Events
Law Academic Calendar
The School of Law Academic Calendar contains all dates and deadlines associated with the fall and spring terms for St. Mary’s Law. All dates are subject to change. You can find the University Academic Calendar on the St. Mary’s University website.
Spring 2026
January 6: Fall 2025 grades due by 5 p.m. (CST)
January 7-16: Course changes online open for J.D. students (M.L.S. course changes through Director; LL.M. course changes through Assistant Dean)
January 7-16: 100% refund
January 8-9: LL.M. Spring Orientation
January 9: M.L.S. Spring Orientation
January 12: Classes Begin — Spring 2026
January 14: Classes Begin — Online M.L.S.
January 19-23: 75% refund
January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day — No classes; University offices closed
January 26-30: 50% refund
February 1: Deadline to apply for Graduation in May 2026; online via Gateway
February 1: Timely Filing Deadline for July 2026 Texas Bar Exam Registration
February 2-6: 25% refund
February 16 – March 6: Midterm Exams
February 20: Last day to drop a class without academic penalty
March 9-13: Spring Break — No classes; University open
March 25: Mandatory registration meeting for full-time, first-year students
March 27-28: Law Weekend
April 6-10: Course registration for Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 [Details announced via email — expect the course schedule to be released by email two weeks in advance of registration]
April 2: Friday classes meet instead of Thursday classes; Thursday classes canceled. Extracurricular activities and student group meetings are prohibited for Holy Thursday.
April 3-4: Good Friday and Easter weekend — No Classes Friday or Saturday; University Closed
April 17-18: Fiesta Oyster Bake weekend — No classes Friday or Saturday; University Closed
May 1: Last Day of Classes — Spring 2026
May 4-5: Reading Days
May 6-20: Final Exams — Spring 2026
May 14: Law School Awards Ceremony
May 16: Law School Commencement Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. (Doors open at 8 a.m.)
June 10: Faculty grading deadline for Spring 2026
Summer 2026
May 18-21: Course changes and online registration for Summer 2026
TBD: Online M.L.S. classes begin
May 18-21: 100% tuition refund
May 20: Summer I classes begin for J.D. and LL.M. students
May 25: Memorial Day — No Classes (University closed)
May 26-27: 75% tuition refund
May 28-29: 50% tuition refund
June 1-2: 25% tuition refund
June 5: Last day to drop without academic penalty
June 10: Spring 2026 Grading Deadline for Faculty
June 19: Juneteenth — No Classes (University closed)
June 24: Last day of classes – Summer I
June 25-June 26: Exams — Summer I
June 25-June 30: Course changes and online registration for Summer II only
June 25-June 30: 100% tuition refund
June 29: Classes begin for Summer II (home campus) and Innsbruck Summer Program
June 29: Registration Opens at 10:00 AM CT for February 2027 Texas Bar Exam Registration
July 1: Deadline to apply for August 2026 Graduation online via Gateway
July 1-2: 75% tuition refund
July 3: Independence Day Holiday — No classes (University closed)
July 6-7: 50% tuition refund
July 8-9: 25% tuition refund
July 10: Last day to drop without academic penalty
July 17: Faculty grading deadline for Summer I
July 31: Last day of classes — Summer II (home campus)
July 31: Last day of classes for Innsbruck Summer Program
August 3-4: Summer II Exams
August 25: Faculty grading deadline for Summer II
Fall 2026
August 3-4: Summer II Final Exams
August 7: Optional Professional Development Day for Upper-Level Online J.D. Students (O23, O24 and O25)
August 7-10: Required Orientation for all incoming M.L.S. and LL.M. students
August 10-14: Required Orientation for all incoming J.D. students [Incoming first-year J.D. students will have additional online programming before and after the in-person orientation. Please check your St. Mary’s email for details]
August 10-21: 100% tuition refund
August 10-20: Course changes online open for J.D. students
August 11-22: Course changes open for M.L.S. (Course changes through Academic Advisor)
August 17: Classes Begin
August 19: Online M.L.S. Classes Begin
August 24-28: 75% tuition refund
August 31-September 4: 50% tuition refund
September 1: Deadline to Apply for December 2026 Graduation online via Gateway
September 1: Timely Filing Deadline for February 2027 Texas Bar Exam Registration
September 7: Labor Day Holiday (University Closed)
September 12: 1L Family Day (Date still TBA)
September 14-18: 25% tuition refund
September 18: Last Day to Drop without academic penalty
September 21-October 9: Midterm Exams
October 1: Timely deadline for first-year J.D. students to file Declaration of Intent to Study Law with Texas Board of Law Examiners
October 12: Fall Break — No Classes (University Open)
October 13: Monday classes meet today instead of Tuesday classes; Tuesday classes are canceled
October 22: Red Mass (classes starting at 6 p.m. or later are canceled [including online courses])
November 2-6: Course Registration for Spring 2027 [Details announced by email; expect the course schedule to be released by email two weeks in advance of registration]
November 24: Last Day of Classes
November 25-27: Thanksgiving Break (Campus Closure)
November 30: Reading Day
December 1-15: Fall 2026 Final Exams
December 12: Fall 2026 University and Law School Commencement Ceremony. Fall 2026 graduates will participate in the main University Commencement Ceremony. Learn more on the Commencement page.
December 21-January 1: Christmas Break — No Classes (University Closed)
Spring 2027
January 4: University Reopens after Christmas Break
January 5: Fall 2026 grades due by 5 p.m. (CST)
January 5-15: Course changes online open for J.D. students (MLS course changes through Director; LL.M. course changes through Assistant Dean)
January 5-15: 100% refund
January 7-8: LL.M. Spring Orientation
January 8: M.L.S. Spring Orientation
January 11: Classes Begin—Spring 2027
January 13: Classes Begin—Online M.L.S.
January 18-22: 75% refund
January 18: MLK Jr. Holiday (University Closed)
January 25-29: 50% refund
February 1: Deadline to apply for Graduation in May 2027; online via Gateway
February 1: Timely Filing Deadline for July 2027 Texas Bar Exam Registration
February 1-5: 25% refund
February 15-March 5: Midterm Exams
February 19: Last day to drop a class without academic penalty
March 8-12: Spring Break—No Classes; University open
March 23: Mandatory registration meeting for full-time, first-year students
March 25: Holy Thursday; Friday classes meet instead of Thursday classes; Thursday classes canceled. Extracurricular activities and student group meetings are prohibited for Holy Thursday.
March 26-27: Good Friday and Easter weekend—No Classes Friday or Saturday; University Closed
April 16-17: Fiesta Oyster Bake weekend—No Classes Friday or Saturday; University Closed
May 3-4: Reading Days
May 5-19: Final Exams—Spring 2027
May 15: Law School Commencement Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. (Doors open at 8 a.m.)
June 9: Faculty grading deadline for Spring 2027
Summer 2027
May 17-20: Course changes and online registration for Summer 2027
TBD: Online M.L.S. classes begin
May 17-20: 100% tuition refund
May 19: Summer I classes begin for J.D. and LL.M. students
May 21-24: 75% tuition refund
May 25-26: 50% tuition refund
May 27-28: 25% tuition refund
May 31: Memorial Day — No Classes (University closed)
June 4: Last day to drop without academic penalty
June 9: Spring 2027 Grading Deadline for Faculty
June 18: Juneteenth — No Classes (University closed)
June 23: Last day of classes – Summer I
June 24-25: Exams — Summer I
June 28-29: Course changes and online registration for Summer II only
June 28-29: 100% tuition refund
June 28: Classes begin for Summer II (home campus) and Innsbruck Summer Program
June 28: Registration Opens at 10:00 AM CT for February 2028 Texas Bar Exam Registration
June 30: Deadline to apply for August 2027 Graduation online via Gateway
June 30-July 1: 75% tuition refund
July 2-5: 50% tuition refund
July 5: Independence Day Holiday observed — No classes (University closed)
July 6-7: 25% tuition refund
July 9: Last day to drop without academic penalty
July 16: Faculty grading deadline for Summer I
July 30: Last day of classes — Summer II (home campus)
July 30: Last day of classes for Innsbruck Summer Program
August 2-3: Summer II Exams
August 24: Faculty grading deadline for Summer II