Academic Calendar

Note: For the complete Academic Calendar, including updates made after this catalog’s publication, go to: www.american.edu/provost/registrar/academic-calendar.cfm.

The refund/withdrawal schedule applies to all courses with a standard schedule during a regular semester (fall/spring). Refunds/withdrawals for courses on the four-term calendar or nonstandard schedules (including MBA modules), as well as all summer session courses, are calculated proportionately based on the percentage of the course completed. For more information, please go to: www.american.edu/finance/studentaccounts/Refunds-for-Course-Drops-and-Withdrawals.cfm.

For summer 2020 add/drop, withdrawal, and refund dates, see www.american.edu/summer/index.cfm.

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: www.wcl.american.edu/registrar/.


Date	Day of Week	Event Description
August 20-September 6	T-F	Fall: All-American Welcome
August 23	F	Fall: Last day to register without a late fee
August 26	M	Fall: Classes begin Fall: Late registration (with $100 fee) begins
August 30	F	Fall: Late registration ends
September 2	M	Labor Day; no classes, university offices closed
September 9	M	Fall: Last day to add a course, internship, independent reading or research, or community service-learning project Fall: Last day to drop a course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded
September 16	M	Fall: Last day to drop a course for a 50% refund
September 23	M	Fall: Last day to drop a course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
September 30	M	Oct-Dec Term 4: Classes begin
October 4-6	F-Su	Fall: All-American Weekend
October 8	T	Oct-Dec Term 4: Last day to drop a course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded Oct-Dec Term 4: Last day to apply for graduation
October 11	F	Fall: Fall Break; no classes, university offices open
October 13	Su	Oct-Dec Term 4: Last day to drop a course for a 50% refund
October 18	F	Oct-Dec Term 4: Last day to drop a course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
October 31	Th	Fall: Last day to apply for graduation
November 1	F	Fall: Last day to drop a course or change a grade option (end of the 10th week)
November 15	F	Oct-Dec Term 4: Last day to drop
November 26	T	Fall: Tuesday classes cancelled; Friday classes meet
November 27	W	Fall: Thanksgiving holiday; no classes
November 28	Th	Oct-Dec Term 4: Thanksgiving holiday; no classes
November 28-November 29	Th-F	Fall: Thanksgiving holiday; no classes; university offices closed
November 30	S	Oct-Dec Term 4: Make up classes for those not held on Thanksgiving
November 30-December 1	S-Su	Fall: Thanksgiving holiday; no classes
December 6	F	Fall: Classes end. Theses and dissertations due in Registrar’s Office for degree candidates
December 9-14	M-S	Fall: Final examinations
December 14	S	Oct-Dec Term 4: Classes end
December 15	Su	Fall: Commencement Ceremony for August and December graduates
December 19	Th	Fall: All full-term classes final grades due
December 23-January 1	M-W	Winter break; university offices closed
December 31	T	Fall: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on December diplomas; no event associated with this date) Oct-Dec Term 4: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on December diplomas; no event associated with this date)
January 6	M	Jan-Mar Term 1: Classes begin
January 9-12	Th-Su	Spring: Winter Welcome
January 10	F	Spring: Last day to register without a late fee
January 13	M	Spring: Classes begin Spring: Late registration (with $100 fee) begins
January 14	T	Jan-Mar Term 1: Last day to drop a course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded Jan-Mar Term 1: Last day to apply for graduation
January 17	F	Spring: Late registration ends
January 19	Su	Jan-Mar Term 1: Last day to drop a course for a 50% refund
January 20	M	Spring: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; no classes, university offices closed
January 24	F	Jan-Mar Term 1: Last day to drop a course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
January 27	M	Spring: Last day to add a course, internship, independent reading or research, or community service-learning project Spring: Last day to drop a course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded
February 1	S	Spring: Last day to apply for graduation
February 3	M	Spring: Last day to drop a course for a 50% refund
February 10	M	Spring: Last day to drop a course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
February 21	F	Jan-Mar Term 1: Last day to drop a course
March 8-15	Su-Su	Spring: Spring break; no classes, university offices open Monday through Friday
March 20	F	Spring: Last day to drop a course or change a grade option (end of the 10th week)
March 22	Su	Jan-Mar Term 1: Classes end
March 29	Su	Jan-Mar Term 1: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on March diplomas; no event associated with this date)
March 30	M	Apr-Jun Term 2: Classes begin
April 7	T	Apr-Jun Term 2: Last day to drop a course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded Apr-Jun Term 2: Last day to apply for graduation
April 12	Su	Apr-Jun Term 2: Last day to drop a course for a 50% refund
April 17	F	Apr-Jun Term 2: Last day to drop a course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
April 27	M	Spring: Classes end
April 28	T	Spring: Study day; no classes
April 29-May 5	W-T	Spring: Final examinations
May 8	F	Spring: All full-term classes final grades due
May 8-10	F-Su	Spring: Commencement Weekend Activities
May 10	Su	Spring: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on May diplomas; no event associated with this date)
May 11	M	Summer: 7-week (A) and Online Learning I (E) sessions begin
May 15	F	Apr-Jun Term 2: Last day to drop a course
May 18	M	Summer: First 6-week (B) and 3-week (C) sessions begin
May 22	F	Summer: Last day to add an internship, independent reading or research, or community service-learning project
May 25	M	Memorial Day; no classes, university offices closed
May 30	S	Apr-Jun Term 2: Make up classes for those not held on Memorial Day
June 1	M	Summer: Last day to apply for graduation
June 4	Th	Summer: 3-week (C) session ends
June 21	Su	Apr-Jun Term 2: Classes end
June 25	Th	Summer: 7-week (A), first 6-week (B), and Online Learning I (E) sessions end
June 28	Su	Apr-Jun Term 2: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on June diplomas; no event associated with this date)
June 29	M	Summer: Second 6-week (D) and Online Learning II (F) sessions begin Jul-Sep Term 3: Classes begin
July 4	S	Summer: Independence Day; no classes, university offices closed
July 7	T	Jul-Sep Term 3: Last day to drop a course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded Jul-Sep Term 3: Last day to apply for graduation
July 12	Su	Jul-Sep Term 3: Last day to drop a course for a 50% refund
July 17	F	Jul-Sep Term 3: Last day to drop a course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
August 6	Th	Summer: Second 6-week (D) session ends
August 13	Th	Summer: Online Learning II (F) session ends; end of summer sessions
August 14	F	Jul-Sep Term 3: Last day to drop a course
August 23	Su	Summer: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on August diplomas; no event associated with this date)
September 21	M	Jul-Sep Term 3: Classes end
September 27	Su	Jul-Sep Term 3: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on September diplomas; no event associated with this date)