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: 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/withdrawal schedule applies to all courses with a standard schedule during a regular semester (fall/spring). Refunds/withdrawals 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. For more information, please go to: www.american.edu/finance/studentaccounts/Refunds-for-Course-Drops-and-Withdrawals.cfm.
Note: For the complete Academic Calendar, including updates made after this catalog went to press, go to: www.american.edu/provost/registrar/academic-calendar.cfm.
Fall Semester 2015
| August 1 |
S |
Payment due for fall 2015 |
| August 22-30 |
S-Su |
Welcome Week |
| August 24 |
M |
WCL: First day of classes |
| August 28 |
F |
Last day to register for fall without a late fee |
| August 31 |
M |
Fall classes begin
Late registration (with $100 fee) begins |
| September 1 |
T |
Undergraduate transfer spring 2016 semester admission application deadline for students living outside the United States |
| September 4 |
F |
Late registration for fall ends |
| September 7 |
M |
Labor Day; no classes, university offices closed |
| September 9 |
W |
Mathematics Equivalency Examination |
| September 14 |
M |
Last day to add a fall course, internship, independent reading or research project, or community service-learning project
Last day to drop a fall course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded |
| September 21 |
M |
Last day to drop a fall course for a 50% refund |
| September 28 |
M |
Last day to drop a fall course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date)
Early warning notices due in Registrar’s Office |
| October 1 |
Th |
Freshman spring 2016 semester admission application deadline |
| October 9 |
F |
Fall Break; no classes, university offices open |
| October 16 |
F |
Last day to drop a fall course or change a grade option (mid-term) |
| October 16-18 |
F-Su |
All-American Weekend |
| October 24 |
S |
Writing Proficiency Examination |
| October 26 |
M |
Spring 2016 priority registration for graduate students begins. Payment due December 18, 2015 |
| October 31 |
S |
Last day to apply for fall graduation |
| November 1 |
Su |
Undergraduate transfer spring 2016 semester admission application deadline for students living in the United States |
| November 5 |
Th |
Spring 2016 priority registration for undergraduate students begins. Payment due December 18, 2015 |
| November 6 |
F |
Theses and dissertations due in deans’ offices for fall degree candidates |
| November 15 |
Su |
Early Decision I freshman fall 2016 semester admission and financial aid application deadline |
| November 24 |
T |
Tuesday classes cancelled; Friday classes meet |
| November 25-29 |
W-Su |
Thanksgiving holiday; no classes; university offices closed Thursday and Friday |
| December 3 |
Th |
WCL: Last day of classes (includes make-ups for holidays) |
| December 4 |
F |
Fall classes end
Theses and dissertations due in Registrar’s Office for fall degree candidates |
| December 7-8 |
M-T |
Fall final examinations |
| December 8 |
T |
WCL: Examinations begin |
| December 9 |
W |
Fall study day; no classes |
| December 10-12 |
Th-S |
Fall final examinations |
| December 14 |
M |
Fall final examinations (for Wednesday classes) |
| December 16 |
W |
Fall Commencement Ceremony for August and December 2015 graduates (1:00 p.m.) |
| December 17 |
Th |
Fall final grades due
Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on December 2015 diplomas; no event associated with this date) |
| December 18 |
F |
Payment due for spring 2016 priority registration |
| December 19 |
S |
WCL: Examinations end |
| December 21 |
M |
WCL: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on December 2015 diplomas; no event associated with this date) |
| December 24- January 3 |
Th-Su |
Winter break; university offices closed |
Spring Semester 2016
| January 7-10 |
Th-Su |
Winter Welcome |
| January 8 |
F |
Last day to register for spring 2016 without a late fee |
| January 11 |
M |
Spring classes begin
Late registration (with $100 fee) begins
WCL: First day of classes |
| January 15 |
F |
Late registration for spring ends
Regular Decision freshman fall 2016 semester admission application deadline
Early Decision II freshman fall 2016 semester admission and financial aid application deadline
Early Decision I candidate reply date |
| January 18 |
M |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; no classes, university offices closed |
| January 20 |
W |
Mathematics Equivalency Examination |
| January 25 |
M |
Last day to add a spring course, internship, independent reading or research project, or community service-learning project
Last day to drop a spring course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded |
| January 30 |
S |
Writing Proficiency Examination |
| February 1 |
M |
Last day to drop a spring course for a 50% refund
Freshman fall 2016 semester financial aid application deadline |
| February 8 |
M |
Last day to drop a spring course for a 25% refund (no refunds after this date) |
| February 15 |
M |
Early warning notices due in Registrar’s Office |
| March 1 |
T |
Undergraduate transfer student admission and financial aid priority application deadline for fall 2016 semester
Early Decision II candidate reply date |
| March 4 |
F |
Last day to drop a spring class or change a grade option (mid-term) |
| March 6-13 |
Su-Su |
Spring break; no classes, university offices open Monday through Friday |
| March 19 |
S |
Writing Proficiency Examination |
| March 28 |
M |
Fall 2016 priority registration for graduate students begins. Payment due August 1, 2016
Theses and dissertations due in deans’ offices for spring degree candidates |
| March 31 |
Th |
Last day to apply for spring graduation |
| April 1 |
F |
Summer 2016 registration begins. Payment due May 1, 2016
Summer admission application deadline for students living in the United States |
| April 7 |
Th |
Fall 2016 priority registration for undergraduate students begins. Payment due August 1, 2016 |
| April 25 |
M |
Spring classes end
Theses and dissertations due in Registrar’s Office for spring degree candidates
WCL: Last day of classes (includes make-ups for holidays) |
| April 26 |
T |
Spring study day; no classes |
| April 27-May 3 |
W-T |
Spring final examinations |
| May 1 |
Su |
Financial aid application deadline for fall 2016 continuing undergraduate students
Undergraduate transfer fall 2016 semester admission application deadline for students living outside the United States
Candidates’ reply date for Regular Decision freshmen
Payment due for summer sessions 2016 |
| May 2 |
M |
WCL: Examinations begin |
| May 6 |
F |
Spring final grades due |
| May 6-8 |
F-Su |
Commencement Weekend Activities |
| May 8 |
Su |
Official Degree Award Date |
| May 14 |
S |
WCL: Examinations end |
| May 22 |
Su |
WCL Spring Commencement Ceremony
WCL: Official Degree Award Date |
Summer Sessions 2016
For summer 2016 add/drop, withdrawal, and refund dates, see www.american.edu/summer/index.cfm
| May 9 |
M |
7-week (A) and Online Learning I (E) sessions begin |
| May 16 |
M |
First 6-week (B) and 3-week (C) sessions begin |
| May 20 |
F |
Last day to add a summer internship, independent reading or research project, or community service-learning project |
| May 30 |
M |
Memorial Day; no classes, university offices closed |
| May 31 |
T |
WCL: First day of classes |
| June 1 |
W |
Last day to apply for summer graduation |
| June 2 |
Th |
3-week (C) session ends |
| June 4 |
S |
Writing Proficiency Examination |
| June 23 |
Th |
7-week (A), first 6-week (B), and Online Learning I (E) sessions end |
| June 27 |
M |
Second 6-week (D) and Online Learning II (F) sessions begin |
| July 1 |
F |
Undergraduate transfer fall 2016 semester admission application deadline for students living in the United States |
| July 4 |
M |
Independence Day; no classes, university offices closed |
| July 15 |
F |
Theses and dissertations due in deans’ offices for summer degree candidates |
| July 28 |
Th |
WCL: Last day of classes |
| August 1 |
M |
Payment due for fall 2016 priority registration
WCL: Examinations begin |
| August 4 |
Th |
Second 6-week (D) session ends
Theses and dissertations due in Registrar’s Office for summer degree candidates |
| August 5 |
F |
WCL: Examinations end |
| August 11 |
Th |
Online Learning II (F) session ends; end of summer sessions
Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on August 2016 diplomas; no event associated with this date) |
| August 18 |
Th |
WCL: Official Degree Award Date (date that appears on August 2016 diplomas; no event associated with this date) |
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