MARCH 21, 2025 — Starting in Fall 2025, UTSA will adjust its academic calendar to better support students, introducing a Fall Break and extending Thanksgiving Break. These additional student holidays respond to feedback gathered during this year’s Enhancing Well-being Task Force listening sessions and align UTSA with universities nationwide, ensuring it remains responsive to student needs.
The Fall Break is scheduled for Monday, October 13, and Tuesday, October 14 in 2025, during which no classes will be held. This mid-semester break will give students a chance to recharge after midterms and is intended to improve their well-being. Research shows that scheduled breaks enhance academic performance, focus and retention by allowing students to catch up on coursework, review and process feedback from midterms, and return reenergized.
Thanksgiving Break will be extended to three full days (November 26-28, 2025), adding Wednesday as a student holiday.
“By providing intentional breaks in the academic calendar, we are fostering an environment that supports both academic success and personal well-being.”
The fall 2025 semester will still begin on Monday, August 25, and end on Friday, December 12.
“As part of our ongoing well-being initiative, UTSA is committed to enhancing the student experience,” said Heather Shipley, UTSA provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “By providing intentional breaks in the academic calendar, we are fostering an environment that supports both academic success and personal well-being.”
Additionally, UTSA is piloting a wintermester—a three-week, fully online asynchronous term offering a limited selection of courses. Tentatively scheduled from December 15, 2025, to January 10, 2026, this term would give students an opportunity to earn additional credits between semesters. More details will be shared as plans are finalized.
These calendar changes only apply to the UTSA Academic Calendar, as the newly integrated institution of UTSA and UT Health San Antonio will not follow a single unified academic calendar. More details can be found in the FAQs on the Integration website.
