UC Berkeley

Academic Accommodations and Resources - Fall 2026 Semester

Publication date

Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the start of the fall semester, we wish to call your attention to important campus policies and guidelines concerning academic accommodations for religious observance, illness, disability, hardship, athletics, pregnancy, and other situations. We have both ethical and legal obligations to provide accommodations and other supportive measures to our students. Thank you for all you do to support the accommodations needs of our students.

Academic Accommodations Hub

The Academic Accommodations Hub is the student and instructor portal for academic support resources, including accommodations and supportive measures that students may request. The hub provides customized guidance to instructors who receive such requests from students or campus offices supporting those students. The Supportal website is a useful companion to the Academic Accommodations Hub. Supportal is a hub site for assistive resources for the entire campus community, including students, faculty, and staff. We strongly encourage all instructors to provide a link to the Academic Accommodations Hub and to Supportal in their course syllabi.

You can find more detailed guidance on some of the more common requests for flexibility or accommodation on the following webpages:

Technology and Accessibility

Fostering an equitable learning experience for all Berkeley students and instructors by supporting accessible academic technology tools is a high priority. We strongly recommend instructors use Research, Teaching, & Learning’s institutionally supported learning tools, which offer the benefits of accessibility, privacy, and security. Using unsupported tools can pose risks, including potential accessibility barriers, data privacy concerns, and lack of technical support, which may compromise both teaching and learning experiences. If you have questions, please contact rtl-general@berkeley.edu.

Guidance on Accessibility of Digital Course Content
In preparation for the updated Title II ADA requirements that go into effect in April 2027, instructors can access a range of resources to ensure that digital course content in bCourses and other formats meets accessibility standards. Visit the Research, Teaching, & Learning Commons’ Accessibility in Teaching & Learning resource hub for details and email course-accessibility@berkeley.edu for support. Additional resources may also be found on the Digital Accessibility website. As new technologies to assist with accessibility become available, the resources listed on these websites are being continually updated.

Important Semester Dates

See the fall 2026 Academic Calendar, maintained by the Office of the Registrar, for the latest calendar information (students in degree programs that do not align with the standard academic calendar should consult with their department). You can also find a summary of important dates on the UE website. Below are some important dates for the semester:

  • Fall Semester Begins: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
  • Instruction Begins: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
  • Academic and Administrative Holiday: Monday, September 7, 2026
  • Midpoint Grading Rosters Open for Instructors: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
  • Textbook Affordability Deadline for instructors to submit spring 2027 textbook adoptions to the Cal Student Store: Monday, October 19, 2026
  • Deadline for Instructors to Enter Midterm Deficient Grades: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
  • Academic and Administrative Holiday: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
  • Non-Instructional Day: Wednesday, November 25, 2026
  • Academic and Administrative Holiday: Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27, 2026
  • Textbook Accommodation Deadline for instructors to submit spring 2027 textbook adoptions to the Cal Student Store: Friday, December 4, 2026
  • Testing Agreement Deadline for instructors to request final exams through DSP proctoring: Friday, November 20, 2026.
  • Formal Classes End: Friday, December 4, 2026
  • Reading/Review/Recitation Week: Monday, December 7 - Friday, December 11, 2026
  • Final Examinations: Monday, December 14 - Friday, December 18, 2026
  • Dissertation/Thesis Filing and Capstone Completion Deadline: Friday, December 18, 2026
  • Fall Semester Ends: Friday, December 18, 2026
  • Academic and Administrative Holiday: Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25, 2026
  • Academic and Administrative Holiday: Thursday, December 31, 2026 and Friday, January 1, 2027

Thank you for your continued dedication, creativity, and flexibility as we begin the fall semester.

Sincerely,

Benjamin E. Hermalin
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Oliver M. O’Reilly
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

Lisa García Bedolla
Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate Division

Mark Stacey
Chair, Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate

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  • General News