Academic Calendar
Spring Semester 2026
All dates and deadlines (noted below) are for semester full-term courses. PLEASE NOTE: Part of Term Courses have different dates and deadlines that are posted on the Part of Term Courses web page.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Monday, January 12, 2026 | FIRST DAY OF CLASSES - START OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
BEGINNING OF INSTRUCTION |
| Monday - Friday, January 12 - 23, 2026 | Spring Registration Continues: Late Registration continues for undergraduate, graduate, and visiting students; Late Registration Fee increases to $125 |
| Friday, January 16, 2026 | Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in previous Fall semester |
| Monday, January 19, 2026 | MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES) |
| Friday, January 23, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to add courses online via ESTHER
Deadline: Last day to adjust variable credit for courses online via ESTHER Deadline: Last day to complete late registration online via ESTHER Deadline: Last day to convert a "Pass/Fail" to an earned letter grade for courses taken in previous Fall semester Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in previous Fall semester Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 100% refund of tuition and fees Deadline: Last day for tuition adjustment for part-time students Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for May (Spring) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER |
| Friday, January 30, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 70% refund of tuition |
| Friday, February 6, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 60% refund of tuition |
| Thursday - Friday, February 12 - 13, 2026 | SPRING RECESS (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES) |
| Friday, February 13, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 50% refund of tuition |
| Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | Graduation Deadline: Last day for Rice faculty Official Certifiers to review, submit petitions, and certify undergraduate and graduate-level May (Spring) degree candidates via Degree Works |
| Friday, February 20, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 40% refund of tuition |
| Friday, February 27, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to drop courses online via ESTHER (full-term courses)
Deadline: Last day to designate as "Audit" a course in which one is currently registered for credit (via Special Registration Form; Instructor Permission Required) Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Mid-Semester Grades for first-year undergraduate students online via ESTHER Deadline: College course plans due to the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) for following Fall semester Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Summer to 1545txt@follett.com Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 30% refund of tuition Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level May (Spring) degree candidates to file the following applicable forms in the Office of the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (see GPS Forms page) for May (Spring) degree conferral:
|
| Wednesday, March 1, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to submit New Course Request Forms to the Academic Deans for SCRC review (for new courses in the upcoming Fall semester) |
| Friday, March 6, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 20% refund of tuition |
| Friday, March 13, 2026 | Deadline: Last day for second-year undergraduate students to formally declare their official major with the Office of the Registrar via a Declaration of Major Form
Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 10% refund of tuition |
| Saturday - Sunday, March 14 - 22, 2026 | SPRING BREAK (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES) |
| Friday, March 27, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to designate a full-term course status to "Pass/Fail" option
Deadline: Last day to drop courses (for 1st year, 2nd semester (previous Fall) undergraduate matriculants only). Students must go to the Office of the Registrar or submit the Special Registration Form to registrar@rice.edu by 4:00 p.m. Graduation Deadline: Last day for undergraduate-level May (Spring) degree candidates to declare any additional major, minor or university certificates, if applicable Fall Registration: Fall 2026 Course Schedule published to courses.rice.edu Fall Registration: Course Request Period begins for undergraduate students |
| Wednesday, April 1, 2026 | Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Fall to 1545txt@follett.com |
| Friday, April 10, 2026 | Fall Registration: Course Request Period ends for undergraduate students at 5:00 p.m. |
| Monday, April 13, 2026 | Fall Registration: Fall Registration begins for currently enrolled graduate, and undergraduate professional (BArch) students at 5:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for undergraduate students at 7:00 a.m. |
| Friday, April 17, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to register for the upcoming Fall semester without a $75 Late Registration Fee |
| Saturday, April 18, 2026 | Late Registration Begins: Continuing students that have not registered for any Fall classes are charged a $75 Late Registration Fee to add classes |
| Friday, April 24, 2026 | Deadline: Last day to drop courses (for Spring undergraduate matriculants only) - students must go to the Office of the Registrar or submit the Special Registration Form to registrar@rice.edu by 4:00 p.m.
Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit thesis in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for May (Spring) degree conferral by 12:00 noon |
| Friday, April 24, 2026 | LAST DAY OF CLASSES END OF INSTRUCTION |
| Saturday - Tuesday, April 25 - 28, 2026 | Study Days (NO EXAMS) |
| Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | Graduation Deadline: Last day for academic departments to submit to the Provost's Office (c/o the office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry) their proposed list of degree candidates to receive the university honor of Distinction in Research and Creative Work |
| Wednesday - Tuesday, April 29 - May 5, 2026 | Final Examinations for all undergraduate courses |
| Tuesday, May 5, 2026 | END OF THE SPRING SEMESTER |
| Friday, May 8, 2026 | GRADUATION: Rice University's 113th Commencement
|
| Saturday, May 9, 2026 | GRADUATION: Rice University's 113th Commencement
Please visit commencement.rice.edu for more information |
| Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Spring semester final grades for all students online via ESTHER by 5:00 p.m. |
| Friday, May 15, 2026 | Deadline: (May Degree Candidates only) Last day to convert a "Pass/Fail" to an earned letter grade for courses taken in Spring semester |
| Monday, May 25, 2026 | GRADUATION: Degrees Awarded for May (Spring) degree recipients {with a degree conferral date of May 9, 2026} |
| Friday, June 12, 2026 | Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester |
| Friday, July 3, 2026 | Graduation Deadline: Last day for all undergraduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for an August (Summer) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER
Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for August (Summer) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level August (Summer) degree candidates to file the following applicable forms in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (see Forms page) for August (Summer) degree conferral:
|
| Wednesday, July 29, 2026 | Graduation Deadline: Last day for Rice faculty Official Certifiers to review, submit petitions, and certify undergraduate and graduate-level August (Summer) degree candidates via Degree Works |
| Friday, August 14, 2026 | Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit thesis in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for August (Summer) degree conferral by 12:00 noon
Graduation Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester (by Summer degree candidates) for an August (Summer) degree conferral |
| Friday, August 28, 2026 | Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester |