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 the 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 the previous Fall semester
Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the 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 (full-term) courses online via ESTHER
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 by 5:00 p.m.
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:
  • Thesis Master's Candidacy Petition Form
  • Non-Thesis Master's Petition for Certification Form
  • Candidacy Master's Degree Form
  • Doctoral Candidacy Petition Form
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 - students must bring the signed Declaration of Major Form to the Office of the Registrar, or submit the form to registrar@rice.edu by 4:00 p.m.
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 to "Pass/Fail" online via ESTHER
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: Course Registration begins for currently enrolled undergraduate professional (BArch) and graduate 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 undergraduate-level 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
  • Jones School (MBA) Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Afternoon)
Saturday, May 9, 2026 GRADUATION: Rice University's 113th Commencement
  • Doctoral Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Morning)
  • Advanced Degree Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Afternoon)
  • Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
    Rice Stadium (Evening)

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
Tuesday, May 26, 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 previous 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:
  • Thesis Master's Candidacy Petition Form
  • Non-Thesis Master's Petition for Certification Form
  • Candidacy Master's Degree Form
  • Doctoral Candidacy Petition Form
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 previous Spring semester (for Summer degree candidates)


Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period for Continuing Undergraduate, Undergraduate Professional, and Graduate Students pauses at 5:00 p.m. to allow for O-Week Registration

Friday, August 28, 2026 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the previous Spring semester