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
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
Date |
Event |
August 23-24 |
Graduate Student Orientation (final dates to be determined) |
Fall Semester I
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
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
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
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
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
Date |
Event |
December 22 - January 2 |
No classes: Winter break (final dates to be determined) |
January Term in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
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
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
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
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
Date |
Event |
March 16-20 |
No classes: Eid Al-Fitr Holiday; Spring Break |
Spring Semester 2
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
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
Abu Dhabi: Calendar
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 |