Religious Observances
The University is committed to ensuring that every student has the right to pursue their education while practicing their faith. To help facilitate this, the Office of the Provost, via the University Registrar, maintains a listing of major religious holidays that take place during the academic year. We also communicate in advance of each fall and spring semester with faculty, instructors and students to ensure they are aware of expectations and resources regarding religious observances and academic instruction.
Religious Observances Google Calendar
- Faculty are strongly urged to avoid scheduling examinations, papers, presentations or other assignments to be due on any of the major listed holidays. When this is unavoidable, students will be given the opportunity for an equivalent make-up.
- Students are expected to notify their professor as early as possible in advance of any religious observance for which they are requesting an accommodation. They can discuss with their faculty member at that time how they will be able to catch up on the work covered.
- Graduate student TAs should discuss class coverage with their lead instructor.
- Faculty who intend to observe a religious holiday should arrange at the beginning of the semester to reschedule missed classes or to make other provisions for their course-related activities. The Office of Equity and Access supports employees who need to request religious accommodations.
- If a student or a faculty member/instructor has additional questions or needs guidance, they can reach out to the Office of the Provost, provost@stonybrook.edu.
Please note that our calendar includes only religious holidays that coincide with official academic terms, sessions, or modules, and these dates may vary from year to year. This listing is not exhaustive of all religions and their related observable holidays. While daily or weekly religious observances are not specifically listed, we are committed to accommodating students' needs in accordance with New York State Education Law 224-A.
Students and faculty/instructors can reach out to the university’s Office of Equity and Access (OEA) for information on reporting allegations of discrimination. Visit www.stonybrook.edu/reportit to learn more.
For information on scheduled school breaks, please review our academic calendar page.
- 2025
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Tuesday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
January 29
Wednesday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
February 13 -
February 14Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayLaylat al-Bara’at (Islam)
February 26
Wednesday
Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
February 28 -
March 30Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayRamadan (Islam)
March 3
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 5
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 13 -
March 14Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayPurim (Judaism)
March 14 -
March 15Sundown Friday
Sundown SatudayHoli (Hindu)
March 27 Thursday Laylat al-Qadr (Islam) March 29 -
March 30Sundown Saturday -
Sundown SundayEid al-Fitr (Islam) April 12 -
April 20Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayPassover (Judaism)
April 18
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
June 1 - June 3
Sundown Sunday -
Sundown MondayShavuot (Judaism)
June 6 -June 7
Sundown Friday
Sundown SaturdayEid al-Adha (Islam)
August 16
Saturday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 4 -
September 5Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayMawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
September 22 - October 2
Sundown Monday
Sundown ThursdayNavaratri (Hindu)
September 22 -
September 24Sundown Monday
Sundown WednesdayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 1 - October 2 Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayYom Kippur (Judaism)
October 6 -
October 13Sundown Monday
Sundown MondaySukkot (Judaism)
October 13 -
October 15Sundown Monday
Sundown WednesdayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 14 -
October 15Sundown Tuesday
Sundown WednesdaySimchat Torah (Judaism)
October 20
Monday
Diwali (Hindu)
December 14 - December 22
Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayHanukkah (Judaism)
*subject to change
- 2026
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Wednesday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
February 17
Tuesday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
February 17 - March 19
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown WednesdayRamadan (Islam)
February 18
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
February 23
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 2 -
March 3Sundown Monday
Sundown TuesdayPurim (Judaism)
March 3 -
March 4Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayHoli (Hindu)
March 19 - March 20 *
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
April 1-
April 9Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayPassover (Judaism)
April 3
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
May 21 -May 23
Sundown Thursday
Sundown SaturdayShavuot (Judaism)
May 26 -May 27
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown Wednesday*Eid al-Adha (Islam)
August 25-26
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown WednesdayMawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
September 4
Friday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 11- September 13
Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
September 20- September 21
Sundown Sunday
Sundown MondayYom Kippur (Judaism)
September 25- October 2
Sundown Friday
Sundown FridaySukkot (Judaism)
October 2 -
October 4Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 3 -
October 4Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundaySimchat Torah (Judaism)
October 11 -
October 20Sundown Sunday
Sundown TuesdayNavaratri (Hindu)
November 8
Sunday
Diwali (Hindu)
*subject to change
- 2027
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Thursday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
February 7
Sunday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
February 7 - March 8
Sundown Sunday
Sundown MondayRamadan (Islam)
February 10
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 9 -
March 10Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
March 15
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 22 -
March 23Sundown Monday
Sundown TuesdayPurim (Judaism)
March 22 - March 23
Sundown Monday
Sundown TuesdayHoli (Hindu)
March 26
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
April 21 -
April 29Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayPassover (Judaism)
May 16 - May 17
Sundown Sunday
Sundown Monday*Eid al-Adha (Islam)
June 10 -
June 12Sundown Thursday
Sundown Saturday*Shavuot (Judaism)
August 14 - August 15
Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayMawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
August 25
Wednesday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 30- October 9
Sundown Thursday
Sundown SaturdayNavaratri (Hindu)
October 1 -
October 3Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 10 -
October 11Sundown Sunday
Sundown MondayYom Kippur (Judaism)
October 15 -
October 22Sundown Friday
Sundown FridaySukkot (Judaism)
October 22 -
October 24Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 23 -
October 24Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundaySimchat Torah (Judaism)
October 29
Friday
Diwali (Hindu)
*subject to change
- 2028
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Friday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
January 26
Wednesday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
January 27 - February 25
Sundown Thursday - Sundown Friday
Ramadan (Islam)
February 26 -
February 27Sundown Saturday -
Sundown SundayEid al-Fitr (Islam)
February 28
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 1
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 11 -
March 12Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayPurim (Judaism)
March 11 -
March 12Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayHoli (Hindu)
April 10-
April 18Sundown Monday
Sundown Tuesday*Passover (Judaism)
April 14
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
May 4- May 5
Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayEid al-Adha (Islam)
May 30 - June 1
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown Thursday*Shavuot (Judaism)
August 2 - August 3
Sundown Wednesday - Sundown Thursday
Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
August 13
Sunday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 19- September 28
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown ThursdayNavaratri (Hindu)
September 20-September 22
Sundown Wednesday
Sundown FridayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
September 29-September 30
Sundown Friday
Sundown SaturdayYom Kippur (Judaism)
October 4 -
October 11Sundown Wednesday
Sundown WednesdaySukkot (Judaism)
October 11 -
October 13Sundown Wednesday
Sundown FridayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 12-
October 13Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridaySimchat Torah (Judaism)
October 17
Tuesday
Diwali (Hindu)
*subject to change