Chapman Important Dates 2026 to 27 for Parents

How the Chapman year is built

Undergraduates follow the semester academic calendar, which covers every Chapman program except a handful of graduate and professional ones. Fall semester runs August 24 to December 12, a January Interterm runs January 4 to 30, and spring semester runs February 1 to May 22. The Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Communication Sciences and Disorders and Fowler School of Law programs keep separate calendars, so check which one applies if your student is in one of them.

Late August arrival

Move in comes before the first class. International students moved in Sunday, August 16, first year students Tuesday, August 18, transfers Wednesday, August 19, and continuing students August 20 to 23. First Year Family Orientation ran August 18 and 19, so parents who flew in for move in could stay for the family sessions and the Candle Lighting Ceremony.

Fall: Family Homecoming, then a full Thanksgiving week

Family Homecoming lands in early October. For 2026 it was scheduled for Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3. The calendar gives a full week off at Thanksgiving, Monday, November 23 through Saturday, November 28, and the university is closed Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27. Fall instruction ends Saturday, December 5, and finals run Monday, December 7 to Saturday, December 12.

A long winter stretch

Because spring semester starts February 1, the gap after fall finals is longer than at many schools. A student with no Interterm class has from mid December to the end of January. University offices close for the holidays from Thursday, December 24 to Friday, January 1. If your student signs up for Interterm, classes and finals fall between January 4 and January 30.

Spring: the Summit, spring break and finals

The Parent Spring Summit is set for February 26 to 27, 2027. Spring break is March 22 to 27, and Friday, March 26 is Chapman's Day of Service, when the university is closed. Spring instruction ends Saturday, May 15, and finals run May 17 to 22.

Commencement weekend

Commencement runs Friday, May 21 to Sunday, May 23, 2027. The University Commencement ceremony is Friday at 7 p.m. The Fowler School of Law and the School of Pharmacy hold their ceremonies on Friday, and the other schools and colleges hold theirs on Saturday or Sunday. As examples from the graduation site, Argyros College of Business and Economics is Saturday at 8 a.m., Dodge College is Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Wilkinson College is Sunday at 5 p.m. Graduates RSVP through a link sent to their Chapman email, and digital tickets are emailed to them the week before.

Booking around these dates

Fall finals can run through Saturday, December 12, and spring finals through Saturday, May 22, so wait for your student's exam schedule before booking a flight home. For Commencement, every college ceremony falls inside one three day weekend, which puts many families in Orange at the same time, so booking a room as soon as your plans are firm is the cautious move. Residence Life had not posted spring 2027 move out details when we checked. The 2026 to 27 Resident License Agreement says residents must leave by the earlier of 24 hours after their last final or 12 noon on Friday, May 21, 2027, and graduating residents by 12 noon on Sunday, May 23. Because spring finals run through May 22, confirm the exact deadline with Residence Life at (714) 997-6603 before you book.

Always confirm on Chapman's academic calendar page before you book anything.