Washington’s public four-year college and universities support and recognize the holidays, traditional observances and major days of religious significance of the diverse students we serve.
We are supportive and engaged in the continual education of our faculty/staff/students around the traditions of the communities we serve and work to be inclusive of all students. The intent of this calendar is to assist faculty/staff in planning and developing their curriculum, class syllabus and examinations during the term.
2023 – 2024 Academic Year Calendar
| Holiday or Observance | Religious Group | Dates | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | September 4 | Class not in session | |
| Janmashtami | Hindu | September 6 | |
| Rosh Hashanah (New Year)* | Jewish | September 15-17 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)* | Jewish | September 24-25 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| Mawlid al-Nabi (birthday of Mohammad)** | Islamic | September 27 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)* | Jewish | September 30-October 6 | Sept. 30 & Oct 1 primary observation days. Designated non-work days for observers |
| Shemini Atzeret* | Jewish | October 7 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| Simchat Torah* | Jewish | October 8 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| Indigenous Peoples Day | October 9 | ||
| Navratri/Dussehra | Hindu | October 16-24 | |
| Veterans Day† | November 11 | Observed Friday, November 10. Class not in session | |
| Diwali | Hindu | November 12 | |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 23 | Class not in session | |
| Native American Heritage Day | November 24 | Class not in session | |
| Hanukkah (Chanukah) | Jewish | December 8-15 | |
| Christmas Day | Christian | December 25 | Class not in session |
| New Years Day | January 1 | Class not in session | |
| Orthodox Christmas | Christian Orthodox | January 8 | |
| Martin Luther King Day | January 15 | Class not in session | |
| Lunar New Year | February 10 | ||
| Beginning of Lent | Christian Orthodox | February 14 | |
| Ash Wednesday | Christian | February 14 | |
| Presidents Day | February 19 | Class not in session | |
| Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | March 8 | |
| Beginning of Ramadan** | Islamic | March 11 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| Purim | Jewish | March 24 | |
| Holi | Hindu | March 25 | |
| Good Friday | Christian | March 29 | |
| Easter | Christian | March 31 | |
| Lailat al-Qadr** | Islamic | April 6 -13 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| Eid al-Fitr** | Islamic | April 10 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| Ramanavami | Hindu | April 17 | |
| Passover (Pesach)* | Jewish | April 23-30 | Apr. 23-24 & 29-30 primary obligation days |
| Orthodox Good Friday | Christian Orthodox | May 3 | |
| Orthodox Easter | Christian Orthodox | May 5 | |
| Memorial Day | May 27 | Class not in session | |
| Shavuot* | Jewish | June 12-13 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| Eid al-Adha** | Islamic | June 17 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | ||
| Independence Day | July 4 | ||
| Muharram (Al Hijrah New Year) | Islamic | July 6 - August 5 | |
| Janmashtami | Hindu | August 26 |
Note: if a federal holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), it is generally observed on the nearest workday – Monday for a Sunday holiday and Friday for a Saturday holiday. Please check with your employer for additional details.
* These holidays (or dates within holidays) are designated non-work (observance) days.
# Some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by day.
All Jewish, Islamic, and Bahá’í holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the first date shown.