The Office of the Provost maintains a religious observance calendar in accordance with the Religious Observance Policy to identify major holidays and reduce scheduling conflicts in addition to providing resources related to the religious observances and overall policy.
Michigan State University's policy on religious observance accommodations is designed to ensure that students and instructors can observe their religious beliefs without academic penalty. It provides guidelines and procedures for requesting and granting religious accommodations. View the Religious Observance Policy here. Faculty do not need to make a request in order to observe a major religious holiday.
Both students and instructors at Michigan State University are eligible for religious observance accommodations. This policy is applicable to all members of the university community.
Accommodations can include rescheduling of exams, assignments, or classes, as well as alternative arrangements for attendance, to accommodate religious observance.
To request accommodation, students should communicate their request to their instructors as soon as possible, preferably at the beginning of the semester, but need to provide at least a two-week notice. Instructors should communicate their request to their Department Chair at the beginning of the semester or as soon as possible.
Students are not required to provide documentation of their religious beliefs, and faculty cannot ask any questions about if, or how, they celebrate these holidays. Requests for accommodation should be taken at face value.
The policy requires instructors and administrators to include reference to the religious observance policy in syllabi and inform incoming students of the policy in all orientation programs. University leadership has also sent out reminders to faculty and administrators about the policy and related guidelines.
Instructors should make every effort to avoid scheduling exams and oral presentations during the major religious days on campus (Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc.). If a professor or the university has scheduled such an exam or oral presentation, they must be reasonably rescheduled without academic penalty.
You can find detailed information about Michigan State University's religious observance policy, including a link to policy information, academic calendar and specific holidays on the official webpage at provost.msu.edu/academic-resources/religious-observance-calendar.
Please note that policies and procedures may evolve over time, so it's essential to refer to the most current information on the university's official website and consult with relevant university offices for the latest guidance on religious observance accommodations. If you have questions, please reach out to inclusion@msu.edu.
Religious Days During the 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 Academic Years
Religious days of observance that may conflict with academic requirements are reflected in the calendar below. This is not an exhaustive list, as dates may vary and there may be additional days that pose conflicts. Faculty members should provide every opportunity for students to be absent without penalty on all dates.
Faculty will consult the calendar when planning their syllabi to make every effort to avoid having major exams or presentations on major holidays, observed by many adherents of that faith at MSU when the university is open. Reasonable accommodations must be given to individual students celebrating any holiday on the list.
This calendar will be updated annually. To learn more about each religious observance, click on the observance name in the tables below to view an informational PDF. You can also view this same information in the following MS Word documents:
North American Indigenous Ceremonies. May include, but are not limited to, ceremonies for rites of passage, birth, death, naming, full moon, seasonal change and harvesting. MSU should make every effort to recognize and accommodate Indigenous Peoples and all ceremonial practices in our community so they may fulfill their spiritual and cultural responsibilities.
1Indicates the holiday begins at sundown the night prior
2Ceremonial and spiritual components include prayer, drumming and singing songs. At MSU, elders are invited through the day for prayer and to teach traditional practices.