Academic Calendar: MN, MSN and DNP Programs

By Academic Year

Fall 2026

Date	Event
August 24, 2026	First day of class for all Nursing students
September 4, 2026	End of Student Change Period (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
September 7, 2026	Labor Day - no VUSN Classes
October 9, 2026	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
November 21- 29, 2026	Thanksgiving Break
December 4, 2026	Last Day of Class
December 7-11, 2026	Exam Week
December 12, 2026	December Pinning Ceremony - asked FL about moving to the following weekend, but 12/12 is Hannukah ; FL speaking with Dean
December 19, 2026	Degree conferral for Fall graduates
December 31, 2026	End of Fall term

Spring 2027

Date	Event
January 11, 2027	First day of class for all Nursing students
January 22, 2027	End of Student Change Period (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
January 18, 2027	MLK Holiday - no VUSN Classes
February 24, 2027	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
March 13-21, 2027	Spring Break
April 23, 2027	Last Day of Class
April 26-30, 2027	Exam Week
May 1, 2027	End of Spring term
May 13, 2027	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 14, 2027	Commencement; Degree conferral for Spring graduates

Summer 2027

Date	Event
May 13, 2027	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 14, 2027	Commencement; Degree conferral for Spring graduates
May 17, 2027	First day of class for all Nursing students
May 28, 2027	End of Student Change Period (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
May 31, 2027	Memorial Day Holiday - no VUSN Classes
June 11, 2027	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
July 5, 2027	Independence Day Holiday - No VUSN Classes
August 6, 2027	Last Day of Class
August 7, 2027	August Pinning Ceremony
August 9-13, 2027	Exam Week
August 13, 2027	Degree conferral for Summer graduates
August 15, 2027	End of Summer term

Fall 2025

Date	Event
August 13-14, 2025	MN New Student Orientation
August 15, 2025	MN Classes begin for new students
August 18, 2025	MN classes begin for returning (spring 25 cohort) students
August 18, 2025	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master's Certificate Classes Begin * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on orientation and/or start dates for required classes.
August 18-22, 2025	PhD Orientation and Intensive (subject to change)
August 25-29, 2025	First day of class for DNP/Orientation and Intensive
August 29, 2025	End of Student Change Period (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
September 1, 2025	Labor Day - no VUSN Classes
October 3, 2025	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
November 22-30, 2025	Thanksgiving Break
December 5, 2025	Last Day of Class/Fall Semester
December 5, 2025	December Pinning Ceremony
December 13, 2025	Degree conferral for Fall graduates

Spring 2026

Date	Event
January 5, 2026	First day of Spring semester for: Specialty Level MSN, returning MN students, Post-Master's Certificate students* Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on orientation and/or start dates for required classes.
January 5-7, 2026	First Day of class for DNP/Intensive
January 5-9, 2026	PhD Intensive (subject to change)
January 7-8, 2026	MN New Student Orientation
January 9, 2026	MN First Semester Classes Begin
January 16, 2026	End of Student Change Period (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
January 19, 2026	MLK Holiday - no VUSN Classes
February 18, 2026	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
March 7-15, 2026	Spring Break
April 17, 2026	Last Day of Class/Spring Semester
May 7, 2026	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 8, 2026	Commencement; Degree conferral for Spring graduates

Summer 2026

Date	Event
April 27, 2026	First Day of Summer Semester for: Specialty Level MSN, returning MN students, Post-Master's Certificate students, and Nurse Anesthesia students * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on orientation and/or start dates for required classes.
May 4, 2026	First day of class for DNP
May 7, 2026	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 8, 2026	Commencement; Degree conferral for Spring graduates
May 11-13, 2026	DNP Intensive
May 11-15, 2026	PhD Intensive (subject to change)
May 15, 2026	End of Student Change Period (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
May 25, 2026	Memorial Day Holiday - no VUSN Classes
June 5, 2026	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See https://www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/graduate/withdrawal-schedule.php for tuition refund schedule)
June 19, 2026	Juneteenth Holiday - No VUSN Classes
July 3, 2026	Independence Day Holiday - No VUSN Classes
July 31, 2026	Last Day of Class/Summer Semester
August 1, 2026	August Pinning Ceremony
August 7, 2026	Degree conferral for Summer graduates

Fall 2024

Date	Event
August 14-15, 2024	MSN PreSpecialty Level New Student Orientation
August 16, 2024	MSN PreSpecialty Level Classes Begin
August 19-23, 2024	PhD Orientation and Intensive (subject to change)
August 19, 2024	MN Classes Begin
August 19, 2024	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master's Certificate Classes Begin * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
August 26-30, 2024	DNP Orientation and Intensive
August 30, 2024	End of Student Change Period (See tuition refund schedule)
September 2, 2024	Labor Day - no VUSN Classes
October 4, 2024	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See tuition refund schedule)
November 23-December 1, 2024	Thanksgiving Break
December 6, 2024	Last Day of Class/Fall Semester
December 6, 2024	December Pinning Ceremony
December 14, 2024	Degree conferral for Fall graduates

Spring 2025

Date	Event
January 3, 2025	First day of Spring semester for Specialty Level MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate students * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
January 6, 2025	First day of classes for returning MN and PreSpecialty
January 6-10, 2025	DNP Intensive/Classes begin
January 6-10, 2025	PhD Intensive (subject to change)
January 8-9, 2025	MN New Student Orientation
January 10, 2025	MN First Semester Classes Begin
January 17, 2025	End of Student Change Period (See tuition refund schedule)
January 20, 2025	MLK Holiday - no VUSN Classes
February 19, 2025	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See tuition refund schedule)
March 8-16, 2025	Spring Break
April 18, 2025	Last Day of Class/Spring Semester
May 8, 2025	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 9, 2025	Commencement; Degree conferral for Spring graduates

Summer 2025

Date	Event
April 28, 2025	First Day of Summer Semester for PreSpecialty, MN, MSN Specialty Level and Post-Master’s Certificate students * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
May 5, 2025	First Day of Class for DNP
May 5-9, 2025	PhD Intensive
May 12-15, 2025	DNP Intensive
May 8, 2025	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 9, 2025	Commencement; Degree conferral for Spring graduates
May 15, 2025	End of Student Change Period (See tuition refund schedule)
May 26, 2025	Memorial Day Holiday - no VUSN Classes
June 6, 2025	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See tuition refund schedule)
June 19, 2025	Juneteenth Holiday - No VUSN Classes
July 4, 2025	Independence Day Holiday - No VUSN Classes
August 1, 2025	Last Day of Class/Summer Semester
August 2, 2025	August Pinning Ceremony
August 8, 2025	Degree conferral for Summer graduates

Fall 2023

Date	Event
August 16-17, 2023	MSN PreSpecialty Level New Student Orientation
August 18, 2023	MSN PreSpecialty Level Classes Begin
August 21-25, 2023	PhD Orientation and Intensive (subject to change)
August 21, 2023	MN Classes Begin
August 21, 2023	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master's Certificate Classes Begin for select specialties * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
August 23, 2023	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master's Certificate Orientations (BSN and MSN entry)
August 24, 2023	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master's Certificate Classes Begin for select specialties * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
August 28-30, 2023	DNP Orientation and Intensive
September 1, 2023	End of Student Change Period (See tuition refund schedule)
September 4, 2023	Labor Day - no VUSN Classes
October 6, 2023	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See tuition refund schedule)
November 18-26, 2023	Thanksgiving Break
December 8, 2023	Last Day of Class/Fall Semester
December 8, 2023	December Pinning Ceremony
December 16, 2023	Degrees conferred

Spring 2024

Date	Event
January 3, 2024	First day of Spring semester for MN, PreSpecialty and Specialty Level MSN. * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
January 4-5, 2024	MN New Student Orientation
January 8, 2024	MN First Semester Classes Begin
January 8-11, 2024	DNP Intensive
January 8-11, 2024	PhD Intensive (subject to change)
January 15, 2024	MLK Holiday - no VUSN Classes
January 19, 2024	End of Student Change Period (See tuition refund schedule)
February 21, 2024	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See tuition refund schedule)
March 9-17, 2024	Spring Break
April 19, 2024	Last Day of Class/Spring Semester
May 9, 2024	Pinning
May 10, 2024	Commencement and Degrees Conferred

Summer 2024

Date	Event
April 29, 2024	First Day of Summer Semester for PreSpecialty, MN and MSN Specialty Level * Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
May 9, 2024	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 10, 2024	Commencement
May 6-10, 2023	PhD Intensive (tentative)
May 13-16, 2024	DNP Intensive
May 16, 2024	End of Student Change Period (See tuition refund schedule)
May 27, 2024	Memorial Day Holiday - no VUSN Classes
June 7, 2024	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See tuition refund schedule)
June 19, 2024	Juneteenth Holiday – No VUSN Classes
July 4, 2024	Independence Day Holiday - No VUSN Classes
August 2, 2024	Last Day of Class/Summer Semester
August 3, 2024	August Pinning Ceremony

Fall 2022

Date	Event
August 17-18 (Wed-Thurs)	MSN PreSpecialty Level New Student Orientation*
August 19 (Fri)	MSN PreSpecialty Level Classes Begin*
August 22 (Mon)	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master's Certificate Orientations* (BSN and MSN entry)
August 23 (Tue)	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master's Certificate Classes Begin*
	Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
August 22-26 (Mon-Fri)	PhD Orientation and Intensive (date subject to change)
August 29-Sept 1 (Mon-Thurs)	DNP Orientation and Intensive
September 2 (Friday)	End of Student Change Period. (See tuition refund schedule)
September 5 (Mon)	Labor Day – no VUSN Classes
October 1 (Sat)	MSN and DNP Fall Open House
October 7 (Fri)	Last day to withdraw with a "W" (See tuition refund schedule)
November 19-27 (Sat-Sun)	Thanksgiving Break
December 9 (Fri)	Last Day of Fall Semester
December 9 (Fri)	December Pinning Ceremony
December 17	Degrees conferred

Spring 2023

Date	Event
January 3 (Tue)	First day of Spring semester for PreSpecialty and Specialty Level
	Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes
January 5-6 (Thurs - Fri)	MN Orientation
January 9-12 (Mon-Thurs)	DNP Intensive
January 9-13 (Mon-Fri)	PhD Intensive (date subject to change)
January 9	MN classes begin
January 16 (Mon)	MLK Holiday for all students – No VUSN classes
January 20	End of student drop/add period; 85% tuition refund (See tuition refund schedule)
February 22	Last day to withdraw with a "W"; tuition refund 50% (See tuition refund schedule)
March 10 (Fri)	MSN, PMC, DNP and PhD Admitted Students Day
March 11-19 (Sat-Sun)	Spring Break
April 15 (Sat)	Spring Open House
April 21 (Fri)	Last Day of Spring Semester
May 12, 2023	Degrees conferred

Summer 2023

Date	Event
May 1 (Mon)	First Day of Summer Semester for PreSpecialty, MN and MSN Specialty Level
	Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes
May 11 (Thurs)	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 12 (Fri)	Commencement
May 15-18 (Mon-Thurs)	DNP Intensive
May 15-19 (Mon-Fri)	PhD Intensive (date subject to change)
May 18 (Thurs)	End of student drop/add period; end of 100% tuition refund (See tuition refund schedule)
May 29 (Mon)	Memorial Day Holiday – No VUSN Classes
June 9 (Fri)	Last day to withdraw with a “W” (See tuition refund schedule)
July 4 (Tue)	Independence Day Holiday – No VUSN Classes
August 4 (Fri)	Last Day of Summer Semester
August 6 (Sun)	August Pinning Ceremony
	* Location (virtual vs on campus) to be determined
August 11	Degrees conferred

*Location (virtual vs. on campus) to be determined

Fall 2021

Date	Event
August 18, 19 (Wed -Thurs)	MSN PreSpecialty Level New Student Orientation, On Campus
August 18, 19 (Wed - Thurs)	ASN-MSN Level New Student Orientation, On Campus
August 20 (Fri)	MSN PreSpecialty Level Classes Begin , On Campus
August 20 (Fri)	ASN-MSN Level Classes Begin, On Campus
August 23 (Mon)	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master’s Certificate Orientations (BSN and MSN entry), Virtual
August 24 (Tues)	MSN Specialty Level and Post Master’s Certificate Classes Begin, (+ Virtual or On Campus, depending on specialty Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes.
August 30 – Sept. 1 (Mon – Wed)	DNP New Student Orientation and Intensive , On Campus
Sept. 1 – Sept. 3 (Wed – Fri)	DNP Return Student Orientation and Intensive, On Campus
September 6 (Mon)	Labor Day – no VUSN Classes
October 2 (Sat)	MSN and DNP Fall Open House
November 20 – November 28 (Sat – Sun)	Thanksgiving Break
December 10 (Friday)	Last Day of Fall Semester
December 10 (Friday)	December Pinning Ceremony

Spring 2022

Date	Event
January 4 (Tues)	First day of Spring Semester for PreSpecialty and Specialty Courses Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes
January 10 - 13 (Mon – Thurs)	DNP and PhD Intensive*
January 21	End of student change period (See tuition refund schedule)
January 17 (Mon)	MLK Holiday for all students – No VUSN Classes
February 23	Last day to withdraw (See tuition refund schedule)
March 5 – March 13 (Sat – Sun)	Spring Break
March 5 (Sat)	MSN and DNP Spring Open House
April 22 (Fri)	Last Day of Spring Semester

Summer 2022

Date	Event
May 2 (Mon)	First Day of Summer Semester for MSN PreSpecialty and MSN Specialty Level Students Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes
May 12 (Thurs)	May Pinning Ceremony and Reception
May 13 (Fri)	Commencement
May 16	DNP and PhD Intensive
May 19	End of student change period (See tuition refund schedule)
May 30 (Mon)	Memorial Day Holiday – No VUSN Classes
June 10	Last day to withdraw (See tuition refund schedule)
July 4 (Mon)	July 4 Holiday – No VUSN Classes
August 5 (Fri)	Last Day of Summer Semester
August 7 (Sun)	Pinning Ceremony for Summer, 2022 Graduates

*The URO has not provided dates for the 2021-2022 AY which may impact tentative PhD dates.

Fall 2020

Date	Event
August 17 – 21 (Mon – Friday)	Virtual PhD student orientation and intensive
August 19, 20 (Wed -Thurs)	Virtual MSN Pre-Specialty Level New Student Orientation
August 19, 20 (Wed - Thurs)	Virtual ASN-MSN Level New student orientation
August 21 (Fri)	Virtual Pre-Specialty Level 1st day of class
August 21 (Fri)	Virtual ASN-MSN Level classes begin
August 24 (Mon)	Virtual MSN Specialty Level orientations (BSN and MSN entry) and classes begin
	Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes
August 31 – Sept. 3 (Mon - Thurs)	Virtual DNP student orientation and intensive
September 7 (Mon)	Labor Day – no VUSN Classes
October 3 (Sat)	MSN and DNP Fall Open House
November 20 (Fri)	Last Day of On-Campus classes
November 21– November 29 (Sat – Sun)	Thanksgiving Break
December 11 (Friday)	Last Day of Fall Semester
December 11 (Friday)	December Pinning Ceremony

Spring 2021

Date	Event
January 4 (Mon)	First day of Spring semester for Specialty courses Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes
January 11 - 14 (Mon – Thurs)	First day of Spring Semester for PreSpecialty, DNP, and PhD Courses; PhD and DNP Intensive
January 18 (Mon)	MLK Holiday for all students – No VUSN Classes
March – Date TBA	MSN and DNP Spring Open House
April 23 (Fri)	Last Day of Spring Semester

Summer 2021

Date	Event
May 4 (Tuesday)	First day of summer senester for specialty courses Important: Please check your specialty class schedule for specific information on start dates for required classes
May 20 (Thursday)	End of student change period
June 11 (Friday)	Last day to withdraw with a 'W'
July 31 (Saturday)	Last day of summer semester