Stanford Important Dates 2026 to 27 for Parents

How Stanford's calendar works

The registrar's 2026 to 27 calendar divides the year into autumn, winter and spring quarters, with an optional summer quarter after that. Each one follows the same rhythm: instruction begins, classes run to a last day of classes, then an End Quarter Period leads into a week of end quarter examinations. Because exams run right up to each break, plan on your student being busy until the Friday of exam week unless their own schedule says otherwise.

Autumn quarter 2026

• New frosh and transfers moved in Tuesday, Sept 15. Returning undergraduates moved in Thursday, Sept 17.
• Instruction began Tuesday, Sept 22. Monday, Sept 21 was Yom Kippur, with no classes.
• Thanksgiving recess runs Monday, Nov 23 to Friday, Nov 27, a full week with no classes.
• The last day of classes is Friday, Dec 4, and exams run Monday, Dec 7 to Friday, Dec 11.
• Undergraduate residences close at noon on Saturday, Dec 12.

A full week off at Thanksgiving gives your student a real choice between flying home and staying on campus. R&DE's contract dates name winter break as the housing closure, so if your student plans to stay that week, have them confirm the details with their Housing Service Center.

Winter break and winter quarter

The university observes a Winter Closure from Saturday, Dec 19 to Sunday, Jan 3, when offices are closed. Housing reopens Saturday, Jan 2, and winter instruction begins Monday, Jan 4. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 18) and Presidents' Day (Feb 15) are holidays. Winter classes end Friday, March 12, and exams run March 15 to 19.

Family Weekend lands mid quarter, on Friday, Feb 26 and Saturday, Feb 27, 2027. Stanford plans to send its first Family Weekend email toward the end of autumn quarter and to post a full detailed schedule in early 2027. Parents listed as contacts for enrolled undergraduates are added to the email list automatically unless they opt out.

Spring break

The registrar does not give spring break its own line. It falls in the gap between the last winter exam on Friday, March 19 and the first day of spring quarter on Monday, March 29. R&DE says undergraduate residences stay open during spring break, so going home is optional.

Spring quarter and Commencement

Spring instruction starts Monday, March 29, and Memorial Day, May 31, is a holiday. The last day of classes is Wednesday, June 2, and exams run Friday, June 4 to Wednesday, June 9. Undergraduate residences close at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 11.

Commencement weekend opens Saturday, June 12 with Baccalaureate and Senior Class Day, and Commencement itself is Sunday, June 13. Seniors taking part can stay in their rooms until 2 p.m. on Monday, June 14 at no charge.

When to book

• Winter break flights: your student is free after their last exam (no later than Dec 11) and must be out of the residence by noon Dec 12.
• Family Weekend: Stanford has no room block, so reserve a hotel once you know you are coming, then register when registration opens.
• Commencement: for the 2026 ceremony, Stanford urged families from outside the Bay Area to book hotels as soon as possible. Plan on the same urgency for June 2027.
• Spring quarter return: if your student goes home for spring break, they need to be back for classes on March 29.

What to double check

The registrar and R&DE publish different kinds of dates, so read both before you buy tickets: the official 2026 to 27 academic calendar and R&DE's residence contract dates. Your student's individual exam schedule decides when they are actually free.