Break calendars / Winter break 2026-27: how long is it at each college?

Winter break 2026-27: how long is it at each college?

Updated October 29, 2026. Built from the official 2026-27 academic calendars of the colleges on BreakShare.

Winter break runs from the day after a college's last fall final exam to the day before spring classes start. Across the 967 US colleges we track, the median winter break is 31 days. The most common first day of winter break is Dec 12, 2026. Breaks are longest at colleges that finish the fall term before Thanksgiving and shortest at schools on a quarter calendar or with a required January term.

How long winter break lasts

Under 3 weeks48 (5%)

3 to 4 weeks236 (24%)

4 to 5 weeks452 (47%)

5 to 6 weeks189 (20%)

6 weeks or more42 (4%)

The 25 longest winter breaks

College	State	Winter break	Length
University of Delaware	DE	Dec 15 to Feb 7	55 days
Dillard University	LA	Nov 21 to Jan 10	51 days
Huntingdon College	AL	Nov 21 to Jan 10	51 days
Langston University	OK	Nov 21 to Jan 10	51 days
Oakwood University	AL	Nov 21 to Jan 10	51 days
Randolph-Macon College	VA	Dec 19 to Feb 7	51 days
Stillman College	AL	Nov 21 to Jan 10	51 days
Chapman University	CA	Dec 13 to Jan 31	50 days
Converse University	SC	Nov 24 to Jan 12	50 days
South Carolina State University	SC	Nov 25 to Jan 13	50 days
Roger Williams University	RI	Dec 10 to Jan 26	48 days
Emory & Henry University	VA	Nov 25 to Jan 10	47 days
Ferrum College	VA	Nov 25 to Jan 10	47 days
Miles College	AL	Nov 25 to Jan 10	47 days
Newberry College	SC	Nov 25 to Jan 10	47 days
Baker University	KS	Dec 12 to Jan 26	46 days
Grambling State University	LA	Nov 21 to Jan 5	46 days
University of Wisconsin-Parkside	WI	Dec 12 to Jan 26	46 days
Alverno College	WI	Dec 11 to Jan 24	45 days
Colorado Mesa University	CO	Dec 11 to Jan 24	45 days
Savannah College of Art and Design	GA	Nov 20 to Jan 3	45 days
Amherst College	MA	Dec 19 to Jan 31	44 days
Bard College	NY	Dec 19 to Jan 31	44 days
Cal Poly Pomona	CA	Dec 12 to Jan 24	44 days
Drake University	IA	Dec 12 to Jan 24	44 days

The 25 shortest winter breaks

College	State	Winter break	Length
Ashland University	OH	Dec 23 to Jan 5	14 days
Colby College	ME	Dec 22 to Jan 4	14 days
Williams College	MA	Dec 22 to Jan 4	14 days
Francis Marion University	SC	Dec 20 to Jan 3	15 days
Shenandoah University	VA	Dec 20 to Jan 3	15 days
Bethel University	MN	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Goldey-Beacom College	DE	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Grand Canyon University	AZ	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Linfield University	OR	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Louisiana Tech University	LA	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Middlebury College	VT	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Oberlin College	OH	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Pacific Lutheran University	WA	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Plymouth State University	NH	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	IN	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Rowan University	NJ	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Savannah State University	GA	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Simmons University	MA	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Southern New Hampshire University	NH	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
The Evergreen State College	WA	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
University of Washington	WA	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Western New England University	MA	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Western New Mexico University	NM	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Wilmington University	DE	Dec 19 to Jan 3	16 days
Elmhurst University	IL	Dec 18 to Jan 3	17 days

Lengths count every day from the first day off through the day before classes resume, including weekends. Colleges with a required January term are counted up to the start of that term. How we count breaks.

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