Religious Observances

Please note that our calendar includes only religious holidays that coincide with official academic terms, sessions, or modules, and these dates may vary from year to year. This listing is not exhaustive of all religions and their related observable holidays. While daily or weekly religious observances are not specifically listed, we are committed to accommodating students' needs in accordance with New York State Education Law 224-A.

For information on federal holidays or scheduled school breaks, please review our academic calendar page.

• Guidance Regarding Religious Holidays

  The University is committed to ensuring that every student willhave the right to pursue their education while practicing their faith.  To accomplish this, the Office of the Provost has undertaken the following strategic steps: 

  • Stony Brook University is committed to providing the opportunity for all students to practice their faith.

  • Each spring the Office of the Provost will issue a listing of major religious holidays that will take place during the following academic year.  This will ensure that faculty is aware of the major celebrations of the faiths practiced by our students.

  • All student absences in order to practice their faith will be viewed as an ‘excused absence’, with no negative consequence.

  • Faculty are strongly urged to avoid scheduling examinations, papers, presentations or other assignments to be due on any of the major listed holidays.  When this is unavoidable, students will be given the opportunity for an equivalent make-up.

  • All of our large classrooms/lecture halls are equipped with Echo Capture.  All classes taking place in these rooms will be recorded and students will be able to access high quality playbacks of the full lecture.

  • All courses are registered on Brightspace, an online course management system.  We will request that faculty post their lecture notes for classes taking place on any of the major holidays on their individual course site so that all students can access the material.

  • Students are expected to notify their professor as early as possible in advance of any religious observance for which they are requesting an accommodation. They can discuss with their faculty member at that time how they will be able to catch up on the work covered. Graduate student TAs should discuss class coverage with their lead instructor.

  • If a student is not satisfied that they are being treated appropriately, they can reach out to the Office of the Provost to have their grievance addressed

  • Faculty who intend to observe a religious holiday should arrange at the beginning of the semester to reschedule missed classes or to make other provisions for their course-related activities

  • The text of the New York State Education Code will be posted on the web site of the Office of the Registrar

• NYS Education Law 224-A

  New York Education - Part 1 - § 224-A Students Unable Because of Religious Beliefs to Register or Attend Classes on
  Certain Days
  
  § 224-a. Students unable because of religious beliefs to register or attend classes on certain days.
  

  1.  No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason that he or she is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to register or attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or days.

   2.  Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a  particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.

   3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make  available to each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
  

   4. If registration, classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after four o'clock post meridian or on Saturday,  similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work requirements or opportunity to register shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study or work requirements or registration held on other days.
  

  5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his or her availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section.
  

  6. Any student, who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of his or her rights under this section.
  

  6-a. It shall be the responsibility of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to give written notice to students of their rights under this section, informing them that each  student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to such student such equivalent opportunity.
  

  7. As used in this section, the term "institution of higher education" shall mean any institution of higher education, recognized and approved by the regents of the university of the state of New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting of a post-secondary degree or diploma. Such term shall not include any institution which is operated, supervised or controlled by a church or by a religious or denominational organization whose educational programs are principally designed for the purpose of training ministers or other religious functionaries or for the purpose of propagating religious doctrines. As used in this section, the term "religious belief" shall mean beliefs associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes, which is not disqualified for tax exemption under section 501 of the United States Code. 

• 2025
  DATE	DAYS	OBSERVANCE
  DATE January 7	DAYS Tuesday	OBSERVANCE Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE January 29	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
  DATE February 13 - February 14	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Laylat al-Bara’at (Islam)
  DATE February 26	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
  DATE February 28 - March 30	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Ramadan (Islam)
  DATE March 3	DAYS Monday	OBSERVANCE Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE March 5	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Ash Wednesday (Christian)
  DATE March 13 - March 14	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Purim (Judaism)
  DATE March 14 - March 15	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Satuday	OBSERVANCE Holi (Hindu)
  DATE March 27	DAYS Thursday	OBSERVANCE Laylat al-Qadr  (Islam)
  DATE March 29 - March 30	DAYS Sundown Saturday - Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  DATE April 12 - April 20	DAYS Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Passover (Judaism)
  DATE April 18	DAYS Friday	OBSERVANCE Good Friday (Christian)
  DATE June 1 - June 3	DAYS Sundown Sunday - Sundown Monday	OBSERVANCE Shavuot (Judaism)
  DATE June 6 -June 7	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Saturday	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  DATE August 16	DAYS Saturday	OBSERVANCE Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
  DATE September 4 - September 5	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
  DATE September 22 - October 2	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Thursday	OBSERVANCE Navaratri (Hindu)
  DATE September 22 - September 24	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  DATE October 1 - October 2	DAYS Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday	OBSERVANCE Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  DATE October 6 - October 13	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Monday	OBSERVANCE Sukkot (Judaism)
  DATE October 13 - October 15	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  DATE October 14 - October 15	DAYS Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  DATE October 20	DAYS Monday	OBSERVANCE Diwali (Hindu)
  DATE December 14 - December 22	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Hanukkah (Judaism)

  *subject to change

• 2026
  DATE	DAYS	OBSERVANCE
  DATE January 7	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE February 17	DAYS Tuesday	OBSERVANCE Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
  DATE February 17 - February 18	DAYS Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Ramadan (Islam)
  DATE February 18	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Ash Wednesday (Christian)
  DATE February 23	DAYS Monday	OBSERVANCE Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE March 2 - March 3	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday	OBSERVANCE Purim (Judaism)
  DATE March 3 - March 4	DAYS Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday	OBSERVANCE Holi (Hindu)
  DATE March 19 - March 20 *	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  DATE April 1- April 9	DAYS Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday	OBSERVANCE Passover (Judaism)
  DATE April 3	DAYS Friday	OBSERVANCE Good Friday (Christian)
  DATE May 21 -May 23	DAYS Sundown Thursday  Sundown Saturday	OBSERVANCE Shavuot (Judaism)
  DATE May 26 -May 27	DAYS Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  DATE August 25-26	DAYS Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
  DATE September  4	DAYS Friday	OBSERVANCE Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
  DATE September 11- September 13	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  DATE September 20- September 21	DAYS Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday	OBSERVANCE Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  DATE September 25- October 2	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Sukkot (Judaism)
  DATE October 2 - October 4	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  DATE October 3 - October 4	DAYS Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  DATE October 11 - October 20	DAYS Sundown Sunday Sundown Tuesday	OBSERVANCE Navaratri (Hindu)
  DATE November 8	DAYS Sunday	OBSERVANCE Diwali (Hindu)

  *subject to change

• 2027
  DATE	DAYS	OBSERVANCE
  DATE January 7	DAYS Thursday	OBSERVANCE Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE February 7	DAYS Sunday	OBSERVANCE Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
  DATE February 7 - March 8	DAYS Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday	OBSERVANCE Ramadan (Islam)
  DATE February 10	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Ash Wednesday (Christian)
  DATE March 9 - March 10	DAYS Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  DATE March 15	DAYS Monday	OBSERVANCE Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE March 22 - March 23	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday	OBSERVANCE Purim (Judaism)
  DATE March 22 - March 23	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday	OBSERVANCE Holi (Hindu)
  DATE March 26	DAYS Friday	OBSERVANCE Good Friday (Christian)
  DATE April 21 - April 29	DAYS Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday	OBSERVANCE Passover (Judaism)
  DATE May 16 - May 17	DAYS Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday*	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  DATE June 10 - June 12	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Saturday*	OBSERVANCE Shavuot (Judaism)
  DATE August 14 - August 15	DAYS Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
  DATE August 25	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE  Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
  DATE September 30- October 9	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Saturday	OBSERVANCE Navaratri (Hindu)
  DATE October 1 - October 3	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  DATE October 10 - October 11	DAYS Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday	OBSERVANCE Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  DATE October 15 - October 22	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Sukkot (Judaism)
  DATE October 22 - October 24	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  DATE October 23 - October 24	DAYS Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  DATE October 29	DAYS Friday	OBSERVANCE Diwali (Hindu)

  *subject to change

• 2028
  DATE	DAYS	OBSERVANCE
  DATE January 7	DAYS Friday	OBSERVANCE Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE January 26	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
  DATE January 27 - February 25	DAYS Sundown Thursday - Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Ramadan (Islam)
  DATE February 26 - February 27	DAYS Sundown Saturday - Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  DATE February 28	DAYS Monday	OBSERVANCE Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
  DATE March 1	DAYS Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Ash Wednesday (Christian)
  DATE March 11 - March 12	DAYS Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Purim (Judaism)
  DATE March 11 - March 12	DAYS Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	OBSERVANCE Holi (Hindu)
  DATE April 10- April 18	DAYS Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday*	OBSERVANCE Passover (Judaism)
  DATE April 14	DAYS Friday	OBSERVANCE Good Friday (Christian)
  DATE May 4- May 5	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  DATE May 30 - June 1	DAYS Sundown Tuesday Sundown Thursday*	OBSERVANCE Shavuot (Judaism)
  DATE August 2 - August 3	DAYS Sundown Wednesday - Sundown Thursday	OBSERVANCE Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
  DATE August 13	DAYS Sunday	OBSERVANCE Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
  DATE September 19- September 28	DAYS Sundown Tuesday Sundown Thursday	OBSERVANCE Navaratri (Hindu)
  DATE September 20-September 22	DAYS Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  DATE September 29-September 30	DAYS Sundown Friday Sundown Saturday	OBSERVANCE Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  DATE October 4 - October 11	DAYS Sundown Wednesday Sundown Wednesday	OBSERVANCE Sukkot (Judaism)
  DATE October 11 - October 13	DAYS Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  DATE October 12- October 13	DAYS Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	OBSERVANCE Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  DATE October 17	DAYS Tuesday	OBSERVANCE Diwali (Hindu)

  *subject to change