Important Dates
2026-2027 Important Dates
(Other Than the Law School and Drake Online Graduate Programs)
| Mon | May 18 | Start of summer semester |
| Mon | May 25 | Memorial Day holiday (university closed; classes do not meet) |
| Fri | June 19 |
Juneteenth holiday (university closed; classes do not meet) |
| Fri | July 3 | Independence Day holiday (observed) (university closed; classes do not meet) |
| Sun | Aug 23 | End of the summer semester |
| Fri | Aug 28 | Summer term final grades due by 10:00 a.m.* |
| Mon | Aug 24 | Start of fall semester |
| Mon | Sep 7 | Labor Day holiday (university closed; classes do not meet) |
| Fri | Oct 2 | Spring 2027 schedule of classes available |
| Mon | Oct 5 | Faculty can begin submitting textbook adoptions for Spring 2027 classes: https://fast.ecampus.com/courses |
| Mon-Tue | Oct 12-13 | Fall break (classes do not meet) |
| Wed | Oct 14 | Fall semester midpoint |
| Mon | Oct 19 | Fall semester midterm grades due by 10:00 a.m. |
| Mon | Oct 26 | Deadline by which field-of-study changes must be made to be considered for spring registration |
| Fri |
Oct 30 | Textbook adoptions due: https://fast.ecampus.com/courses |
| Mon | Nov 2 | Spring 2027 registration begins |
| Mon | Nov 16 | Field-of-study restrictions removed from the set of restricted courses |
| Wed | Nov 18 | Spring 2027 registration opens for non-degree-seeking students (tentative) |
| Wed-Sun | Nov 25-Nov 29 | Thanksgiving break (classes do not meet) |
| Mon | Nov 30 | University reopens; classes resume |
| Fri | Dec 4 | Day free for study |
| Mon-Fri | Dec 7-11 | Final evaluations |
| Wed |
Dec 9 | Last day to add a J-term class online |
| Fri | Dec 11 | End of fall semester |
| Wed | Dec 16 | Fall semester final grades due by 10:00 a.m. |
| Wed | Dec 23 |
Winter break begins (university closed) |
| Mon | Jan 4 | University reopens |
| Mon | Jan 4 | J-term begins |
| Mon | Jan 18 | Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (university closed; classes do not meet) |
| Fri | Jan 22 | J-term ends |
| Mon | Jan 25 | Start of spring semester |
| Wed | Feb 3 | J-term final grades due by 10:00 a.m. |
| Fri | Mar 5 | Summer 2027, fall 2027 schedule of classes available (tentative) |
| Mon | Mar 8 | Textbook adoptions open for summer and fall classes |
| Fri |
Mar 12 | Spring semester midpoint |
| Mon-Fri |
Mar 15-19 | Spring break (classes do not meet) |
| Wed | Mar 24 | Midterm grades due by 10:00 a.m. |
| Mon | Mar 29 | Deadline by which field-of-study changes must be made to be considered for summer/fall/J-term registration (tentative) |
| Fri | Apr 2 | Textbook adoptions due for summer and fall classes |
| Mon | Apr 5 | Summer 2027 and fall 2027 registration begins (tentative) |
| Mon | Apr 19 | Field-of-study restrictions removed from set of restricted courses (tentative) |
| Wed | Apr 21 | Summer 2027 and fall 2027 registration opens for non-degree-seeking students (tentative) |
| Wed | Apr 21 | Wait list automation begins |
| Wed-Sat | Apr 21-24 | Drake Relays |
| Fri | Apr 23 | Undergraduate classes dismissed at 1:50 p.m. |
| Fri | May 7 | Day free for study |
| Mon-Fri | May 10-14 | Final evaluations |
| Fri | May 14 | End of spring semester |
| Fri | May 14 | CPHS doctoral hooding and commencement ceremony |
| Fri | May 14 | Law School commencement ceremony |
| Sat | May 15 | Commencement |
| Wed | May 19 | Spring final grades due by 10:00 a.m. |
*Final grades for summer courses are based on the end date of the course; however, the latest date by which summer grades can be submitted is Aug 28.
2025-2026 Important Dates
Drake Online Graduate Programs
| Mon | May 11 | Courses open in Blackboard (Preview Week begins) |
| Mon | May 18 | Start of the first summer six-week session classes |
| Sun | Jun 28 | End of the first summer six-week session classes |
| Mon | Jul 6 | First summer six-week session final grades due |
| Mon | Jun 19 | Courses open in Blackboard (Preview Week begins) |
| Mon | Jul 6 | Start of the second summer six-week session classes |
| Sun | Aug 16 | End of the second summer six-week session classes |
| Fri | Aug 21 | Second summer six-week session final grades due |
| Mon | Aug 17 | Courses open in Blackboard (Preview Week begins) |
| Mon | Aug 24 | Start of the first fall six-week session classes |
| Fri | Oct 2 | Spring 2027 schedule of classes available |
| Sun | Oct 4 | End of the first fall six-week session classes |
| Fri | Oct 9 | First fall six-week session final grades due |
| Mon | Oct 12 | Courses open in Blackboard (Preview Week begins) |
| Mon | Oct 19 | Start of the second fall six-week session classes |
| Mon | Nov 2 | Spring 2027 registration begins (tentative) |
| Wed-Sun | Nov 26-29 | Thanksgiving break (university closed) |
| Sun | Nov 29 | End of the second fall six-week session classes |
| Fri | Dec 4 | Second fall six-week session final grades due |
| Wed | Dec 23 | Winter break begins (University closed) |
| Mon | Jan 4 | University reopens |
| Mon | Jan 18 | Courses open in Blackboard (Preview Week begins) |
| Mon | Jan 25 | Start of the first spring six-week session classes |
| Fri | Mar 5 | Summer and fall 2027 schedule of classes available (tentative) |
| Sun | Mar 7 | End of the first spring six-week session classes |
| Fri | Mar 12 | First spring six-week session final grades due |
| Mon | Mar 15 | Courses open in Blackboard (Preview Week begins) |
| Mon | Mar 22 | Start of the second spring six-week session classes |
| Mon | Apr 5 | Summer and fall 2027 registration begins (tentative) |
| Sun | May 2 | End of the second spring six-week session classes |
| Fri | May 7 | Second spring six-week session final grades due |
| Sat | May 15 | Commencement |