Academic Calendar

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NYU Abu Dhabi's AY 2025-2026 session dates can be found below. Please see NYU AD Academic Calendar for other operational dates and deadlines. Note that Islamic holidays are determined according to moon sighting and are subject to change. Last-minute changes to the holiday calendar may result in Legislative Days needing to be scheduled after the semester begins.

NYU Abu Dhabi 2025-2026 Academic Calendar

Orientation

Date Event
August 23-24 Graduate Student Orientation (final dates to be determined)

Fall Semester I

Date Event
August 25 First day of classes
August 29 Add/drop deadline for 7-week courses
September 5* (or Sep 4) No Classes: Observance of the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
September 7 Legislative day: Classes meet on a Friday schedule (or Thursday schedule depending on PBUH final date)
September 8 Add/drop deadline for 14-week courses
September 26 Withdrawal deadline for 7-week course
October 3 Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for first 7-week courses
October 10 Last day of classes for 7-week course
October 11 Reading Day
October 12-16 No classes: Final exams for 7-week courses
October 17-19 No classes: Fall break

Fall Semester II 

Date Event
October 20 Classes resume
October 24 Add/drop deadline for 7-week courses
November 7 Withdrawal deadline for 14-week courses
November 21 Withdrawal deadline for 7-week courses
November 21 Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for 14-week courses
November 27 Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for second 7-week courses
December 2-3 No classes: Commemoration Day and National Day Holiday
December 9 Last day of classes
December 10 Reading day
December 11-18 Final exams
December 19 Departure day: Winter break begins
December 21 Final grades due
January 31* Conferral for fall 2025 and January 2026 degree completers

Winter Break

Date Event
December 22 - January 2 No classes: Winter break (final dates to be determined)

January Term in Abu Dhabi

Date Event
January 5 Students Arrive at their study site
January 6 Classes begin
January 10 Legislative day / J-Term classes meet - see syllabus for class schedule
January 16 Last day of January Term courses at Global sites
January 17 Students depart

Spring Semester 1 

Date Event
January 14 Visiting student arrival
January 15-18 Visiting student Marhaba
January 18-19 Returning student arrivals
January 20 Classes begin
January 26 Add/drop deadline for 7-week courses
February 2 Add/drop deadline for 14-week courses
February 16-March 18 Ramadan*
February 23 Withdrawal deadline for first 7-week courses
March 2 Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for first 7-week courses
March 9 Last day of classes for first 7-week courses
March 10 Reading Day (No classes)
March 11-15 No 14-week classes. Final exams for first 7-week courses
March 17 Grades due for first 7-week courses

Spring Break

Date Event
March 16-20 No classes: Eid Al-Fitr Holiday; Spring Break

Spring Semester 2

Date Event
March 23 Classes begin for second 7-week courses
March 27 Add/drop deadline for second 7-week courses
April 3 Withdrawal deadline for 14-week courses
April 24 Withdrawal deadline for second 7-week courses
April 24 Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for 14-week courses
May 1 Grading basis change (pass/fail) deadline for second 7-week courses
May 8 Last day of classes
May 9 Reading Day (No classes or exams)
May 10-17 Final exams
May 18 Visiting students depart
May 18 Returning students depart
May 19 NYUAD Commencement
May 20 Final grades due (4:00pm)
May 20 NYUAD Seniors depart
June 1 Conferral date for spring 2026 degree completers

Four-Week Summer Session in Abu Dhabi

Date Event
May 20 First day of Summer 4-week classes / June-Term grad program schedule will be published in May 2026
May 21 End of course swap for enrolled students who did not complete prerequisites successfully/Last day to withdraw without a letter grade - "W" grade will appear on the transcript (4pm deadline). Classes are letter graded after this deadline. End of course Swap/Withdraw begins (Course enrollment ends in March)
May 22 Legislative day: Classes meet on a Monday schedule (class timings will be adjusted around Friday prayer timing)
May 26-29 No classes: Eid Al-Adha*
June 6 Legislative Day: Classes meet in a Monday schedule
June 18 Last day of classes for classes that do not have final exams
June 19 Final Exams
June 22 Final grades due
*

Note: Islamic holidays are determined according to moon sighting and are subject to change. All deadlines are 4:00pm Abu Dhabi time on the date listed in the calendar.