Religious Observances that Affect the Academic Calendar

To help instructors and staff in course and event planning, some of the religious observances that may affect the academic calendar between August 2023 to July 2024 are listed below. This table attempts to include dates for religions that are most widely observed by students and employees at the University of Illinois and is intended as an aid only. Members of the University of Illinois community practice a diversity of religious, spiritual, and secular traditions, and individuals may celebrate observances not listed below. When planning around religious observances is not possible, employers and instructors must provide reasonable accommodations as per campus code, and state, and federal law.
Special thanks to the following individuals for their assistance in reviewing the religious observances listed on this page and in the full Religious Observances calendar: Rabbi Alan Cook from Sinai Temple of Champaign-Urbana, Amy Felty from the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Urbana, Father Robert Lampitt from St. John’s Catholic Newman Center, Dr. Adam Newman from the Department of Religion, and Imam Ousmane Sawadogo from the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center.
Major Religious Observances
August 2023 – July 2024
Fall Semester 2023
Observance | Religion | Dates |
---|---|---|
Arba’een | Islam (Shia) | Anticipated to begin at sundown on September 5, 2023, and end at sundown on September 6, 2023 |
Krishna Janmashtami | Hinduism | Begins on September 6, 2023, and ends on September 7, 2023 |
Leil Selichot | Judaism | Begins at sundown on September 9, 2023, and ends the same night |
Paryushan | Jainism | Begins on September 11, 2023, and ends on September 18, 2023 |
Mabon | Wicca | Begins on September 21, 2023, and ends on September 29, 2023 |
Rosh Hashanah | Judaism | Begins at sundown on September 15, 2023, and ends at sundown on September 17, 2023 |
Yom Kippur | Judaism | Begins at sundown on September 24, 2023, and ends at sundown on September 25, 2023 |
Birth of the Prophet Muhammad | Islam (Sunni) | Anticipated to begin at sundown on September 26, 2023, and end at sundown on September 27, 2023 |
Sukkot | Judaism | Begins at sundown on September 29, 2023, and ends at sundown on October 6, 2023 |
Birth of the Prophet Muhammad | Islam (Shia) | Anticipated to begin at sundown on October 1, 2023, and end at sundown on October 2, 2023 |
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah | Judaism | Begins at sundown on October 6, 2023, and ends on October 8, 2023 |
Birth of the Báb | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on October 15, 2023, and ends at sunset on October 16, 2023 |
Navratri | Hinduism | Begins on October 15, 2023, and ends on October 24, 2023. |
Birth of Baha’u’llah | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on October 16, 2023, and ends at sunset on October 17, 2023 |
Birth of Guru Granth | Sikhism | October 20, 2023 |
Samhain | Wicca | Begins at sunset on October 31, 2023, and ends at sunset on November 1, 2023 |
Diwali | Hinduism | November 11, 2023 |
Guru Nanak Birthday | Sikhism | November 27, 2023 |
Loy Krathong | Buddhism | November 28, 2023 |
Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Baha | Baháʼí Faith | Begins on sunset on November 27, 2023, and ends at sunset on November 28, 2023 |
Hanukkah | Judaism | Begins at sundown on December 7, 2023, and ends at sundown on December 15, 2023 |
Bodhi Day | Buddhism | December 8, 2023 |
Yule (Winter Solstice) | Wicca | Begins on December 21, 2023, and ends on January 1, 2024 |
Christmas | Christianity | December 25, 2023 |
Kwanzaa | Interfaith / African-American | Begins on December 26, 2023, and ends on January 1, 2024 |
Spring Semester 2024
Observance | Religion | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Feast of the Epiphany | Christianity | January 6, 2024 | |
Eastern Orthodox Christmas | Orthodox Christianity | January 7, 2024 | |
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Birthday | Sikhism | January 17, 2024 | |
Imbolc/Candlemas/Brigid | Wicca/Celtic | Begins on February 1, 2024, and ends on February 2, 2024 | |
Lunar New Year | Interfaith/National, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism | February 10, 2024 | |
Ash Wednesday | Christianity | February 14, 2024 | |
Nineteen Day Fast | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on February 29, 2024, and ends at sunset on March 19, 2024 | |
Ramadan | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on March 10, 2024, and end at sundown on April 9, 2024 | |
Eastern Orthodox Beginning of Lent | Orthodox Christianity | Begins on March 18, 2024, and ends on May 4, 2024 | |
Naw-Ruz/First of Baha – Splendour | Baháʼí Faith, Zoroastrian | Begins at sunset on March 19, 2024, and ends at sunset on March 20, 2024 | |
Eostara (Spring Equinox) | Wicca | March 20, 2024 | |
Purim | Judaism | Begins at sundown on March 23, 2024, and ends at sundown on March 24, 2024 | |
Holi | Hinduism, Sikhism | March 25, 2024 | |
Good Friday | Christianity | March 29, 2024 | |
Easter Sunday | Christianity | March 31, 2024 | |
23rd Night of Ramadan | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on April 2, 2024 | |
27th Night of Ramadan | Islam (Sunni) | Anticipated to begin at sundown on April 6, 2024 | |
Eid al-Fitr | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on April 9, 2024, and end at sundown on April 12, 2024 | |
Vaisakhi | Sikhism, Hinduism | April 13, 2024 | |
First Day of Ridván | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on April 19, 2024, and ends at sunset on April 20, 2024 | |
Pesach (Passover) | Judaism | Begins at sundown on April 22, 2024, and ends at sundown on April 30, 2024 | |
Ninth Day of Ridvan | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on April 27, 2024, and ends at sunset on April 28, 2024 | |
Twelfth Day of Ridvan | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on April 30, 2024, and ends at sunset on May 1, 2024 | |
Beltane | Wicca | May 1, 2024 | |
Eastern Orthodox Holy Friday | Orthodox Christianity | May 3, 2024 | |
Eastern Orthodox Easter (Pascha) | Orthodox Christianity | May 5, 2024 | |
Ascension Day | Catholicism | May 9, 2024 |
Summer 2024
Observance | Religion | Dates |
---|---|---|
Declaration of the Báb | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on May 22, 2024, and ends at sunset on May 23, 2024 |
Vesak | Buddhism | May 23, 2024 |
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on May 27, 2024, and ends at sunset on May 28, 2024 |
Shavuot | Judaism | Begins at sundown on June 11, 2024, and ends at sundown on June 13, 2024 |
Eastern Orthodox Ascension Day Orthodox | Orthodox Christianity | June 13, 2024 |
Eid al-Adha | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on June 16, 2024, and end at sundown on June 20, 2024 |
Litha/Midsummer (Summer Solstice) | Wicca | June 20, 2024 |
Martyrdom of the Báb | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on July 8, 2024, and ends at sunset on July 9, 2024 |
10th of Muharram (Ashura) | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on July 16, 2024 and end at sundown on July 17, 2024 |
Tish’a B’Av | Judaism | Begins at sundown on August 12, 2024, and ends at sundown on August 13, 2024 |
Lammas | Wicca | August 1, 2024 |
A more complete calendar of religious observances is maintained by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as part of the university’s general calendar: Religious Observances. For questions, please contact diversity@illinois.edu.