The New School academic calendar 2026 includes three semesters: Spring 2026 (starting Wednesday, January 21, 2026), Summer 2026 (starting Tuesday, May 26, 2026), and Fall 2026 (starting Wednesday, August 26, 2026).
The university operates on a semester-based system serving students across Parsons School of Design, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, College of Performing Arts, and The New School for Social Research.
The New School maintains separate academic calendars for its New York City campus at 72 Fifth Avenue and Parsons Paris campus in France. Each calendar contains critical registration dates, withdrawal deadlines, university closures, and degree conferral information maintained by the Office of the Registrar.
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The New School Academic Calendar Spring 2026
Spring 2026 classes begin Wednesday, January 21, 2026, and end Thursday, May 14, 2026. The semester includes 114 instructional days plus make-up days scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, 2026, and Thursday, May 14, 2026.
Spring 2026 Registration and Add/Drop Dates
Initial Spring 2026 registration opened Monday, November 3, 2025, allowing enrolled students to select courses for the upcoming semester. The add/drop period closes Tuesday, February 3, 2026, which serves as the Pell Recalculation Date and final day to waive health insurance for full-term courses.
Students can modify their schedules without academic penalty until Tuesday, February 3, 2026. After this date, the withdrawal period begins on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, requiring formal withdrawal requests through the Registrar’s Office.
| Registration Milestone | NYC Campus Date | Parsons Paris Date |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Registration Opens | Monday, November 3, 2025 | Monday, November 3, 2025 |
| Classes Begin | Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | Wednesday, January 21, 2026 |
| Add/Drop Period Ends | Tuesday, February 3, 2026 | Tuesday, February 3, 2026 |
| Withdrawal Period Begins | Wednesday, February 4, 2026 | Wednesday, February 4, 2026 |
| Last Day to Withdraw | Tuesday, April 14, 2026 | Tuesday, April 14, 2026 |
Important Spring 2026 Deadlines and University Closures
President’s Day Holiday occurs Monday, February 16, 2026, with all university buildings closed and no classes scheduled. The census date falls Friday, February 20, 2026, establishing official enrollment counts for financial aid and institutional reporting.
Spring Break 2026 runs Monday, March 16, 2026, through Sunday, March 22, 2026, providing students one week without classes. Parsons Paris observes a different spring break schedule from Monday, April 6, 2026, through Sunday, April 12, 2026, to accommodate French academic traditions.
Spring 2026 Graduation and Degree Conferral Information
The graduation application window opens Sunday, February 1, 2026, for students eligible to complete degree requirements in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026. Applications close Sunday, March 15, 2026, requiring students to submit degree completion plans through the Registrar’s Office.
Commencement activities occur on Monday, May 18, 2026, celebrating graduates across all schools within The New School system. The official degree conferral date is Sunday, May 31, 2026, when completed degrees are formally awarded and transcripts updated.
Memorial Day Holiday closes the university on Monday, May 25, 2026, following the completion of spring semester courses.
Spring 2026 Semester Length and Instructional Days
Spring 2026 provides 114 instructional days from Wednesday, January 21, 2026, through Thursday, May 14, 2026. This calculation excludes Spring Break (7 days), President’s Day Holiday (1 day), and make-up days (2 days).
The semester structure allows 16 weeks of instruction plus a finals period, meeting federal financial aid requirements for credit hour calculations. Full-term courses must complete 45 contact hours per credit to maintain accreditation standards.
The New School Academic Calendar Summer 2026
Summer 2026 classes start Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and conclude Sunday, August 16, 2026. The summer semester provides 83 days of instruction, allowing students to complete coursework during the condensed academic period.
Summer 2026 Key Dates and Federal Holidays
The summer academic calendar includes multiple federal holidays when university buildings remain closed:
- Juneteenth: Friday, June 19, 2026 (university closed, no classes)
- Independence Day Observed: Friday, July 3, 2026 (university closed, no classes)
- Independence Day: Saturday, July 4, 2026 (university closed)
Parsons Paris observes Bastille Day on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, with building closures reflecting French national holidays. The Paris campus also recognizes Assumption Day on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Summer 2026 Graduation Application Deadlines
Students planning to graduate in Summer 2026 or Fall 2026 can submit graduation applications starting Monday, June 1, 2026. The application deadline falls on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, providing students adequate time to confirm degree completion requirements with academic advisors.
The summer degree conferral date is Monday, August 31, 2026, marking the official completion of summer academic work.
The New School Academic Calendar Fall 2026
Fall 2026 classes begin Wednesday, August 26, 2026, following orientation week from Monday, August 17, 2026, through Friday, August 21, 2026. Welcome Week activities run Monday, August 24, 2026, through Friday, August 28, 2026, introducing new students to campus resources.
Fall 2026 Registration Timeline
Initial Fall 2026 registration opens Monday, April 13, 2026, for currently enrolled students. The add/drop period begins Wednesday, July 29, 2026, allowing students to finalize schedules before the semester starts.
The last day of the add/drop period falls on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, serving as the Pell Recalculation Date and final opportunity to waive health insurance for full-term courses without penalty.
| Fall 2026 Academic Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Initial Registration Opens | Monday, April 13, 2026 |
| Add/Drop Period Begins | Wednesday, July 29, 2026 |
| Orientation Week | Monday, August 17 – Friday, August 21, 2026 |
| Welcome Week | Monday, August 24 – Friday, August 28, 2026 |
| First Day of Classes | Wednesday, August 26, 2026 |
| Last Day Add/Drop Period | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 |
| Withdrawal Period Begins | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 |
Fall 2026 Semester Holidays and Break Periods
Labor Day Holiday spans Saturday, September 5, 2026, through Monday, September 7, 2026, with the university closed and no classes scheduled. The census date occurs on Friday, October 2, 2026, establishing official enrollment figures.
Initial Spring 2027 registration begins Monday, November 2, 2026, enabling students to plan for the following semester. The last day to withdraw from full-term courses is Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
Thanksgiving Holiday runs from Wednesday, November 25, 2026, through Sunday, November 29, 2026, providing students time away from campus without scheduled classes.
Fall 2026 End-of-Semester Schedule
Make-up days occur on Tuesday, December 15, 2026, and Wednesday, December 16, 2026, allowing faculty to compensate for religious observances or unexpected class cancellations. The last day of full-term classes falls on Wednesday, December 16, 2026.
Winter Session begins Thursday, December 17, 2026, offering intensive coursework through Sunday, January 17, 2027. Winter Break closes the university from Thursday, December 24, 2026, through Sunday, January 3, 2027.
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on Monday, January 18, 2027, closes the university. The Fall 2026 degree conferral date is Sunday, January 31, 2027.
Parsons Paris Academic Calendar 2026 Differences
Parsons Paris follows a modified academic calendar reflecting French holidays and academic customs. The Paris campus observes Armistice Day on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, during Fall 2025, and includes a fall break from Monday, October 20, 2025, through Sunday, October 26, 2025.
Parsons Paris Spring 2026 Unique Dates
The Paris campus schedules Work Week from Monday, March 2, 2026, through Friday, March 6, 2026, when regular classes do not meet. Spring Break occurs later than the NYC campus, running Monday, April 6, 2026, through Sunday, April 12, 2026.
French national holidays observed by Parsons Paris include:
- Labor Day: Friday, May 1, 2026 (building closed)
- Ascension Day: Thursday, May 14, 2026 (building closed)
- Bastille Day: Tuesday, July 14, 2026 (building closed, summer semester)
- Assumption Day: Saturday, August 15, 2026 (building closed, summer semester)
The make-up day schedule differs from NYC, with a single make-up day, Wednesday, May 13, 2026, and the last day of classes falling on Friday, May 15, 2026. Commencement occurs on Friday, May 22, 2026.
The New School Academic Calendar 2026 Religious Observances Policy
Students may be absent from class for religious observance without academic penalty. These absences do not count against excused absences noted in the course syllabi. Students must inform instructors at the beginning of each course about anticipated absences due to religious observance.
Faculty members can use two built-in make-up days during the fall academic calendar to accommodate religious observances. Faculty may also deliver course content asynchronously through Canvas when in-person class meetings cannot occur due to religious observance.
All syllabus submission processes require faculty to note any changes to class session dates resulting from religious observance accommodations.
Understanding The New School Calendar System Structure
The New School operates on a semester-based academic calendar system consisting of three distinct terms: Fall (approximately 17 weeks), Spring (approximately 16 weeks), and Summer (approximately 12 weeks). This structure differs from quarter-based systems used by institutions like NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego.
Schools Within The New School System
The academic calendar applies uniformly across five constituent schools:
- Parsons School of Design – Fashion, graphic design, product design, and fine arts programs
- Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts – Interdisciplinary liberal arts education
- College of Performing Arts – Includes Mannes School of Music, School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and School of Drama
- The New School for Social Research – Graduate programs in social sciences and philosophy
- Schools of Public Engagement – Adult learning and professional development programs
Mannes Prep follows a separate calendar designed for pre-college music students and does not align with the standard university academic calendar.
How to Access The New School Academic Calendar 2026
The official academic calendar appears on the Registrar’s Office website at newschool.edu/registrar. Students can access a Google Calendar version for the NYC campus, allowing automatic synchronization with personal digital calendars.
The Parsons Paris campus maintains a separate Google Calendar version reflecting European academic scheduling and French national holidays. Both calendar versions update regularly to reflect any changes or additions announced by the Registrar’s Office.
Students should verify dates directly with the Office of the Registrar located in Fanton Hall or by calling 212-229-5620 for official confirmation of important deadlines.
The New School Academic Calendar 2026-2027 Preview
The 2026-2027 academic year begins with Fall 2026 orientation from Monday, August 17, 2026, through Friday, August 21, 2026. Initial Fall 2026 registration opens Monday, April 13, 2026, six months before the semester starts.
Spring 2027 classes begin Wednesday, January 20, 2027, with initial registration opening Monday, November 2, 2026. Summer 2027 starts Monday, May 24, 2027, providing three full semesters of academic instruction.
The 2026-2027 calendar maintains the same semester structure and religious observance policies established in previous academic years.
Important Academic Deadlines at The New School
The census date occurs approximately five weeks after each semester begins, establishing official enrollment for financial aid disbursement and institutional reporting. Spring 2026 census falls on Friday, February 20, 2026; Fall 2026 census occurs on Friday, October 2, 2026.
Withdrawal deadlines typically fall two-thirds through each semester. Students withdrawing before these deadlines receive a “W” grade notation without GPA impact. The Spring 2026 withdrawal deadline is Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Fall 2026 withdrawal deadline is Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
Financial Aid and Pell Recalculation Dates
The Pell Recalculation Date coincides with the last day of the add/drop period for each semester. This date determines final enrollment status for federal financial aid calculations. Students dropping below full-time status after this date may face financial aid adjustments.
Spring 2026 Pell Recalculation Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Fall 2026 Pell Recalculation Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026
The New School vs NewSchool of Architecture: Calendar Comparison
The New School in New York City operates on a semester system, while NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego uses a quarter system. These represent two distinct educational institutions with different academic calendars despite similar names.
| Institution Feature | The New School (NYC) | NewSchool of Architecture (San Diego) |
|---|---|---|
| Official Domain | newschool.edu | newschoolarch.edu |
| Location | 72 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 | San Diego, California |
| Calendar System | Semester-based (Fall/Spring/Summer) | Quarter-based |
| Spring 2026 Start | Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | Different quarter system dates |
| Schools | Parsons, Lang, Performing Arts, Social Research | Architecture and design focus only |
Students searching for The New School academic calendar should verify the newschool.edu domain to access accurate information for the New York City institution.
Commencement and Graduation Timeline for 2026
Students graduating in Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026 follow a unified application timeline. The graduation application opens Sunday, February 1, 2026, for all three conferral dates.
Application deadlines vary by intended graduation date:
- Spring 2026 graduates: Application closes Sunday, March 15, 2026
- Summer 2026 graduates: Application window reopens Monday, June 1, 2026, and closes Wednesday, July 15, 2026
- Fall 2026 graduates: Included in initial Spring/Summer application window
Commencement activities occur on Monday, May 18, 2026, for Spring 2026 graduates. Parsons Paris holds commencement on Friday, May 22, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About The New School Academic Calendar 2026
When does Spring 2026 start at The New School?
Spring 2026 classes begin on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Orientation for new students occurs on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
When is Spring Break 2026 at The New School NYC campus?
Spring Break 2026 runs Monday, March 16, 2026, through Sunday, March 22, 2026, providing seven consecutive days without classes.
What is the last day to drop a class in Spring 2026?
The last day of the add/drop period is Tuesday, February 3, 2026, for full-term courses. This date also serves as the Pell Recalculation Date.
When does the Fall 2026 semester start at The New School?
Fall 2026 classes begin on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Orientation week runs Monday, August 17, 2026, through Friday, August 21, 2026.
Is The New School closed on Juneteenth 2026?
Yes, the university closes Friday, June 19, 2026, for Juneteenth, with no classes scheduled during the Summer 2026 semester.
When is graduation for Spring 2026 at The New School?
Commencement activities occur on Monday, May 18, 2026. The official degree conferral date is Sunday, May 31, 2026.
How many semesters does The New School have per year?
The New School offers three semesters annually: Fall (August-January), Spring (January-May), and Summer (May-August).
Does Parsons Paris follow the same calendar as NYC?
No, Parsons Paris maintains a separate academic calendar reflecting French holidays and academic customs while maintaining the same semester start dates.
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