The ÌìÃÀÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½ follows several calendars which can provide you with much needed strategic communications considerations for your content. Below is a calendar, organized by month, with monthly themes, history and heritage months, and important dates that you can use to plan and coordinate your communications.
Academic year 2025-2026 strategic considerations calendar
Academic year 2025-2026 strategic considerations calendar
Theme
- Theme: Research Makes America C
- Hashtag: #ResearchMakesAmerica
- Messaging goal: Show how UW research makes America healthier, safer and more prosperous – and is worth supporting
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- September 1: 1, D
- September 1: First-year student application opens B
- September 5: () 2, 9, D
- September 22-24: () 3,9, 9, D
- September 24: Instruction Begins – Autumn 2025 10, A
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: Husky Student Experience C
- Hashtag: #HuskyExperience
- Messaging goal: Highlight how access to an excellent UW education prepares students for successful careers and lives
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- October 1-2: () 3, 9, D
- October 1: Transfer student FAFSA + WASFA opens B
- October 1: Postbaccalaureate student FAFSA + WASFA opens B
- October 2: () D
- October 6-13: () 3, 4, 9, D
- October 13: D
- October 14: () 3, 9, D
- October 15: () 3, 9, D
- October 20: () D
- October 22: () 3, 9, D
- October 23: () 3, 9, D
UW milestones
- G
- Indigenous Peoples Day (October 13) G
- F
- Founding of UW Bothell (October 1, 1990) F
- Founding of UW Tacoma (October 1, 1990) F
- F
- F
- Annual President’s Address F
- Homecoming F
- UW Family Weekend F
- W Day F
- Football season F
- Gratitude report F
Theme
- Theme: Collaborative Innovation C
- Hashtag: #UWInnovates
- Messaging goal: Demonstrate value of bringing people together across disciplines and differences to solve complex problems
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- November 11: 1, D
- November 15: First-year student application deadline for summer and autumn quarters B
- November 25: () 9, D
- November 27: Ascension of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá () 9, D
- November 27: 1, D
- November 28: 1, D
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: This is UW C
- Hashtag: #ThisIsUW
- Messaging goal: Celebrate 2025 student, faculty, staff and alumni accomplishments to elicit pride in their communities
Important dates
- December 5: Last Day of Instruction – Autumn 2025 A
- December 6-12: Final Examination Week – Autumn 2025 A
- December 13 – January 4: Winter Break A
- December 14-22: () 9, D
- December 15: Transfer student application opens for summer and autumn quarters B
- December 15: Postbaccalaureate student application opens for summer and autumn quarters B
- December 25: () 1, D
- December 31: First-year student yest score deadline for summer and autumn quarters B
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: Our Public Promise C
- Hashtag: #UWserves
- Messaging goal: Emphasize the UW’s commitment to the people of the state as WA’s leading public research university
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- January 1: 1, D
- January 5: Instruction Begins – Winter 2026 10, A
- January 7: () D
- January 15: First-year student UW FAFSA + WASFA priority date B
- January 19: 1, D
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: Proven Impact C
- Hashtag: #UWdiscovers
- Messaging goal: Demonstrate real-world benefits of UW research for people, families and communities
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- February 15: () 2, D
- February 15: Transfer student application deadline for summer and autumn quarters B
- February 15: Postbaccalaureate student application deadline for summer and autumn quarters B
- February 16: 1, D
- February 17: D
- February 18: () D
- February 18: () 2, 9, D
- February 18: () D
- February 25 – March 1: () 9, D
- February 28: Transfer student UW FAFSA + WASFA priority date B
- February 28: Postbaccalaureate student UW FAFSA + WASFA priority date B
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: Research Makes America C
- Hashtag: #ResearchMakesAmerica
- Messaging goal: Show how UW research makes America healthier, safer and more prosperous – and is worth supporting
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- March 1-15: First-year student admission decision notification period for summer and autumn quarter B
- March 2-20: () 9, D
- March 4: () 9, D
- March 4: () 5, D
- March 13: Last Day of Instruction – Winter 2026 A
- March 14-20: Final Examination Week – Winter 2026 A
- March 16: () 2, 9, D
- March 20: () 2, 9, D
- March 21: () 3, 9, D
- March 21-29: Spring Break A
- March 26: () D
- March 30: Instruction Begins – Spring 2026 10, A
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: Husky Student Experience C
- Hashtag: #HuskyExperience
- Messaging goal: Highlight how access to an excellent UW education prepares students for successful careers and lives
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- April 1-9: () 3, 6, 9, D
- April 3: () D
- April 5: () D
- April 10: () D
- April 12: () D
- April 21: () 3, 9, D
- April 29: () 3, 9, D
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: Collaborative Innovation C
- Hashtag: #UWInnovates
- Messaging goal: Demonstrate value of bringing people together across disciplines and differences to solve complex problems
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- May 1: National College Decision Day 11, B
- May 1 – June 30: Transfer student admission decision notification period for summer and autumn quarter B
- May 1 – June 30: Postbaccalaureate student admission decision notification period for summer and autumn quarter B
- May 2: () 3, 9, D
- May 21-23: () 3, 9, D
- May 24: () 3, 9, D
- May 25: 1, D
- May 27: Eid al-Adha () 2, 9, D
- May 29: () 3, 9, D
UW milestones
- G
- Mother’s Day F
- National Decision day (5/1) F
- Undergraduate Research Symposium F
- Awards of Excellence F
- F
Theme
- Theme: This is UW C
- Hashtag: #ThisIsUW
- Messaging goal: Celebrate 2025-26 student, faculty, staff and alumni accomplishments to elicit pride in their communities
History and heritage month(s)
Important dates
- May 1 – June 30: Transfer student admission decision notification period for summer and autumn quarter B
- May 1 – June 30: Postbaccalaureate student admission decision notification period for summer and autumn quarter B
- June 5: Last Day of Instruction – Spring 2026 A
- June 6-12: Final Examination Week – Spring 2026 A
- June 12: Commencement – Tacoma A
- June 13: Commencement – Seattle A
- June 13-21: Summer Break A
- June 14: Commencement – Bothell A
- June 16-14: () 9, D
- June 19: 1, D
- June 22: Instruction Begins – Summer 2026 – Full-term 10, A
- June 22: Instruction Begins – Summer 2026 – A-term 10, A
UW milestones
- G
- Father’s Day F
- Awards of Excellence F
- Faculty Field Tour F
- Graduation season F
- Real Dawgs Read F
- Fiscal year-end giving F
Theme
- Theme: Proven Impact C
- Hashtag: #UWdiscovers
- Messaging goal: Demonstrate real-world benefits of UW research for people, families and communities
Important dates
- July 3: 1, A
- July 4: 1, D
- July 10: () 3, 9, D
- July 22: Last Day of Instruction – Summer 2026 – A-term A
- July 23: Instruction Begins – Summer 2026 – B-term 10, A
UW milestones
Theme
- Theme: Our Public Promise C
- Hashtag: #UWserves
- Messaging goal: Emphasize the UW’s commitment to the people of the state as WA’s leading public research university
Important dates
- August 21: Last Day of Instruction – Summer 2026 – Full-term A
- August 21: Last Day of Instruction – Summer 2026 – B-term A
- August 22September 29: Autumn Break A
- August 26: () 2, 9, D
UW milestones
Footnotes
- Class not in session. If a federal holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), it is generally observed on the nearest workday – Monday for a Sunday holiday and Friday for a Saturday holiday. Please check with your employer for additional details.
- Some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by day.
- These holidays (or dates within holidays) are designated non-work (observance) days.
- October 7 & 8 primary observation days.
- Begins evening of March 3 and ends the evening of March 4.
- April 1-2 and 8-9 primary obligation days.
- September 26-27 primary observation days.
- April 21-22 and 28-29 primary obligation days.
- All Jewish, Islamic, and µþ²¹³óá’à holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the first date shown.
- See WAC 478-132-030 (https://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=478-132-030).
- The date by which most first-year students will need to confirm the intent to enroll in a college for summer or autumn quarter. Consult your offer letter for the date by which you must confirm your intent to enroll at the UW and pay your Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD).
Sources
- UW Academic Calendar
- UW Brand Monthly Message Guide
- Internal UMAC Calendars
- Internal Advancement calendars