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. 

• 2023

  DATE	DAYS	OBSERVANCE
  January 7	Saturday	Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
  January 22	Sunday	Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
  February 18	Saturday	Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
  February 22	Wednesday	Ash Wednesday (Christian)
  February 27	Monday	Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
  March 6 - March 7	Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday	Purim (Judaism)
  March 7- March 8	Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday	Holi (Hindu)
  March 7- March 8	Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday	Laylat al-Bara’at (Islam)
  March 22 - April 21	Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday	Ramadan (Islam)
  April 7	Friday	Good Friday (Christian)
  April 5 - April 13	Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday	Passover (Judaism)
  April 17	Sundown Monday	Laylat al-Qadr  (Islam)
  April 20 - April 22	Sundown Thursday - Sundown Saturday	Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  May 25 - May 27	Sundown Thursday - Sundown Saturday	Shavuot (Judaism)
  June 28 -June 29	Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday	Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  September 6 - September 7	Wednesday Thursday	Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
  October 15 - October 24	Sundown Sunday Sundown Tuesday	Navaratri (Hindu)
  September 15- September 17	Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday	Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  September 24 - September 25	Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday	Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  September 26 - September 27	Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday	Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
  September 29 - October 6	Sundown Friday Sundown Friday	Sukkot (Judaism)
  October 6- October 8	Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday	Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  October 7 - October 8	Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  November 12	Sunday	Diwali (Hindu)
  December 7 - December 15	Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	Hanukkah (Judaism)

• 2024

  DATE	DAYS	OBSERVANCE
  January 7	Sunday	Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
  February 10	Saturday	Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
  February 14	Wednesday	Ash Wednesday (Christian)
  March 10 - April 9	Sundown Sunday Sundown Tuesday	Ramadan (Islam)
  March 8	Friday	Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)
  March 18	Monday	Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
  March 23 - March 24	Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday	Purim (Judaism)
  March 24 - March 25	Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday	Holi (Hindu)
  March 29	Friday	Good Friday (Christian)
  April 9- April 10	Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*	Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  April 22 - April 30	Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday	Passover (Judaism)
  June 11 - June 13	Sundown Tuesday  Sundown Thursday	Shavuot (Judaism)
  June 16 -June 17	Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday*	Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  August 26	Monday	Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
  September  15 - September 16	Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday	Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
  October 3- October 12	Sundown Thursday Sundown Saturday	Navaratri (Hindu)
  October 2 - October 4	Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday	Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  October 11 - October 12	Sundown Friday Sundown Saturday	Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  October 16 - October 23	Sundown Wednesday Sundown Wednesday	Sukkot (Judaism)
  October 23 - October 25	Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday	Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  October 24 - October 25	Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday	Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  November 1	Friday	Diwali (Hindu)

  *subject to change

• 2025

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

  *subject to change

• 2026

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

  *subject to change

• 2027

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

  *subject to change

• 2028

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

  *subject to change