Dates & Deadlines
This page contains information relating to enrollment deadlines, including adding or dropping classes, requesting pass/fail, changing credits, withdrawing from the term, and more. This is not a replacement for the Academic Calendar.
To discuss how the various deadlines on this page may affect your academic career, reach out to your advisor.
Dates and Deadlines for the Regular 15-week (A1) session are as follows.
The deadline for each of the enrollment transactions below is 11:59 p.m. on the date listed.
| Description | Date |
|---|---|
| Expected date for publication of Summer Term 2026 schedule of classes | January 7, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to cancel spring enrollment and not have a fall term record on their transcript; after, students will be required to withdraw and term withdrawal date will be noted on the transcript | January 19, 2026 |
| Spring Term 2026 instruction begins | January 20, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except special and guest) to begin initial spring enrollment without $50 late fee | January 23, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop (a) course(s) or withdraw from the university and not have the course(s) appear on their transcript; after, each dropped course will show a DR | January 28, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop a spring term course and receive 100% tuition adjustment | January 30, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to add, swap, or change sections in a spring term course without needing department permission | January 30, 2026 |
| Deadline for special and guest students to begin initial spring enrollment without $50 late fee | January 30, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to begin initial spring enrollment without needing department and academic dean permission | January 30, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop a spring term course and receive 50% tuition adjustment | February 13, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except graduate) to request pass/fail or credit/audit options for a spring term course | February 13, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except graduate) to change variable credits without needing instructor permission and dean approval | February 13, 2026 |
| Expected date for publication of Fall Term 2026 schedule of classes | March 11, 2026 |
| Students assigned Summer Term 2026 enrollment appointment times (throughout the week) | March 16, 2026 |
| Students begin enrolling for Summer Term 2026 courses according to their appointment times | March 23, 2026 |
| Students assigned Fall Term 2026 enrollment appointment times (throughout the week) | March 23, 2026 |
| Students begin enrolling for Fall Term 2026 courses according to their appointment times | April 6, 2026 |
| Deadline for graduate students to request pass/fail or credit/audit options for a spring term course | April 19, 2026 |
| Deadline for graduate students to change variable credits without needing instructor permission and dean approval | April 19, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop a spring term course without needing academic dean approval | April 20, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to add a spring term course with department permission but without needing academic dean approval | April 20, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to change Honors Optional course status without needing instructor permission and academic dean approval | April 20, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except graduate) to withdraw from spring term | April 20, 2026 |
| Deadline for graduate students to withdraw from spring term | May 1, 2026 |
| Last class day for Spring Term 2026 | May 1, 2026 |
| Spring Term 2026 graduates’ degree conferral date (listed on diploma) | May 10, 2026 |
Summer term offers a variety of sessions. Each session has its own unique deadlines. Refer to our Session Dates page for specific summer term dates.
Degree Conferral Date: Sunday, August 23, 2026
Dates and Deadlines for the Regular 15-week (A1) session are as follows.
The deadline for each of the enrollment transactions below is 11:59 p.m. on the date listed.
| Description | Date |
|---|---|
| Deadline for students to cancel fall enrollment and not have a fall term record on their transcript; after, students will be required to withdraw and term withdrawal date will be noted on the transcript | September 1, 2026 |
| Fall Term 2026 instruction begins | September 2, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except special and guest) to begin initial fall enrollment without $50 late fee | September 4, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop (a) course(s) or withdraw from the university and not have the course(s) appear on their transcript; after, each dropped course will show a DR | September 9, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop a fall term course and receive 100% tuition adjustment | September 11, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to add, swap, or change sections in a fall term course without needing department permission | September 11, 2026 |
| Deadline for special and guest students to begin initial fall enrollment without $50 late fee | September 11, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to begin initial fall enrollment without needing department and academic dean permission | September 11, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop a fall term course and receive 50% tuition adjustment | September 25, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except graduate) to request pass/fail or credit/audit options for a fall term course | September 25, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except graduate) to change variable credits without needing instructor permission and dean approval | September 25, 2026 |
| Expected date for publication of Spring Term 2027 schedule of classes | October 14, 2026 |
| Students assigned Spring Term 2027 enrollment appointment times (throughout the week) | November 2, 2026 |
| Students begin enrolling for Spring Term 2027 courses according to their appointment times | November 9, 2026 |
| Deadline for graduate students to request pass/fail or credit/audit options for a fall term course | November 22, 2026 |
| Deadline for graduate students to change variable credits without needing instructor permission and dean approval | November 22, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to drop a fall term course without needing academic dean approval | November 23, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to add a fall term course with department permission but without needing academic dean approval | November 23, 2026 |
| Deadline for students to change Honors Optional course status without needing instructor permission and academic dean approval | November 23, 2026 |
| Deadline for students (except graduate) to withdraw from fall term | November 23, 2026 |
| Deadline for graduate students to withdraw from fall term | December 9, 2026 |
| Last class day for Fall Term 2026 | December 9, 2026 |
| Fall Term 2026 graduates’ degree conferral date (listed on diploma) | December 20, 2026 |
Other Dates
For information about dates and deadlines not listed on this page, refer to the resources below.
The academic calendar for UW–Madison is published by the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty. Using these dates, our office determines important academic deadlines for each session.
Find the right dates for your enrolled classes in the section details of your course in the Course Search & Enroll app. Session dates and deadlines will open a pop-up — which will show the add and drop dates for that class.
For more information, contact the Secretary of the Faculty.
Your school/college or major department may have other deadlines related to your courses and degree progress.
Please pay attention to communications from your academic dean, your advisor, and your instructors about significant academic dates.
Dates related to tuition payments are set by the Bursar’s Office.