Religious Calendar
Major Religious Observances
Stanford has long supported faculty, students and staff in observing religious holidays of significance to them. In the complex process of creating the academic calendar, religious holy days are but one of many considerations. The university administration has always been helpful in facilitating communication and encouraging respect and understanding when there are academic calendar conflicts with religious holy days.
Most instructors will be cooperative and flexible regarding religious observance when they receive appropriate and early communication. Students should work with their instructors in advance. If a student is planning NOT to attend class or take an exam because of a religious holiday, they should convey this information to instructors at the beginning of the quarter so that the student will not be disadvantaged as a result of religious practice. Students and instructors should work together to plan for the absence and any class notes or assignments that might be missed.
The Office for Religious & Spiritual Life makes available to faculty, staff and students this list of significant religious holidays at the beginning of each academic year. For any questions or concerns, please contact the Office for Religious & Spiritual Life.
How to view the multifaith Religious Observances Calendar
- Log in to your web calendar at webcal.stanford.edu
- On the left side of the screen, click on the “Add Calendar” link
- A window will pop up. On the left-hand side menu, click on “Add from Directory”
- You will be prompted to enter the calendar name. Type in “ORSL CAL Religious Observances” and select it from the drop-down menu
- From the "Add to" drop down menu, select where you would like the calendar to appear and then click on the "Add" button
- The ORSL CAL Religious Observances calendar will now appear under your calendar list for viewing.
If you don't have Outlook, then the calendar can be viewed on the browser here: View the Religious Observances Calendar in your Browser
List of Observances for the 2024-2025 academic year
This list is not meant to be a comprehensive list of observances from all religions. Instead, the following observances are some that may affect the academic calendar.
Icon | Meaning |
---|---|
Observance is set and move according to a lunar calendar | |
Observance begins at sundown on the first day listed | |
Observance ends at nightfall of the last day listed | |
Observance has significant work restrictions | |
Observance involves fasting practices or food accommodations |
Summer Quarter 2024
Date | Name | Faith |
---|---|---|
June 11 - June 13 | Shavuot | Jewish |
June 16 - June 17 | Eid al-Adha | Muslim |
June 20 | Litha | Pagan, Wiccan |
July 7 | First of Muharram | Muslim |
July 9 | Martyrdom of The Báb | Bahá’í |
July 16 | Ashura | Muslim |
August 1 | Lammas/Lughnasad | Pagan, Wiccan |
August 12 - 13 | Tisha B'Av | Jewish |
August 26 | Sri Krishna Jayanti | Hindu |
Fall Quarter 2024
Date | Name | Faith |
---|---|---|
September 14 | Mawlid al Nabi | Muslim |
October 2 - 4 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish |
October 3 - 12 | Navaratri | Hindu |
October 11 - 12 | Yom Kippur
| Jewish |
October 16 - 18 | Sukkot | Jewish |
October 23 - 24 | Shemini Atzeret | Jewish |
October 24 - 25 | Simchat Torah | Jewish |
October 31 | Samhain | Pagan, Wiccan |
November 1 | Diwali | Hindu |
November 2 - 3 | Twin Holy Birthdays: | Bahá’í |
December 24 | Christmas Eve | Christian |
December 25 | Christmas | Christian |
December 25 - January 2 | Hanukkah/Chanukah | Jewish |
December 26 - January 1 | Kwanzaa | Pan-African |
Winter Quarter 2025
Date | Name | Faith |
---|---|---|
March 1 - 30 | Ramadan | Muslim |
March 5 | Ash Wednesday | Christian |
March 13 - 14 | Purim | Jewish |
March 14 | Holi | Hindu |
March 20 | Ostara | Pagan, Wiccan |
March 21 | Nowruz | Zoroastrian, Bahá’í |
March 31 | Eid al Fitr
| Muslim |
Spring Quarter 2025
Date | Name | Faith |
---|---|---|
April 12- 19 | Passover
| Jewish |
April 13 | Palm Sunday | Christian |
April 14 | Vaisakhi | Hindu, Sikh |
April 18 | Good Friday | Christian |
April 20 | Easter | Christian |
April 20 - May 1 | Festival of Ridván
| Bahá’í |
April 20, April 28, May 1 | First, Ninth, and Twelfth Day of Ridván
| Bahá’í |
April 23 - 24 | Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) | Jewish |
May 1 | Beltane | Pagan, Wiccan |
May 12 | Vesak/Buddha Day | Buddhist |
May 28 | Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh | Bahá’í |
June 1 - 3 | Shavuot | Jewish |
June 6 | Eid al Adha | Muslim |