Academic Calendar 2021-2022

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: https://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-and-Withdrawals.cfm. For Summer Registration and Refund Dates please go to: www.american.edu/summer/calendar.cfm.

Fall Semester 2021
Date(s)	Day(s)	Event Description
8/30/2021	Mon	Fall classes begin
9/6/2021	Mon	Labor Day; no classes, university offices closed
9/13/2021	Mon	Last day to add a fall course, internship, Independent Reading or Research, or Community Service-Learning project
9/13/2021	Mon	Last day to drop a fall course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded
9/20/2021	Mon	Last day to withdraw from a fall course for a 50% refund
9/27/2021	Mon	Last day to withdraw from a fall course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
10/15/2021	Fri	Fall Break; no classes, university offices open
10/31/2021	Sun	Last day to apply for fall graduation
11/5/2021	Fri	Last day to withdraw from a fall course or change a grade option (end of the 10th week)
11/23/2021	Tues	Tuesday classes cancelled; Friday classes meet
11/24/2021-11/28/2021	Wed	Thanksgiving holiday; no classes; university offices closed Thursday and Friday
12/10/2021	Fri	Fall classes end. Theses and dissertations due in Registrar’s Office for fall degree candidates
12/13/2021-12/18/2021	Mon-Sat	Fall final examinations
12/19/2021	Sun	Fall Commencement Ceremony for August and December graduates
12/23/2021	Thu	All full-term fall classes final grades due
12/23/2021	Thu	Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on December diplomas; no event associated with this date)
12/24/2021-1/2/2022	Fri-Sun	Winter break; university offices closed

Fall Intersession 2021
Date(s)	Day(s)	Event Description
12/19/2021	Sun	Fall Intersession classes begin
12/20/2021	Mon	Last day to drop a fall intersession course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded
12/22/2021	Wed	Last day to withdraw from a fall intersession course for a 50% refund
12/23/2021	Thu	Last day to withdraw from a fall intersession course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
12/30/2021	Thu	Last day to withdraw from a fall intersession course or change a grade option
1/9/2022	Sun	Fall Intersession classes end

Spring Semester 2022
Date(s)	Day(s)	Event Description
1/10/2022	Mon	Spring classes begin
1/17/2022	Mon	Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; no classes, university offices closed
1/24/2022	Mon	Last day to add a spring course, internship, Independent Reading or Research, or Community Service-Learning project
1/24/2022	Mon	Last day to drop a spring course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded
1/31/2022	Mon	Last day to withdraw from a spring course for a 50% refund
2/1/2022	Tue	Last day to apply for spring graduation
2/7/2022	Mon	Last day to withdraw from a spring course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
3/6/2022-3/13/2022	Sun-Sun	Spring break; no classes, university offices open Monday through Friday
3/18/2022	Fri	Last day to withdraw from a spring course or change a grade option (end of the 10th week)
4/25/2022	Mon	Spring classes end
4/25/2022	Mon	Theses and dissertations due in Registrar’s Office for spring degree candidates
4/26/2022	Tue	Spring study day; no classes
4/27/2022-5/3/2022	Wed-Tue	Spring final examinations
5/6/2022	Fri	All full-term spring classes final grades due
5/6/2022-5/8/2022	Fri-Sun	Commencement Weekend Activities
5/8/2022	Sun	Official Degree Award Date

Summer Sessions 2022
Date(s)	Day(s)	Event Description
5/9/2022	Mon	7-week (A) and Online Learning I (E) sessions begin
5/16/2022	Mon	First 6-week (B) and 3-week (C) sessions begin
5/20/2022	Fri	Last day to add an summer internship, Independent Reading or Research, or Community Service-Learning project
5/30/2022	Mon	Memorial Day; no classes, university offices closed
6/1/2022	Wed	Last day to apply for summer graduation
6/2/2022	Thu	3-week (C) session ends
6/20/2022	Mon	Juneteenth; no classes, university offices closed
6/23/2022	Thu	7-week (A), first 6-week (B), and Online Learning I (E) sessions end
6/27/2022	Mon	Second 6-week (D) and Online Learning II (F) sessions begin
7/4/2022	Mon	Independence Day; no classes, university offices closed
8/4/2022	Thu	Second 6-week (D) session ends
8/4/2022	Thu	Theses and dissertations due in Registrar’s Office for summer degree candidates
8/11/2022	Thu	Online Learning II (F) session ends
8/13/2022	Sat	End of summer sessions
8/28/2022	Sun	Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on August diplomas; no event associated with this date)

Academic Calendar 2021-2022

Fall Semester 2021

Fall Intersession 2021

Spring Semester 2022

Summer Sessions 2022