Islamic dates for your syllabus
For instructors and staff at Michigan Tech
Muslim students fast during the month of Ramadan and celebrate two Eids each year. Here are the expected dates for the next two academic years, and a few simple ways to help students take part without falling behind. You can print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser.
Expected dates
Islamic months follow the moon, so every date below is expected and may shift by a day. Each Islamic day begins at sunset the evening before. The two Eids are the main holidays; neither falls in a fall semester in these two years.
| Occasion | Expected date | At Michigan Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadan begins (first day of fasting) | Monday, February 8, 2027 Expected; may shift by a day |
Spring semester, week 5. Ramadan lasts until about March 8. |
| Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) | Tuesday, March 9, 2027 Expected; may shift by a day |
During spring break (March 6 to 14) |
| Day of Arafah (many Muslims fast this day) | Saturday, May 15, 2027 Expected; may shift by a day |
First week of summer classes |
| Eid al-Adha | Sunday, May 16, 2027 Expected; may shift by a day |
First week of summer classes |
| Occasion | Expected date | At Michigan Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadan begins (first day of fasting) | Friday, January 28, 2028 Expected; may shift by a day |
Spring semester, week 3. Ramadan lasts until about February 25. |
| Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) | Saturday, February 26, 2028 Expected; may shift by a day |
A weekend in spring semester, week 7 |
| Day of Arafah (many Muslims fast this day) | Thursday, May 4, 2028 Expected; may shift by a day |
After spring finals, before summer classes |
| Eid al-Adha | Friday, May 5, 2028 Expected; may shift by a day |
After spring finals, before summer classes |
Dates: Fiqh Council of North America calendar, which uses astronomical calculation; its Eid al-Adha follows the Day of Arafah as announced in Saudi Arabia. Semester weeks: Michigan Tech Registrar’s academic calendars (the 2027 to 2028 calendar is provisional). For the confirmed date in a given week, ask your students or write to MSA. Last checked: October 2026.
Every Friday: Jumu’ah
Every Friday, Muslims gather for Jumu’ah, the weekly congregational prayer, at the MSA Masjid, 2001 Woodmar Dr, Houghton. The sermon (khutbah) and prayer are in the early afternoon, and their times change with the seasons, so a student may need to leave a Friday class that meets around that time. This week’s times are on our Prayer Times page.
Five ways to help
- No exams on Eid. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are the two biggest days of the Muslim year, with a morning prayer and time with family and friends. Please avoid exams and major deadlines on those days.
- A little flexibility in Ramadan. Fasting students go without food and water from dawn to sunset. In Houghton the fast ends at sunset, roughly 6 to 7 PM during Ramadan 2027, so an evening exam or lab at that time can clash with breaking the fast. Some students may also be more tired than usual.
- Friday prayer. If your class, lab or exam meets on Friday early afternoon, a Muslim student may ask to arrive late or leave early for Jumu’ah.
- A short break to pray. Muslims pray five times a day, and on short winter days the noon, afternoon and sunset prayers can all fall in class hours. A student may ask to step out for about 10 minutes during a long class, lab or exam. The Meditation Room on the 3rd floor of the Michigan Tech Library (northwest corner) is a quiet place to pray.
- Talk to us. Questions, or would you like MSA to speak to your class? Email msa@mtu.edu or use our contact form.
Michigan Tech policy
Michigan Tech’s Policy on Religious Observance (Senate Policy 905.1) permits students to observe the holidays of their faith. Students make arrangements with their instructors in advance. Instructors decide how missed exams or assignments are made up, and may expect a reasonable limit on the number of absences. If they will miss three or more classes, or an exam or major assignment, students can also use the Dean of Students’ absence request.
Prepared by MSA at Michigan Tech, a student organization.