You are here: American University Provost Registrar Academic Calendar Academic Calendar 2020-2021

Academic Calendar 2020-2021

Due to evolving COVID-19 health conditions and government requirements, all undergraduate and graduate courses will be instructed online for Fall 2020

The academic calendar is divided into fall and spring semesters of approximately 15 weeks each and summer sessions of varying length. The last week of the fall and spring semesters is set aside for final examinations. The academic calendar for the Washington College of Law (WCL) of American University varies from this general schedule. For the full WCL academic calendar, please go to: http://www.wcl.american.edu/registrar/

The holidays and vacations observed by the university are noted below. Spring break is the week following the spring semester midterm. Classes continue until 10:40 p.m. the evening before a holiday or vacation period.

Note: The refund, add/drop/withdrawal, grade change, and final grades schedule applies to all courses with a standard schedule during a regular semester (fall/spring). Refunds, adds/drops/withdrawals, and grade changes for courses on nonstandard schedules (including MBA modules), as well as all summer session courses, are calculated proportionately, based on the percentage of the course completed. Final grades are always due 72 hours after the official end date of the course. For more information, please go to: www.american.edu/finance/studentaccounts/Refunds-for-Course-Drops-andWithdrawals.cfm. For Summer Registration and Refund Dates please go to: https://www.american.edu/summer/calendar.cfm 

   
   
   
2020 Fall Semester Calendar
Date Day Event
8/1/2020 Sat Payment due for fall classes
8/18/2020 - 8/30/2020 Tue All-American Welcome (Virtual events will be hosted the week before classes start and through the first week of classes)
8/21/2020 Fri WCL: Fall classes begin
8/21/2020 Fri Last day to register for fall without a late fee
8/24/2020 Mon Fall classes begin
8/24/2020 Mon Late registration (with $100 fee) begins
8/28/2020 Fri Late registration for fall ends
9/4/2020 Fri Last day to add a fall course, internship, Independent Reading or Research, or Community Service-Learning project
9/4/2020 Fri Last day to withdraw from a fall course for a 100% refund and without a "W" recorded
9/7/2020 Mon Labor Day; no classes, university offices closed
9/14/2020 Mon Last day to withdraw from a fall course for a 50% refund
9/21/2020 Mon Last day to withdraw from a fall course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
9/28/2020 Mon Academic alerts due in Registrar's Office
10/12/2020 Mon Schedule of Classes for Spring published
10/9/2020 Fri Fall Break; no classes, university offices open
10/9/2020 - 10/11/2020 Fri-Sun Fall Skills and Career Development Days(Virtual events will be hosted)
10/30/2020 Fri Last day to withdraw from a fall course or change a grade option (end of the 10th week)
10/31/2020 Sat Last day to apply for fall graduation
11/2/2020 Mon Spring priority registration for graduate students begins
11/6/2020 Fri Spring priority registration for undergraduate students begins
11/6/2020 Fri Theses and dissertations due in deans’ offices for fall degree candidates
11/24/2020 Tue Tuesday classes cancelled; Friday classes meet
11/25/2020 - 11/29/2020 Wed-Sun Thanksgiving holiday; no classes; university offices closed Thursday and Friday
12/2/2020 Wed WCL: Fall classes end
12/4/2020 Fri Fall classes end. Theses and dissertations due in Registrar's Office for fall degree candidates
12/5/2020 - 12/6/2020 Sat-Sun Fall Study Days
12/7/2020 - 12/12/2020 Mon-Sat Fall final examinations (conducted remotely)
12/8/2020 Tue WCL: Examinations begin
12/13/2020 Sun Fall Commencement Ceremony for August and December graduates
12/17/2020 Thu All full-term fall classes final grades due
12/19/2020 Sat WCL: Examinations end
12/21/2020 Mon WCL: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on December diplomas; no event associated with this date)
12/24/2020 - 1/3/2021 Thu-Sun Winter break; university offices closed
12/31/2020 Thu Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on December diplomas; no event associated with this date)
2021 Spring Semester Calendar
Date Day Event
1/7/2021 - 1/10/2021 Thu-Sun Winter Welcome
1/11/2021 Mon WCL: Spring classes begin
1/15/2021 Fri Last day to register for spring without a late fee
1/18/2021 Mon Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; no classes, university offices closed
1/19/2021 Tues Spring classes begin
1/19/2021 Tues Late registration (with $100 fee) begins
1/20/2021 Wed Inauguration Day; no classes, university offices closed
1/22/2021 Fri Late registration for spring ends
2/1/2021 Mon Last day to apply for spring graduation
2/2/2021 Tues Last day to add a spring course, internship, Independent Reading or Research, or Community Service-Learning project
2/2/2021 Tues Last day to drop a spring course for a 100% refund and without a "W" recorded
2/8/2021 Mon Last day to withdraw from a spring course for a 50% refund
2/15/2021 Mon Last day to withdraw from a spring course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
2/15/2021 Mon Academic alerts due in Registrar’s Office
3/1/2021 Mon Schedule of Classes for Summer and Fall published
3/7/2021 - 3/13/2021 Sun-Sat Wellness Week
3/22/2021 Mon Summer registration begins
3/24/2021 Wed Fall priority registration for graduate students begins
3/26/2021 Fri Last day to withdraw from a spring class or change a grade option (end of 10th week)
3/26/2021 Fri Theses and dissertations due in deans’ offices for spring degree candidates
3/29/2021 Mon Fall priority registration for undergraduate students begins
4/23/2021 Tue WCL: Last day of classes (includes make-ups for holidays)
4/26/2021 Mon Spring classes end
4/26/2021 Mon Theses and dissertations due in Registrar's Office for spring degree candidates
4/27/2021 Tue Spring study day; no classes
4/28/2021 - 5/4/2021 Wed-Tue Spring final examinations
5/1/2021 Sat Payment due for summer classes
5/4/2021 Tue WCL: Examinations begin
5/7/2021 Fri All full-term spring classes final grades due
5/7/2021 - 5/9/2021 Fri-Sun Commencement Weekend Activities
5/9/2021 Sun Official Degree Award Date
5/15/2021 Sat WCL: Examinations end
5/23/2021 Sun WCL: Spring Commencement Ceremony
5/23/2021 Sun WCL: Official Degree Award Date
2021 Summer Sessions Calendar
Date Day Event
5/1/2021 Sat Payment due for summer classes
5/10/2021 Mon 7-week (A) and Online Learning I (E) sessions begin
5/17/2021 Mon First 6-week (B) and 3-week (C) sessions begin
5/21/2021 Fri Last day to add a summer internship, Independent Reading or Research, or Community Service-Learning project
5/31/2021 Mon Memorial Day; no classes, university offices closed
6/1/2021 Tue WCL: First day of classes
06/1/2021 Tue Last day to apply for summer graduation
6/5/2021 Sat 3-week (C) session ends
6/26/2021 Sat 7-week (A), first 6-week (B), and Online Learning I (E) sessions end
6/28/2021 Mon Second 6-week (D) and Online Learning II (F) session begin
7/5/2021 Mon Independence Day(Observed); no classes, university offices closed
7/16/2021 Fri Theses and dissertations due in deans' offices for summer degree candidates
7/26/2021 Tue  WCL: Last day of classes
7/30/2021 Fri  WCL: Examinations begin
8/1/2021 Sun Payment due for fall classes
8/5/2021 Thu Theses and dissertations due in Registrar's Office for summer degree candidates
8/6/2021 Fri WCL: Examinations end
8/7/2021 Sat Second 6-week (D) session ends
8/14/2021 Sat Online Learning II (F) session ends
8/14/2021 Sat End of summer sessions
8/18/2021 Thu WCL: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on August diplomas; no event associate with this date)
8/29/2021 Sun Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on August diplomas; no event associated with this date)