Academic Calendar

Fall Semester 2019
Spring Semester 2020
Holidays
Drop and Add Period
Fall 2019 Final Exam Schedule
Spring 2020 Final Exam Schedule

Institutions of higher education, under control of the South Dakota Board of Regents, shall operate on a common academic calendar with common periods during the summer term and the fall and spring semesters at each institution when classes are not in session. Academic calendars shall be designed a minimum of two years in advance with annual extensions recommended to the Executive Director by the Council of Presidents and Superintendents no later than the May meeting.

Fall Semester 2019

Classes begin	August 26
Last day to add or drop a course and adjust fees	September 5
Last day for pass/fail and audit options	September 5
Labor Day Holiday	September 2
Native Americans’ Day Holiday	October 14
Midterm (First half of semester ends)	October 18
Graduation application due for undergraduate students (planning to graduate in May or August)	October 15
Midterm deficiencies grades due by midnight	October 23
Early Registration Weeks	TBD
Last day to drop classes	November 8
Veterans Day Holiday	November 11
Thanksgiving Holiday begins at end of class day	November 26
Classes resume	December 2
No class day	December 11
Final examinations	December 12-18
Semester ends	December 18
Fall Graduation	December 14
Final grades are due by midnight	December 23

Spring Semester 2020

Classes begin	January 13
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday	January 20
Last day to add or drop a course and adjust fees	January 22
Last day for pass/fail and audit options	January 22
Presidents’ Day Holiday	February 17
Spring vacation begins at end of class day	March 6
Midterm (First half of semester ends)	March 16
Classes resume	March 16
Midterm deficiencies grades due by midnight	March 19
Graduation application due for undergraduate students (planning to graduate in December)	March 16
Early Registration Weeks	March 23 through April 9
Last day to drop classes	April 6
Easter Break begins at end of class day	April 9
Classes resume	April 13
Final examinations	May 4-8
Semester ends	May 8
Spring Graduation	May 9
Final grades are due by midnight	May 13

This calendar conforms to guidelines established by the Board of Regents, but is subject to change at its discretion.

Holidays

The schedule of holidays for the institutions of higher education is listed below. Classes shall not be scheduled to meet on holidays.

New Years Day
January 1*.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Third Monday in January.

Presidents Day
Third Monday in February.

Memorial Day
Last Monday in May.

Independence Day
July 4*.

Labor Day
First Monday in September

Native American Day
Second Monday in October.

Veterans Day
November 11*.

Thanksgiving Day
Fourth Thursday in November.

Christmas Day
December 25*

* If January 1, July 4, November 11, or December 25 fall on a Sunday, the Monday following shall be observed as the holiday; if they fall on a Saturday, the previous Friday shall be observed as the holiday.

Drop and Add Period

The drop/add period is the time period during which students may adjust their academic schedule for the term without financial or academic consequences. The last day of the drop/add period for a course is designated as the census date for that course and is the official date for enrollment reporting. The end of the drop and add period for standard and non-standard courses offered in a semester shall be the date the first 10 percent of the term ends or the day following the first class meeting, whichever is later. When calculating 10 percent of the term, breaks of five or more days are not included when counting the total number of days but Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are. Student registrations can only be added to courses after the end of the drop and add period by approval of the chief academic officer of the university.

Fall 2019 Final Exam Schedule

Spring 2020 Final Exam Schedule

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