Penn State Fall Semester Start Date: A Comprehensive Guide

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Penn State Fall Semester start date, incorporating important academic dates and deadlines.

Fall Semester Commencement

The first day of classes for the Fall Term is Tuesday, August 26. This marks the official commencement of the academic year, welcoming students back to campus for a semester of learning and engagement.

Key Dates and Deadlines for Fall Semester

Understanding the academic calendar is crucial for navigating the semester successfully. Here's a breakdown of important dates and deadlines:

August

August 20-25: New Student Orientation.
August 24-29: Second Year Orientation.
August 25: Opening Exercises and Freshman Convocation.
August 26: First day of classes.

September

September 1: Labor Day (no classes).
September 9: Course Selection Period ends.

October

October 6: Drop Period ends.
October 9-12: Fall term break.
October 13: Classes resume; Indigenous People's Day (University open; Classes in session).
October 24: Grade Mode Change Deadline.
October 24-26: Family Weekend.
October 27 - November 10: Advance Registration for Spring Term.

November

November 3: Last Day to withdraw from a course.
November 8: Homecoming (Cornell).
November 25-26: Thursday/Friday class schedule on Tuesday/Wednesday.
November 27-30: Thanksgiving Break.

December

December 1: Classes resume.
December 8: Last day of classes.
December 9-10: Reading days.
December 11-18: Final examinations.
December 18: Fall term ends.

Housing Information

Fall 2025

Sunday, Nov. 23: Fall Break: University Housing CLOSES at noon ET. All students, except those with a Break Access/Holiday Housing HFS Contract, must leave the residence halls (belongings can remain).
Nov. 24-28: Fall Break: no classes, University Housing CLOSED.
Saturday, Nov. 29: University Housing REOPENS at 9:00 a.m. ET.
Dec. 15-19: Final Exams.
Friday, Dec. 19: Deadline to change 2025 fall Campus Meal Plan in eLiving is noon ET.
Sunday, Dec. 21: University Housing CLOSES at noon ET. All students, except those with a Break Access/Holiday Housing HFS Contract, must leave the residence halls (belongings can remain).

Spring 2026

Saturday, Jan. 10: University Housing OPENS at 9:00 a.m. ET. NO EARLY ARRIVALS permitted.
Monday, Jan. 12: Spring semester classes begin.

Spring Term 2026

January 12: Spring semester classes begin.
January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day: no classes, University Housing remains open.
February 5: Housing Fair.
March 7-15: Spring term break.
March 16: Classes resume.
March 23: Grade Mode Change Deadline.
March 23 - April 6: Advance Registration for Fall Term and Summer Sessions.
March 30: Last Day to withdraw from a course.
April 29: Last day of classes.
April 30-May 3: Reading days.
May 4-12: Final examinations.
May 12: Spring term ends; Baccalaureate.
May 16: Alumni Day.
May 18: Commencement.

Summer Term 2025 & 2026

May 26: Memorial Day observed (no classes).
May 27: 11-Week Session classes begin; Session I classes begin.
June 19: Juneteenth (no classes).
July 2: Session I Classes end (2025); July 1 (2026)
July 3: Session II Classes begin (2025); July 2 (2026)
July 4: Independence Day (no classes) (2025); July 3 (2026).
August 8: Session II & 11-Week Session classes end (2025); August 7 (2026).

Important Considerations for Course Management

Navigating course registration, deadlines, and grade options is a critical aspect of academic life. Penn State provides specific deadlines for adding, dropping, and withdrawing from courses, as well as for changing grade options.

Deadlines Based on Class Length

The deadlines for these actions vary depending on the length of the course. Here's a summary:

Read also: UCF Application Strategies

Class Length (in weeks)	Add Deadline (online)	Add Deadline (with instructor signature)	Drop with 100% Refund Deadline, course is not recorded	Drop Deadline, no refund issued, course is not recorded	Withdraw Deadline, no refund issued, course recorded	Grade Option Change Period*
1	1st Day	2nd Day	1st Day	2nd Day	3rd Day	3rd Day
2	2nd Day	4th Day	2nd Day	4th Day	6th Day	6th Day
3	1st Week	n/a	1st Week	n/a	2nd Week	2nd Week
4	1st Week	n/a	1st Week	2nd Week	3rd Week	3rd Week
5	1st Week	2nd Week	1st Week	2nd Week	4th Week	4th Week
8	1st Week	2nd Week	1st Week	2nd Week	5th Week	5th Week
10	1st Week	2nd Week	1st Week	2nd Week	7th Week	7th Week
12	1st Week	2nd Week	1st Week	2nd Week	8th Week	8th Week

Important Notes:
- "1st Week, 2nd Week, etc." refers to Mon-Sun, regardless of the day of the week your course begins.
- You have until Sunday at 11:59 pm for online changes and Friday at 5:00 pm to make in-person changes.
- Partial-week courses are rounded up. 1-4 day courses are treated as one week courses. A 1 1/2 week course is treated as two week, and so on.
- Grade option changes are not available online during the summer term.

Final Grade Submission Deadlines

Instructors must adhere to deadlines for submitting final grades. These deadlines vary depending on the length of the course:

5-8 Week Courses: Deadline for submitting final grades.
9-10 Week Courses: Deadline for submitting final grades.
11-13 Week Courses: Deadline for submitting final grades.

Read also: College SAT Deadlines

Read also: High School College Applications

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