Swarthmore Academic Calendar 2023/2024

Swarthmore Academic Calendar – Founded in 1864 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Swarthmore College is a small, highly selective liberal arts college located just 11 miles outside Philadelphia in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. With strong academics centered around undergraduate education, Swarthmore has established itself as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Swarthmore’s scenic 425-acre campus provides an intimate setting for learning and growing. Just over 1,500 students attend Swarthmore, drawn in by small class sizes, close student-faculty interaction, and rigorous academics. Swarthmore encourages students to explore their intellectual and personal passions by providing the resources and support to delve deeply into subjects and engage broadly across disciplines. Academic programming covers the humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences, culminating for many students in an intensive senior capstone project. With no graduate programs, Swarthmore focuses all institutional resources on the undergraduate academic experience.

Beyond the classroom, Swarthmore offers abundant opportunities for learning and personal development through studying abroad, participating in research, pursuing community-based learning, and joining any of the over 100 student groups and organizations. At Swarthmore, engagement within vibrant campus communities is regarded as integral to a well-rounded education. Students thrive within a culture of warmth, openness, social awareness, and acceptance.

This academic calendar provides key information about the 2023-2024 academic year at Swarthmore College. It outlines important dates and deadlines for the 2023 Fall Semester and the 2024 Spring Semester. The calendar denotes start and end dates for semesters, breaks, exams, housing, dining services, advising and registration periods, and major College events. Following this calendar will help students stay on track to meet academic milestones and participate fully in campus activities.

Spring Semester 2024

• January 20, 2024: Residence halls open at noon.
• January 21, 2024: Meal plan starts at dinner.
• January 22, 2024: Classes begin.
• February 2, 2024: Drop/add ends. Last day to delete a course from or add one to permanent registration. Students with once-a-week classes may extend some adding and dropping into the third week of classes, depending upon the approval of the professor teaching the class to be added.
• March 8, 2024: Final examination schedule available online.
• March 8, 2024: Spring Break begins after last class.
• March 18, 2024: Spring classes resume at eight thirty a.m.
• March 27, 2024: Schedule of courses and seminars for next semester available online.
• March 29, 2024: Last day to declare CR/NC grading option. Last day to withdraw from a course and receive the grade “W.”
• April 1, 2024: Note: All accounts must show a $0 or positive balance to enroll and select a room for the fall semester.
• April 1-12, 2024: Advising period.
• April 15-17, 2024: Pre-enrollment for fall semester.
• April 17, 2024: Pre-enrollment ends at four p.m.
• May 3, 2024: Classes and seminars end.
• May 9-16, 2024: Course Final & Honors written examinations. If you must make travel arrangements before the examination schedule is published, do not expect to leave until after finals.
• May 17, 2024: Meal plan ends at dinner for all but seniors.
• May 17, 2024: Residence halls close to all but seniors at eleven fifty-nine p.m. (Non-seniors are expected to leave the College within twenty-four hours after their last examination.)
• May 19-21, 2024: Honors orals
• May 25, 2024: Baccalaureate
• May 26, 2024: Commencement
• May 27, 2024: Residence halls close to seniors at nine a.m.
• May 31-June 2, 2024: Alumni Weekend

Fall Semester 2024

• August 28, 2024: Residence halls open for new students
• August 23-28, 2024: International Student Orientation
• August 27-September 1, 2024: New Student Orientation.
• August 29, 2024: Advising begins. All-advisor meeting in morning; individual advising begins in afternoon.
• August 30, 2024: Residence halls open for returning students. Computer preregistration for first-year and transfer students only.
• September 1, 2024: Meal plan starts at dinner.
• September 2, 2024: Labor Day. No classes.
• September 3, 2024: Classes begin.
• September 16, 2024: Drop/add ends. Last day to delete a course from or add to permanent registration.
• October 4, 2024: Final examination schedule available online.
• October 11, 2024: Fall Break begins after last class.
• October 21, 2024: Fall classes resume at eight thirty a.m.
• October 30, 2024: Schedule of courses and seminars for next semester available online.
• November 8, 2024: Last day to declare CR/NC grading option. Last day to withdraw from a course and receive the grade notation “W.”
• November 4-15, 2024: Advising period.
• November 18-20, 2024: Pre-enrollment for spring semester (based on Thanksgiving break).
• November 20, 2024: Pre-enrollment ends at four p.m.
• November 27, 2024: Thanksgiving Break begins after last class.
• December 2, 2024: Fall classes resume at eight thirty a.m.
• December 1, 2024: Note: All accounts must show a zero or positive balance to enroll or select a room for spring semester.
• December 10-11, 2024: Classes that normally meet on Thursday will meet on December 10 to make up for the Thursday of Thanksgiving break. Classes that normally meet on Friday will meet on December 11 to make up for the Friday of Thanksgiving break.
• December 11, 2024: Classes end. Lottery for spring housing.
• December 15-21, 2024: Finals exam period
• December 15, 2024: Note: Final examinations are not rescheduled to accommodate travel plans.
• December 20, 2024: One hundred-level seminars end. The fourteenth meetings of Fall one hundred-level seminars may meet in either the seminar format or for a final exam, up to the discretion of the professor.
• December 21, 2024: Finals end at noon. Residence halls close at six p.m. Meal plan ends at lunch.

Conclusion

Swarthmore College’s 2023-2024 academic calendar is an essential guide for students navigating their coursework and campus life. By detailing the rhythms of the academic year, it allows members of the Swarthmore community to plan their semesters effectively. Whether settling into residence halls, adding/dropping courses, traveling abroad, completing capstone projects, walking at graduation, or moving out after commencement, this calendar helps students make the most of their Swarthmore experience.