UCI Important Dates 2026 to 27 for Parents
UC Irvine works on quarters, so the year breaks into fall, winter and spring, each with its own finals week. For far from home families, the big planning moments are Thanksgiving, the mid December end of fall finals, a one week spring break in late March, and commencement in mid June.
Always double check the official calendar
Schools sometimes change dates. University of California, Irvine academic calendar.
Booking tip
UCI Family Weekend is Nov 13 to 14, 2026. Hotels near campus fill early, so book as soon as you know you're coming.
Move in & orientation
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 residence hall move inResidents of the Residence Halls (Mesa Court and Middle Earth) and Arroyo VistaHousing lists move in for September 19 to 20 in the Residence Halls (Mesa Court and Middle Earth) and September 19 in Arroyo Vista. Arrival windows are chosen in 30 minute slots on a first come, first served basis. Parking is complimentary on your move in date and loading zones have a 20 minute limit.Add to calendar: Fall 2026 residence hall move inSource: UCI Student Housing, Move-in Information | Sat, Sep 19 to Sun, Sep 20, 2026 |
Classes & breaks
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Fall quarter 2026 instruction beginsFall quarter begins Monday, Sept 21; instruction begins Thursday, Sept 24.Add to calendar: Fall quarter 2026 instruction beginsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Thu, Sep 24, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving holidayThe registrar lists the Thanksgiving holiday as Thursday, Nov 26 to Friday, Nov 27. Classes resume the following Monday.Add to calendar: Thanksgiving holidaySource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Thu, Nov 26 to Fri, Nov 27, 2026 |
| Fall quarter 2026 instruction endsLast day of fall instruction.Add to calendar: Fall quarter 2026 instruction endsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Fri, Dec 4, 2026 |
| Winter breakThe registrar lists winter break as Dec 14 to Jan 1. Winter quarter instruction begins Monday, Jan 4, 2027. Housing says residence halls remain open over winter break but there is no meal service (the 2026-27 sample contract lists meal service closed Dec 12 to Jan 2).Add to calendar: Winter breakSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Mon, Dec 14, 2026 to Fri, Jan 1, 2027 |
| Winter quarter 2027 instruction beginsWinter quarter and instruction both begin Monday, Jan 4, 2027.Add to calendar: Winter quarter 2027 instruction beginsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 |
| Winter quarter 2027 instruction endsLast day of winter instruction.Add to calendar: Winter quarter 2027 instruction endsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Fri, Mar 12, 2027 |
| Spring breakThe registrar lists spring break as Mar 22 to 26, 2027. Spring instruction begins Monday, Mar 29. The 2026-27 sample residence hall contract lists meal service closed Mar 20 to 27 while halls remain open.Add to calendar: Spring breakSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Mon, Mar 22 to Fri, Mar 26, 2027 |
| Spring quarter 2027 instruction beginsSpring quarter begins Mar 24; instruction begins Monday, Mar 29, 2027.Add to calendar: Spring quarter 2027 instruction beginsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Mon, Mar 29, 2027 |
| Spring quarter 2027 instruction endsLast day of spring instruction.Add to calendar: Spring quarter 2027 instruction endsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Fri, Jun 4, 2027 |
Finals
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Fall quarter 2026 final examinationsFall finals run Saturday, Dec 5 to Friday, Dec 11. The quarter ends Dec 11.Add to calendar: Fall quarter 2026 final examinationsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Sat, Dec 5 to Fri, Dec 11, 2026 |
| Winter quarter 2027 final examinationsWinter finals run Saturday, Mar 13 to Friday, Mar 19, 2027.Add to calendar: Winter quarter 2027 final examinationsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Sat, Mar 13 to Fri, Mar 19, 2027 |
| Spring quarter 2027 final examinationsSpring finals run Saturday, June 5 to Thursday, June 10, 2027. The quarter ends June 11.Add to calendar: Spring quarter 2027 final examinationsSource: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Sat, Jun 5 to Thu, Jun 10, 2027 |
Family weekend & homecoming
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Anteater Family Weekend 2026Parent and Family Engagement lists Anteater Family Weekend for November 13 to 14, 2026, with online registration. The schedule and cost were not posted on the page when checked.Add to calendar: Anteater Family Weekend 2026Source: UC Irvine Parent and Family Engagement, Anteater Family Weekend | Fri, Nov 13 to Sat, Nov 14, 2026 |
Move out
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Spring 2027 residence hall move outResidence Halls (Mesa Court and Middle Earth)The 2026-27 Residence Halls sample contract says residents must vacate by 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 12, 2027, with a late charge of $32 per hour. Confirm on the Housing move out page in spring.Add to calendar: Spring 2027 residence hall move outSource: UCI Student Housing, 2026-27 Residence Halls Sample Contract | Sat, Jun 12, 202712 PM |
Commencement
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Commencement 2027The registrar lists commencement as June 11 to 14, 2027. Ceremony schedules were not posted on the commencement site when checked in October 2026, so check there for your student's ceremony time.Add to calendar: Commencement 2027Source: UC Irvine Office of the Registrar, 2026-27 Quarterly Academic Calendar | Fri, Jun 11 to Mon, Jun 14, 2027 |
Two dates for every quarter
The registrar's 2026 to 27 calendar gives each quarter a "quarter begins" date and a separate "instruction begins" date. Classes start on the second one. Fall quarter officially began Monday, Sept 21, 2026, but instruction started Thursday, Sept 24. Spring works the same way: the quarter begins March 24, 2027, and classes start Monday, March 29. When you plan around the start of a term, use the instruction date.
Fall 2026
- Residence hall move in: Sept 19 to 20 for Mesa Court and Middle Earth, and Sept 19 for Arroyo Vista.
- Instruction begins: Thursday, Sept 24.
- Veterans Day holiday: Wednesday, Nov 11.
- Anteater Family Weekend: Nov 13 to 14.
- Thanksgiving holiday: Thursday, Nov 26 to Friday, Nov 27.
- Last day of instruction: Friday, Dec 4.
- Final exams: Saturday, Dec 5 to Friday, Dec 11.
- Winter break: Dec 14 to Jan 1.
Notice that fall finals begin on a Saturday. Your student will not know which day their last exam falls on until the final exam schedule is set for their classes, so hold off on a nonrefundable flight home until they can tell you.
Winter 2027
Winter quarter and instruction both begin Monday, Jan 4. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 18) and Presidents' Day (Feb 15) are campus holidays. Instruction ends March 12, and winter finals run Saturday, March 13 to Friday, March 19.
Spring 2027
Spring break is a single week, March 22 to 26, so a round trip home can use up much of it. Farmworkers Day, March 26, falls inside that week. Instruction resumes March 29, Memorial Day is May 31, the last day of instruction is June 4, and spring finals run June 5 to 10. The quarter ends June 11.
Commencement and move out
The registrar lists commencement as June 11 to 14, 2027. When we checked in October, the commencement site said schedules were coming and that a news and updates section would launch in November, so individual ceremony times were not yet posted. Wait for your graduate's school or department ceremony time before locking in a one night stay.
The 2026 to 27 residence hall sample contract says students must be out by noon on Saturday, June 12, 2027. That is the day after the quarter ends, which leaves little slack if your student has a June 10 exam and a flight on the 12th. In 2026, Housing let graduation participants request transitional housing over the ceremony weekend; check the move out page in spring to see if it is offered again.
Breaks when the dining halls close
The sample contract lists meal service as closed Dec 12 to Jan 2 and March 20 to 27, even though residence halls stay open. A student who stays in Irvine over winter or spring break will need groceries or retail dining for those days.
What to double check
Always confirm against the official quarterly calendar, since the registrar can revise it. Family Weekend registration is on the Parent and Family Engagement site, and the schedule and price were not listed there yet when we looked.
Questions about UCI dates
When does fall quarter 2026 start at UC Irvine?
Fall quarter began Monday, Sept 21, 2026, and instruction began Thursday, Sept 24, per the registrar's quarterly calendar.
When is Thanksgiving break at UCI in 2026?
The registrar lists the Thanksgiving holiday as Thursday, Nov 26 and Friday, Nov 27, 2026. Fall instruction continues through Dec 4.
When do fall finals end so my student can fly home?
Fall 2026 finals run Saturday, Dec 5 to Friday, Dec 11, and winter break is Dec 14 to Jan 1. Wait until your student knows their own last exam day before booking a flight.
When is spring break 2027 at UC Irvine?
Spring break is March 22 to 26, 2027. Spring instruction begins Monday, March 29.
When is UC Irvine commencement in 2027?
The registrar lists commencement as June 11 to 14, 2027. Individual ceremony times were not posted on the commencement site when we checked in October 2026.
When is Anteater Family Weekend 2026?
Parent and Family Engagement lists Anteater Family Weekend for November 13 to 14, 2026, with registration on its Family Weekend page.
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