UC Merced break dates 2026-27

At UC Merced, Thanksgiving Break runs Nov 26 to 29, Winter Break runs Dec 19 to Jan 11, and Spring Break runs Mar 20 to 25.

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Nov 26 to 29, 2026

Thanksgiving Break, 4 days Long weekend
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Dec 19 to Jan 11

Winter Break, 24 days
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Mar 20 to 25, 2027

Spring Break, 6 days Short break
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Official source: UC Merced academic calendar (registrar.ucmerced.edu).

Schools sometimes revise their calendars. Double-check with UC Merced before booking travel, and tell us if something looks off.

How UC Merced's breaks compare

Classes meet the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so the break starts Thursday (Nov 26 to 29). 14% of US colleges on BreakShare do the same.
Winter break is 24 days, 7 days shorter than the typical US college (31 days). 15% of colleges have a shorter one. Compare winter breaks
Spring break (Mar 20 to 25) falls in a week when 15% of colleges start spring break. See the spring break calendar

California State University, Stanislaus 26 mi
Both off Nov 26 to 29, Dec 19 to Jan 11 (28 days in common).
California State University, Fresno 54 mi
Both off Nov 26 to 29, Dec 19 to Jan 11, Mar 20 to 25 (34 days in common).
University of the Pacific 65 mi
Both off Nov 26 to 29, Dec 19 to Jan 10 (27 days in common).

Schools within 100 miles; distances are straight-line miles between campuses. Start a group to compare any schools, or see how often breaks line up across colleges.

From Thursday, November 26, 2026 to Sunday, November 29, 2026 (4 days, including the weekend).

24 days, from Saturday, December 19, 2026 to Monday, January 11, 2027, counting every day off including weekends.

From Saturday, March 20, 2027 to Thursday, March 25, 2027 (6 days, including the weekend).

How these dates are counted

Each range covers every day with no classes: from the day after the last class or final exam to the day before classes start again.
Each range includes the weekends on both sides of the break.
Winter break runs from the end of fall finals to the day before spring classes. A required January term (J-term, Winter Study, Interim) counts as school; an optional winter session doesn't.
Thanksgiving starts on Wednesday only if the school cancels classes that day.
Single holidays like Labor Day aren't listed unless the school calls them a break. Short breaks of 1 to 4 days are usually long weekends.
We use class and exam dates, not residence-hall move-out or office-closure dates.

Compare UC Merced's breaks with any of 1,012 schools and see the days you're all off school.

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