Academic Calendars | School of Optometry

2025-2026 Academic Calendar

This calendar is subject to change depending on the needs of the program, unforeseen events, and unplanned occurrences.

* Clinic absence must be requested and made up.

Date	Day	Event
August 4-8	Monday - Friday	Orientation for Incoming First Years
August 11	Monday	Fall Classes and Clinics Begin
August 23	Saturday	Super Saturday
September 1	Monday	Labor Day Holiday
September 14	Sunday	50% Tuition Payment Due
October 3-5*	Friday - Sunday	Alabama Optometric Association Convention
October 6-7	Monday and Tuesday	Fall Mini-Break (First Years)
October 8-11*	Wednesday - Saturday	AAO Meeting - Boston, MA
October 12	Sunday	Remaining Tuition Balance Due
October 13-14	Monday and Tuesday	Fall Mini-Break (Second - Fourth Years)
November 26-28	Wednesday - Friday	Thanksgiving Holiday
December 1-5*	Monday - Friday	Gift of Sight - Western Health Center
December 2 or 4	Tuesday or Thursday	NBEO Part II PAM Exam (Fourth Years)
December 5	Friday	Last Day of Fall Classes and Clinics
December 5	Friday	Deadline for Mandatory Course & Instructor Evaluations
December 8-12	Monday - Friday	Fall Final Exam Week
December 12	Friday	Final Grades Due by Noon
December 15, 2025 - January 2, 2026	Monday - Friday	Term Break - Winter Holidays

Date	Day	Event
January 5, 2026	Monday	Spring Classes and Clinics Begin
January 19	Monday	Martin Luther King Holiday - UABSO Closed
February 2	Monday	50% Tuition Payment Due
February 21	Saturday	Ophthalmic Lasers Course (Third Years)
February 25 - March 1*	Wednesday - Sunday	SECO Meeting - Atlanta, GA
March 9	Monday	Remaining Tuition Balance Due
March 9-13	Monday - Friday	Spring Break (First Years)
March 10	Tuesday	Optometry Students at Legislature (Second Years)
March 12-20	Thursday - Friday	NBEO Part I ABS Exam Break (Third Years)
March 16	Monday	White Coat Ceremony (First Years)
March 16, 17, 18, or 19	Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday	NBEO Part I ABS Exam (Third Years)
March 23-27	Monday - Friday	Spring Break (Second - Fourth Years)
April 3	Friday	Spring Visit for Entering Class
May 1	Friday	Last Day of Spring Classes and Clinics
May 3-7*	Sunday - Thursday	ARVO Annual Meeting - Denver, CO*
May 4-8	Monday - Friday	Spring Final Exam Week
May 7	Thursday	Graduate Day & Awards Reception (Fourth Years)
May 8	Friday	Deadline for Mandatory Course & Instructor Evaluations
May 8	Friday	Doctoral Convocation & Hooding Ceremony
May 11	Monday	Final Grades Due by Noon
May 11-15	Monday - Sunday	Term Break (Second - Third Years)
May 11-31	Monday - Sunday	Term Break (First Years)

Date	Day	Event
May 18	Monday	First Summer Session Begins (Second and Third Years)
May 25	Monday	Memorial Day Holiday - UABSO Closed
June 1	Monday	Summer Classes Begin (First Years)
June 15	Monday	50% Tuition Payment Due
June 19	Friday	Juneteenth - UABSO Closed
June 26	Friday	First Summer Session Ends (Second and Third Years)
June 29	Monday	Second Summer Session Begins (Second and Third Years)
June 17-20*	Wednesday - Saturday	American Optometric Association Meeting - Phoenix, AZ
July 3	Friday	Independence Day Observed - UABSO Closed
July 13	Monday	Remaining Tuition Balance Due
July 21	Tuesday	CEC Orientation (First Years)
July 24	Friday	Summer Classes End (First Years)
July 27-31	Monday - Friday	Summer Final Exam Week (First Years)
August 7	Friday	Deadline for Mandatory Course & Instructor Evaluations
August 7	Friday	Second Summer Session Ends (Second and Third Years)
August 10	Monday	Final Grades Due By Noon

This calendar is subject to change depending on the needs of the program, unforeseen events, and unplanned occurrences.

One asterisk (*) indicates a break or holiday.

Two asterisks (**) indicate that a clinic absence must be requested and made up.

Three asterisks (***) indicate a final exam week.

Date	Day	Event
August 10 - 14	Monday - Friday	Orientation for Incoming First Years
August 17	Monday	Fall Classes and Clinics Begin
August 22	Saturday	Super Saturday
September 7	Monday	Labor Day Holiday*
September 14	Monday	50% Tuition Payment Due
September 30-October 3	Wednesday - Saturday	American Academy of Optometry Meeting, - Anaheim, CA **
October 1 - 4	Thursday - Sunday	Alabama Optometric Association Convention, Birmingham, AL **
October 5 - 6	Monday and Tuesday	Fall Mini-Break (First Years) *
October 12	Monday	Remaining Tuition Balance Due
October 12-13	Monday and Tuesday	Fall Mini-Break (Second through Fourth Years) *
November 25 - 27	Wednesday - Friday	Thanksgiving Holiday *
November 30 - December 4	Monday - Friday	Gift of Sight - Western Health Center
December 1 or 3	Tuesday or Thursday	NBEO Part II PAM Exam opens a new website (Fourth Years)
December 11	Friday	Last Day of Fall Classes and Clinics
December 11	Friday	Deadline for Mandatory Course & Instructor Evaluations
December 14 - 18	Monday - Friday	Fall Final Exam Week *******
December 21	Monday	Final Grades Due by Noon
December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027	Monday - Friday	Term Break - Winter Holidays *

Date	Day	Event
January 4, 2027	Monday	Spring Classes and Clinics Begin
January 18	Monday	Martin Luther King Holiday - UABSO Closed *
TBD	TBD	White Coat Ceremony (First Years)
TBD	TBD	50% Tuition Payment Due
February 27	Saturday	Ophthalmic Lasers Course (Third Years)
March 3 - 7	Wednesday - Sunday	Southern College of Optometry Meeting, Atlanta, GA **
March 8 - 12	Monday - Friday	Spring Break (First Years) *
TBD	TBD	Remaining Tuition Balance Due
TBD*	TBD	NBEO Part I ABS Exam Break (Third Years)
March 16	Tuesday	White Coat Ceremony
March 15, 16, 17, or 18	Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday	NBEO Part I ABS Exam opens a new website (Third Years)
March 22-26	Monday - Friday	Spring Break (Second through Fourth Years) *
TBD	TBD	Clinic Orientation (First Years)
TBD	TBD	Spring Visit for Entering Class
TBD	TBD	Optometry Students at Legislature (Second Years)
April 30	Friday	Deadline for Mandatory Course & Instructor Evaluations
April 30	Friday	Last Day of Spring Classes and Clinics
May 2 - 6	Sunday - Thursday	Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA **
May 3 - 7	Monday - Friday	Spring Final Exam Week *******
May 10	Monday	Final Grades Due by Noon
May 10 - 16	Monday - Sunday	Term Break (Second and Third Years) *
May 10 - 31	Monday - Monday	Term Break (First Years) *
May 11	Tuesday	Graduate Day & Awards Reception (Fourth Years)
May 12	Wednesday	Doctoral Convocation & Hooding Ceremony

Date	Day	Event
May 17	Monday	First Summer Session Begins (Second and Third Years)
May 31	Monday	Memorial Day Holiday - UABSO Closed *
June 1	Tuesday	Summer Classes Begin (First Years)
TBD	TBD	50% Tuition Payment Due
June 16 - 19	Wednesday - Saturday	American Optometric Association Meeting - Boston, MA **
June 18	Friday	Juneteenth Holiday - UABSO Closed *
June 25	Friday	First Summer Session Ends (Second and Third Years)
June 28	Monday	Second Summer Session Begins (Second and Third Years)
July 5	Monday	Independence Day Holiday (observed) - UABSO Closed *
TBD	TBD	Remaining Tuition Balance Due
TBD	TBD	CEC Orientation (First Years)
July 23	Friday	Summer Classes End (First Years)
July 26 - 30	Monday - Friday	Summer Final Exam Week (First Years) *******
July 30	Friday	Deadline for Mandatory Course & Instructor Evaluations
August 6	Friday	Second Summer Session Ends (Second and Third Years)
August 9	Monday	Final Grades Due By Noon