Indiana University is a huge school with dozens of organizations and clubs. Finding important dates to know within the long list of academic and extracurricular activities can be difficult.
Between move-in logistics, add-drop deadlines, holiday breaks and final exams, the fall semester at IU moves faster than most new students and parents expect.
For full official calendars, you can look at the Office of the Registrar website. But, knowing where to look is half of the battle, so here are some need-to-know dates worth circling on your calendar.
Tuesday, Aug. 18 to Wednesday, Aug. 19
This is the grand move-in day, where the majority of IU Bloomington students will check in and move into their residence halls. All students should have their own assigned time for move-in, which will be shared over the summer.
Check-in times are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days, arrive early to make sure you can get a close parking spot. After the grand move-in days, all students are directed to go to the center desk of their assigned residence hall to check-in.
Monday, Aug. 24
This is the first day of classes for the semester. Before the first day, it’s good for your student to know the general locations of their classes, the buildings they’re in and how long it takes to get there by their preferred transportation.
Check bus routes ahead of time. All students should also look for a shared syllabus from their professors before the first day of class; some may require specific school materials that need to be purchased or prepared in advance.
Monday, Aug. 31
After this date, students dropping out of a class will receive a “W” for “withdrawn” on their official transcript.
Saturday, Sept. 5
IU football will play North Texas at Memorial Stadium in the opening game of the 2026 season. The Hoosiers will be continuing their momentum from last season, when they completed a perfect 16-0 season to win the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Monday, Sept. 7
No classes in observance of Labor Day.
Friday, Sept. 18 to Sunday, Sept. 20
The Fall Family Weekend takes place on campus. Many parents and siblings come to visit their students at IU for the weekend. A schedule of activities will be announced by the Office of Student Life closer to the event dates.
Friday, Oct. 9 to Sunday, Oct. 11
Students will have a three-day weekend for fall break.
Friday, Oct. 16
The first eight-week courses end, with final exams taking place during the last class.
Monday, Oct. 19
After the first eight-week courses have been completed, the second eight-week courses will begin.
Friday, Oct. 30 to Saturday, Oct. 31
The homecoming weekend kicks off with the 2026 IU Homecoming Parade, which takes place beginning on Woodlawn Avenue and ending at Seventh Street on Friday. On Saturday, there will be a Homecoming Huddle and a football game against Minnesota.
Saturday, Nov. 9
IU basketball will play Syracuse in Indianapolis in the opening game of the 2026 season.
Friday, Nov. 20
The 13-week courses end, with final exams during the last class.
Friday, Nov. 20 to Sunday Nov. 29
Thanksgiving break begins after the last class on Friday, Nov. 20. Students resume classes on Monday, Nov. 30.
Saturday, Dec. 12
Last day of classes for the semester, as well as the last day to withdraw from all classes.
Monday, Dec. 14 to Friday, Dec. 18
Final exams will take place this week.
Students can find stress-relief activities and preparation resources through their schools. One option is College Care Week, which typically offers free food, therapy dogs, massage chairs and wellness activities to help students decompress before exams.
Wednesday, Dec. 23
Official grades and transcripts will become available.
Friday, Dec. 18 to Monday, Jan. 11
Winter break begins after the student’s last final exam and runs nearly four weeks. The spring semester will begin on Monday, Jan. 11 with tuition due Jan. 10.
This story was originally published in the Indiana Daily Student's 2026 Parent Guide.
