 8 – Oct 30)
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Sep 8 | Fall Accelerated Session I Begins |
| Tuesday | Oct 6 | Last Day for Accelerated Session I Course Withdrawals / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit for Accelerated Session I |
| Friday | Oct 30 | Fall Accelerated Session I Ends |
Fall Accelerated Session II (Nov 2 – Dec 19)
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Nov 2 | Fall Accelerated Session II Begins |
| Monday | Nov 23 | Last Day for Accelerated Session II Course Withdrawals / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit for Accelerated Session II |
| Saturday | Dec 19 | Fall Accelerated Session II Ends |
Winter 2027 Online Session: December 23, 2026 – January 15, 2027. Last day to drop for 100% refund is December 22.
Spring 2027 Academic Calendar
Spring 2027 begins January 19 and runs through mid-May. Two accelerated sessions operate within the semester: Spring Accelerated Session I (January 19 – March 5) and Spring Accelerated Session II (March 15 – May 7). Spring Recess falls February 27 through March 7. Easter Break is March 25-29.
Full Semester
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Jan 14 | International Undergraduate Students Arrival Day |
| Friday | Jan 15 | Orientation for All New International Students |
| Monday | Jan 18 | Martin Luther King, Jr. – University Holiday / Residence Halls open at 10am / Last Date for University Withdrawal — 100% Refund (all students) |
| Tuesday | Jan 19 | Spring 2027 All Classes Begin |
| Tue–Mon | Jan 19–25 | Add/Drop Period |
| Thursday | Feb 11 | Summer Registration Begins for All Students |
| Monday | Feb 15 | Presidents’ Day – University Holiday |
| Tuesday | Feb 16 | All Classes Operate on Monday Schedule |
| Wednesday | Feb 17 | Deadline for Undergraduate Major and Minor Changes for Fall Registration / Deadline for Make-Up of Fall Incompletes |
| Monday | Mar 1 | Undergraduate Advising Begins for Fall |
| Sat–Sun | Feb 27 – Mar 7 | Spring Recess – All Schools (Tully Dining closes Fri at 2pm; Residence Halls close Fri at 6:30pm; reopen Sunday at 12pm) |
| Wed | Mar 31 | Last Day for Spring Full-Semester Course Withdrawals – All Schools / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit (Undergraduates) |
| Thu–Mon | Mar 25–29 | Easter Break – All Schools |
| Thursday | Apr 1 | Fall Registration Begins for Graduate Students |
| Tuesday | Apr 6 | Fall Registration Begins for Seniors |
| Friday | Apr 9 | Fall Registration Begins for Juniors |
| Thursday | Apr 15 | Deadline for Full-Time Undergraduates to Submit Renewal Financial Aid Applications / Fall Registration Begins for Sophomores and Continuing First Year Students |
| Wednesday | Apr 28 | Research Day – No Classes |
| Monday | May 3 | Last Day of Classes for Undergraduate Students / Last Day for Spring Financial Aid to Process / Last Day for Full-Time UG University Withdrawal (0% Refund) |
| Tue, Wed, Sun | May 4, 5, 9 | Undergraduate Reading Days |
| Thu–Wed | May 6–12 | Undergraduate Final Exams (except Reading Days; Residence Halls close at 6:30pm) |
| Thursday | May 13 | Final Exam Make-up |
| Friday | May 14 | Last Day of Classes for Graduate Students |
| Monday | May 17 | All Final Grades Due to the Office of the Registrar |
| Mon–Fri | May 17–21 | Senior Week |
| Thursday | May 20 | Bellarmine Associate Degree Commencement |
| Saturday | May 22 | 77th Commencement – Graduate Exercises |
| Sunday | May 23 | 77th Commencement – Undergraduate Exercises |
| Monday | May 24 | Apartment Complex, Residence Halls, and Townhouses close at 12pm for Seniors |
Spring Accelerated Session I (Jan 19 – Mar 5)
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Jan 19 | Spring Accelerated Session I Begins |
| Wednesday | Feb 17 | Last Day for Accelerated Session I Course Withdrawals / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit for Accelerated Session I |
| Friday | Mar 5 | Spring Accelerated Session I Ends |
Spring Accelerated Session II (Mar 15 – May 7)
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Mar 15 | Spring Accelerated Session II Begins |
| Tuesday | Apr 6 | Last Day for Accelerated Session II Course Withdrawals / Last Day to Declare Credit/No Credit for Accelerated Session II |
| Friday | May 7 | Spring Accelerated Session II Ends |
Deadlines Fairfield Students Commonly Miss
Accelerated session withdrawal deadlines are independent of the full-semester deadline. Fall and spring each contain two accelerated sessions running concurrently with the regular semester. A student enrolled in both a full-semester course and an accelerated session course faces two different withdrawal deadlines in the same term — and they fall weeks apart. The accelerated session withdrawal deadline arrives roughly five to six weeks into the session; the full-semester withdrawal deadline comes near the end of the term. Students who look up one deadline often assume it applies to all their courses, which can result in an F on an accelerated course they meant to withdraw from.
The last day to withdraw for a 100% refund and the last day to withdraw from a course are not the same event. Each semester, Fairfield’s calendar lists an early “University Withdrawal for 100% Refund” date — for fall 2026, this is September 7 (Labor Day), the day before classes begin. This is the financial refund deadline. The academic withdrawal deadlines — which result in a W on the transcript — fall much later, in November for fall and March for spring. Part-time and graduate students face a different refund schedule and should consult the Bursar’s website rather than relying on the calendar’s undergraduate refund date.
The graduation application deadline comes mid-semester, long before commencement. Students planning to graduate in August 2026 must apply by July 20. Students graduating in January or May 2027 must apply by November 25 — while the fall semester is still in progress. Missing these deadlines means missing the graduation cycle entirely, even if all coursework is complete on time.
The Credit/No Credit declaration deadline is the same day as the course withdrawal deadline. For every session — full semester, accelerated, and summer — the last day to declare Credit/No Credit status matches the last day to withdraw. Students who want to convert a course to Credit/No Credit grading rather than withdraw must act on the same date. These are two separate decisions that share one deadline.
Graduate students follow the undergraduate final exam schedule only for courses that are cross-listed with undergraduate sections. Graduate-only courses have their own final exam calendar, which ends December 18 in fall and May 14 in spring — after undergraduate finals are complete.
Research Day in spring means no classes meet — including accelerated sessions. April 28 is Research Day, and no classes meet across the university. This date falls during Spring Accelerated Session II, shortening the effective instructional week for accelerated students. Students in time-compressed courses should account for this when tracking coursework timelines.
About Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private Jesuit Catholic liberal arts university founded in 1942 by the Society of Jesus in Fairfield, Connecticut, approximately 50 miles northeast of New York City. It is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States and enrolls approximately 6,000 students across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The university’s main campus spans more than 200 acres in Fairfield County.
Academic programs are organized across several schools, including the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dolan School of Business, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, the School of Education and Human Development, and the School of Engineering. Graduate programs span business, education, nursing, engineering, and the social sciences. The Bellarmine Associate Degree program — which holds its own separate commencement in May — serves adult and non-traditional students and is named after the Jesuit scholar Robert Bellarmine.
Fairfield is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Its nursing programs hold additional accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the Dolan School of Business is accredited by AACSB International. The university competes in NCAA Division I athletics through the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and is known by the team name the Fairfield Stags.
The academic calendar’s structure — embedding two accelerated sessions within each full semester rather than treating them as separate mini-terms — reflects Fairfield’s effort to serve students in professional programs (particularly nursing and business) who benefit from concentrated coursework without requiring a separate registration cycle. Students should confirm current dates with the Office of the Registrar, as the official calendar was revised in April 2026 and further changes are possible.