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.
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:
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Stony Brook University is committed to providing the opportunity for all students to practice their faith.
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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.
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All student absences in order to practice their faith will be viewed as an ‘excused absence’, with no negative consequence.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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The text of the New York State Education Code will be posted on the web site of the Office of the Registrar
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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.
- 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 9Sundown Sunday
Sundown TuesdayRamadan (Islam)
March 8
Friday
Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)
March 18
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 23 -
March 24Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayPurim (Judaism)
March 24 -
March 25Sundown Sunday
Sundown MondayHoli (Hindu)
March 29
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
April 9-
April 10Sundown Tuesday
Sundown Wednesday*Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
April 22 -
April 30Sundown Monday
Sundown TuesdayPassover (Judaism)
June 11 - June 13
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown ThursdayShavuot (Judaism)
June 16 -June 17
Sundown Sunday
Sundown Monday*Eid al-Adha (Islam)
August 26
Monday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 15 -
September 16Sundown Sunday
Sundown MondayMawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
October 3- October 12
Sundown Thursday
Sundown SaturdayNavaratri (Hindu)
October 2 -
October 4Sundown Wednesday
Sundown FridayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 11 -
October 12Sundown Friday
Sundown SaturdayYom Kippur (Judaism)
October 16 -
October 23Sundown Wednesday
Sundown WednesdaySukkot (Judaism)
October 23 -
October 25Sundown Wednesday
Sundown FridayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 24 -
October 25Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridaySimchat 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 14Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayLaylat al-Bara’at (Islam)
February 26
Wednesday
Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
February 28 -
March 30Sundown Wednesday
Sundown FridayRamadan (Islam)
March 3
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 5
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 13 -
March 14Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayPurim (Judaism)
March 14 -
March 15Sundown Friday
Sundown SatudayHoli (Hindu)
March 27 Thursday Laylat al-Qadr (Islam) March 29 -
March 30Sundown Saturday -
Sundown SundayEid al-Fitr (Islam) April 12 -
April 20Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayPassover (Judaism)
April 18
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
June 1 - June 3
Sundown Sunday -
Sundown MondayShavuot (Judaism)
June 6 -June 7
Sundown Friday
Sundown SaturdayEid al-Adha (Islam)
August 16
Saturday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 4 -
September 5Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayMawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
September 22 - October 2
Sundown Monday
Sundown ThursdayNavaratri (Hindu)
September 22 -
September 24Sundown Monday
Sundown WednesdayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 1 - October 2 Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayYom Kippur (Judaism)
October 6 -
October 13Sundown Monday
Sundown MondaySukkot (Judaism)
October 13 -
October 15Sundown Monday
Sundown WednesdayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 14 -
October 15Sundown Tuesday
Sundown WednesdaySimchat Torah (Judaism)
October 20
Monday
Diwali (Hindu)
December 14 - December 22
Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayHanukkah (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 WednesdayRamadan (Islam)
February 18
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
February 23
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 2 -
March 3Sundown Monday
Sundown TuesdayPurim (Judaism)
March 3 -
March 4Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayHoli (Hindu)
March 19 - March 20 *
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
April 1-
April 9Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayPassover (Judaism)
April 3
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
May 21 -May 23
Sundown Thursday
Sundown SaturdayShavuot (Judaism)
May 26 -May 27
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown Wednesday*Eid al-Adha (Islam)
August 25-26
Sundown Tuesday
Sundown WednesdayMawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
September 4
Friday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 11- September 13
Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
September 20- September 21
Sundown Sunday
Sundown MondayYom Kippur (Judaism)
September 25- October 2
Sundown Friday
Sundown FridaySukkot (Judaism)
October 2 -
October 4Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 3 -
October 4Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundaySimchat Torah (Judaism)
October 11 -
October 20Sundown Sunday
Sundown TuesdayNavaratri (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 MondayRamadan (Islam)
February 10
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 9 -
March 10Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
March 15
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 22 -
March 23Sundown Monday
Sundown TuesdayPurim (Judaism)
March 22 - March 23
Sundown Monday
Sundown TuesdayHoli (Hindu)
March 26
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
April 21 -
April 29Sundown Wednesday
Sundown ThursdayPassover (Judaism)
May 16 - May 17
Sundown Sunday
Sundown Monday*Eid al-Adha (Islam)
June 10 -
June 12Sundown Thursday
Sundown Saturday*Shavuot (Judaism)
August 14 - August 15
Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayMawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
August 25
Wednesday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 30- October 9
Sundown Thursday
Sundown SaturdayNavaratri (Hindu)
October 1 -
October 3Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 10 -
October 11Sundown Sunday
Sundown MondayYom Kippur (Judaism)
October 15 -
October 22Sundown Friday
Sundown FridaySukkot (Judaism)
October 22 -
October 24Sundown Friday
Sundown SundayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 23 -
October 24Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundaySimchat 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 27Sundown Saturday -
Sundown SundayEid al-Fitr (Islam)
February 28
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 1
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 11 -
March 12Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayPurim (Judaism)
March 11 -
March 12Sundown Saturday
Sundown SundayHoli (Hindu)
April 10-
April 18Sundown Monday
Sundown Tuesday*Passover (Judaism)
April 14
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
May 4- May 5
Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridayEid 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 ThursdayNavaratri (Hindu)
September 20-September 22
Sundown Wednesday
Sundown FridayRosh Hashanah (Judaism)
September 29-September 30
Sundown Friday
Sundown SaturdayYom Kippur (Judaism)
October 4 -
October 11Sundown Wednesday
Sundown WednesdaySukkot (Judaism)
October 11 -
October 13Sundown Wednesday
Sundown FridayShemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 12-
October 13Sundown Thursday
Sundown FridaySimchat Torah (Judaism)
October 17
Tuesday
Diwali (Hindu)
*subject to change