2025-26 University of California academic calendar: Summer break, fall start dates, winter break, and holidays
This comprehensive UC academic calendar includes upcoming dates and deadlines across all University of California campuses for the 2024-2025 and 2025-26 academic years.
The University of California’s academic calendar is packed with key deadlines across all nine undergraduate campuses. From spring 2025 final exams to fall 2026 arrival and instruction dates, this guide compiles the most important academic timeline updates for students, faculty, and staff across the UC system.
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Below are the most recent campus-by-campus breakdowns of term end dates, instruction schedules, academic holidays, and orientation check-ins, based on official UC registrars and study abroad program timelines.
Spring Quarter 2025: End Dates and Finals Schedule
Instruction for the Spring 2025 quarter ends between June 5 and June 6 at most campuses. Final exams follow immediately after, with term end dates ranging from June 12 to June 13.
| Spring Quarter 2025 | Berkeley | Davis | Irvine | Los Angeles | Merced | Riverside | Santa Barbara | Santa Cruz | San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instruction Begins | 3/31 | 3/31 | 3/31 | 3/31 | 3/31 | 3/31 | 3/31 | ||
| Academic/Administrative Holiday | 5/26 | 3/28, 5/26 | 3/28, 5/26 | 3/28, 5/26 | 5/26 | 3/28, 5/26 | 3/28, 5/26 | 3/28, 5/26 | 3/28, 5/26 |
| Instruction Ends | 6/5 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | ||
| Final Exams | 6/6-6/12 | 6/7-6/12 | 6/9-6/13 | 6/7-6/13 | 6/7-6/13 | 6/9-6/12 | 6/7-6/13 | ||
| Term Ends | 6/12 | 6/13 | 6/13 | 6/13 | 6/13 | 6/12 | 6/13 |
Campuses on the quarter system—including Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Diego—have similar schedules. Berkeley, which follows the semester system, concluded spring instruction earlier in May.
| Winter Quarter & Spring Semester 2025 | Berkeley | Davis | Irvine | Los Angeles | Merced | Riverside | Santa Barbara | Santa Cruz | San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Possible Arrival Date | 12/15 | 12/7 | 12/3 | 12/3 | 12/22 | 12/3 | 12/7 | 12/4 | 12/3 |
| Latest Possible Arrival Date | 1/20 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/13 | 1/2 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Mandatory Orientation/Check-In | Online | 1/8 | 1/7 | 1/6 | 1/14 | 1/3 | Online | 1/6 | Online |
| Program Start Date* | 1/14 | 1/6 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/21 | 1/2 | 1/6 | 1/3 | 1/2 |
| Instruction Begins | 1/21 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/21 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 |
| Academic/Administrative Holidays | 1/20, 2/17, 3/28 | 1/20, 2/17 | 1/20, 2/17 | 1/20, 2/17 | 1/20, 2/17, 3/28 | 1/20, 2/17 | 1/20, 2/17 | 1/20, 2/17 | 1/20, 2/17 |
| Spring Holiday | 3/24-3/27 | 3/24-3/27 | |||||||
| Instruction Ends | 5/9 | 3/14 | 3/14 | 3/14 | 5/9 | 3/14 | 3/14 | 3/14 | 3/14 |
| Final Exams | 5/12-5/16 | 3/17-3/21 | 3/15-3/21 | 3/17-3/21 | 5/10-5/16 | 3/15-3/21 | 3/15-3/21 | 3/17-3/21 | 3/15-3/22 |
| Term Ends | 5/16 | 3/21 | 3/21 | 3/21 | 5/16 | 3/21 | 3/21 | 3/21 | 3/22 |
Fall Term 2025: Arrival Dates, Orientation, and Instruction Start
The Fall 2025 term marks the beginning of the new academic year across UC campuses. While the earliest possible arrival dates vary (ranging from July 21 (Berkeley to August 26 (Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz), most campuses begin instruction in late September.
| Fall Term 2025 | Berkeley | Davis | Irvine | Los Angeles | Merced | Riverside | Santa Barbara | Santa Cruz | San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Possible Arrival Date | 7/21 | 8/25 | 8/23 | 8/23 | 7/28 | 8/23 | 8/26 | 8/26 | 8/23 |
| Latest Possible Arrival Date | 8/26 | TBA | TBA | TBA | 8/25 | 9/16 | TBA | 9/18 | 9/24 |
| Mandatory Orientation/Check-In | Online | TBA | TBA | TBA | 8/26 | 9/17 | TBA | 9/19 | Online |
| Program Start Date* | 8/20 | 9/24 | 9/22 | 9/22 | 8/27 | 9/22 | 9/25 | 9/25 | 9/22 |
| Instruction Begins | 8/27 | 9/24 | 9/25 | 9/25 | 8/28 | 9/25 | 9/25 | 9/25 | 9/25 |
| Academic/Administrative Holidays | 9/1, 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 9/1, 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 11/11, 11/27-11/28 | 11/11, 11/27-11/28 |
| Instruction Ends | 12/12 | 12/5 | 12/5 | 12/5 | 12/13 | 12/5 | 12/5 | 12/5 | 12/5 |
| Final Exams | 12/15 - 12/19 | 12/8 - 12/12 | 12/8 - 12/12 | 12/8 - 12/12 | 12/13 - 12/19 | 12/8 - 12/12 | 12/8 - 12/12 | 12/8 - 12/12 | 12/6 - 12/13 |
| Term Ends | 12/19 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/19 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/13 |
| Administrative Holiday | 12/24 - 12/25 | 12/24 - 12/25 | 12/24 - 1/1 | 12/24 - 12/25 | 12/24 - 12/25 | 12/24 - 12/25 | 12/24 - 12/25 | 12/24 - 12/25 | 12/24 - 12/25 |
| Administrative Holiday | 12/31-1/1 | 12/31-1/1 | 12/24- 1/1 | 12/31-1/1 | 12/31-1/1 | 12/31-1/1 | 12/31-1/1 | 12/31-1/1 | 12/31-1/1 |
Some campuses, including Davis, Santa Cruz, and Merced, have not yet finalized the latest arrival date or orientation schedules—noted as “TBA” in the official tables.
Instruction typically begins between September 24 and September 28, 2025, with final exams taking place in early to mid-December.
Spring Semester and Winter Quarter 2026: Start Dates and Holidays
The Spring 2026 semester kicks off in early January across the UC system. Program start dates range from January 2 to January 20, with instruction typically beginning the same week.
| Winter Quarter 2026 Spring Semester 2026** | Berkeley | Davis | Irvine | Los Angeles | Merced | Riverside | Santa Barbara | Santa Cruz | San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Possible Arrival Date | 12/14 | 12/6 | 12/3 | 12/3 | 12/21 | 12/3 | 12/6 | 12/6 | 12/3 |
| Latest Possible Arrival Date | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Mandatory Orientation/Check-In | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Program Start Date* | 1/13 | 1/5 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/20 | 1/2 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/2 |
| Instruction Begins | 1/20 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/20 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Academic/Administrative Holidays | 1/19, 2/16, 3/27 | 1/19, 2/16 | 1/19, 2/16 | 1/19, 2/16 | 1/19, 2/16, 3/27 | 1/19, 2/16 | 1/19, 2/16 | 1/19, 2/16 | 1/19, 2/16 |
| Spring Holiday | 3/25 - 3/28 | 3/25 - 3/28 | |||||||
| Instruction Ends | 5/3 | 3/13 | 3/13 | 3/13 | 5/3 | 3/13 | 3/13 | 3/13 | 3/13 |
| Final Exams | 5/11 - 5/15 | 3/16 - 3/20 | 3/14 - 3/20 | 3/16 - 3/20 | 5/9 - 5/15 | 3/14 - 3/20 | 3/14 - 3/20 | 3/16 - 3/20 | 3/14 - 3/21 |
| Term Ends | 5/15 | 3/20 | 3/20 | 3/20 | 5/15 | 3/20 | 3/20 | 3/20 | 3/21 |
Nearly all campuses recognize January 19 (MLK Day) and February 16 (Presidents' Day) as administrative holidays. Several also observe a spring break from March 25–28, just ahead of the end of instruction in early May.
Spring Quarter 2026: Instruction, Finals, and Term End Dates
Spring Quarter 2026 begins on March 30 at most UC campuses. Instruction ends the week of June 5, with final exams running through June 12. Term end dates generally fall between June 11 and June 12.
| Spring Quarter 2026 | Berkeley | Davis | Irvine | Los Angeles | Merced | Riverside | Santa Barbara | Santa Cruz | San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instruction Begins | 3/30 | 3/30 | 3/30 | 3/30 | 3/30 | 3/30 | 3/30 | ||
| Academic/Administrative Holiday | 5/25 | 3/27, 5/25 | 3/27, 5/25 | 3/27, 5/25 | 5/25 | 3/27, 5/25 | 3/27, 5/25 | 3/27, 5/25 | 3/27, 5/25 |
| Instruction Ends | 6/5 | 6/5 | 6/5 | 6/5 | 6/5 | 6/5 | 6/5 | ||
| Final Exams | 6/5 - 6/11 | 6/6 - 6/11 | 6/8 - 6/12 | 6/6 - 6/12 | 6/6 - 6/12 | 6/8 - 6/11 | 6/6 - 6/12 | ||
| Term Ends | 6/11 | 6/12 | 6/12 | 6/12 | 6/12 | 6/11 | 6/12 |
As in previous years, the key administrative holiday of May 25 (Memorial Day) is observed system-wide, and most campuses also close for March 27.
Final exam periods are staggered across campuses, with some beginning as early as June 5 and others extending through June 13. The final table summarizes all relevant quarter-end details.
Where to Find More Info
For official academic calendars, contact your campus registrar’s office or visit the University of California system calendar.
This article will be updated as additional 2026 deadlines are finalized or if any adjustments are made by the UC system.
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