The University of North Texas is required to accommodate student and employees’ sincerely held religious observances or practices, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the work or business of the University. Federal law protects religious beliefs and non-beliefs, and this includes beliefs that are not associated with an organized religion. A reasonable religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work or educational environment that will allow the employee or student to practice their religion. This includes flexible scheduling, flexible deadlines, voluntary substitutions, modification of grooming requirements and other practices, policies or procedures.

  • Employees, please contact Human Resources to request religious accommodations. Supervisors, please email OEOTIX@unt.edu if you have questions about implementing a religious accommodation or responding to a request for a religious accommodation.
  • Per UNT Policy 06.039 (Student Attendance and Authorized Absences) students should notify their faculty members of anticipated absences to observe religious holy days as early in the semester as possible. Faculty members and supervisors may not request proof from a student or employee that they observe the tenets of a religion.

A list of major religious observances is provided below. Please note that it is not an exhaustive list, and students or employees may request accommodations to observe religious holidays that are not on this list. If you would like to request for a religious or cultural observance to be added or edited, please submit an email with your inquiry to OEOTIX@unt.edu.

2025 Religious Observances

Note: This list is organized by the first date for each observance.
Name of Holiday Religion Dates Days of the Week
* Holidays listed below with an asterisk begin at sundown on the previous day.
Gantan-sai Shinto 01-01-25 Wednesday
Epiphany/Twelfth Night/Three Kings Day Christian 01-06-25 Monday
Christmas (Orthodox) Orthodox Christian 01-07-25 Tuesday
Chinese New Year Confucian/Taoist/Buddhist 01-29-25 Wednesday
Imbolc/Candlemas Pagan, Wiccan 02-01-25 Saturday
Setsubun-sai Shinto 02-03-25 Monday
Magha Puja Day Buddhism 02-12-25 Wednesday
Maha Shivaratri * Hindu 02-26-25 Wednesday
Ramadan * Muslim 03-01-25 thru 03-30-25 first Saturday of March - last Sunday of March
Beginning of Lent (Clean Monday) Orthodox Christian 03-03-25 Monday
Ash Wednesday / Beginning of Lent Christian 03-05-25 Wednesday
Purim * Jewish 03-14-25 Friday
Holi Hindu 03-14-25 Friday
Naw Rúz * Bahá’í 03-20-25 Thursday
Ostara/Spring Equinox Pagan, Wiccan 03-20-25 Thursday
Laylat al-Qadr * Muslim 03-27-25 Thursday
Eid al-Fitr * Muslim 03-30-25 Sunday
Rama Navami Hindu 04-06-25 Sunday
Palm Sunday Christian 04-13-25 Sunday
Passover/Pesach * Jewish 04-13-25 thru 04-20-25 Sunday – Sunday of following week
Vaisakhi Sikh 04-14-25 Monday
Maundy (or Holy) Thursday Christian 04-17-25 Thursday
Good Friday Christian 04-18-25 Friday
Holy Friday/Good Friday (Orthodox) Orthodox Christian 04-18-25 Friday
Easter Christian 04-20-25 Sunday
Easter (Pascha) Orthodox Christian 04-20-25 Sunday
First Day of the Ridván Festival * Bahá’í 04-21-25 Monday
Yom HaShoah * Jewish 04-24-25 Thursday
Ninth Day of the Ridván Festival * Bahá’í 04-29-25 Tuesday
Beltane Pagan, Wiccan 05-01-25 Thursday
Twelfth Day of the Ridván Festival * Bahá’í 05-01-25 Thursday
Buddha Day / Visakha Puja Buddhist 05-12-25 Monday
Declaration of the Báb * Bahá’í 05-23-25 Friday
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh * Bahá’í 05-28-25 Wednesday
Shavuot * Jewish 06-02-25 thru 06-03-25 Monday - Tuesday
Martyrdom of the Báb * Bahá’í 07-09-25 Wednesday
Asalha Puja Buddist 07-10-25 Thursday
Feast of the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic 08-15-25 Friday
Mawlid al-Nabi (Birthday of Muhammad) * Muslim 09-05-25 Friday
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Roman Catholic 09-14-25 Sunday
Navaratri Hindu 09-22-25 thru 10-01-25 Monday - Wednesday of following week
Mabon/Autumnal Equinox Pagan, Wiccan 09-22-25 Monday
Rosh Hashanah * Jewish 09-23-25 thru 09-24-25 Tuesday - Wednesday
Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (Michaelmas) Roman Catholic 09-29-25 Monday
Dussehra Hindu 10-02-25 Thursday
Yom Kippur * Jewish 10-02-25 Thursday
Sukkot * Jewish 10-07-25 thru 10-13-25 Tuesday - Monday of following week
Shemini Atzeret * Jewish 10-14-25 thru 10-15-25 Tuesday - Wednesday
Simchat Torah * Jewish 10-15-25 Wednesday
Diwali Hindu 10-20-25 Monday
Birth of Báb * Bahá’í 10-22-25 Wednesday
Birth of Bahá’u’lláh * Bahá’í 10-23-25 Thursday
Samhain* Pagan, Wiccan 11-01-25 Saturday
Día de los Muertos cultural / secular 11-01-25 thru 11-02-25 Saturday - Sunday
All Saints' Day Roman Catholic 11-01-25 Saturday
All Souls' Day Roman Catholic 11-02-25 Sunday
Hanukkah/Chanukah * Jewish 12-15-25 thru 12-22-25 Monday - Monday of following week
Yule / Midwinter (Winter Solstice) Pagan, Wiccan 12-21-25 Sunday
Christmas Christian 12-25-25 Thursday
Kwanzaa cultural / secular 12-26-25 thru 01-01-26 Friday - Thursday of following week

2026 Religious Observances

Note: This list is organized by the first date for each observance.
Name of Holiday Religion Dates Days of the Week
* Holidays listed below with an asterisk begin at sundown on the previous day.
Gantan-sai Shinto 01/01/26 Thursday
Epiphany/Twelfth Night/Three Kings Day Christian 01/06/26 Tuesday
Christmas (Orthodox) Orthodox Christian 01/07/26 Wednesday
Imbolc/Candlemas Pagan, Wiccan 02/01/26 Sunday
Setsubun-sai Shinto 02/03/26 Tuesday
Maha Shivaratri * Hindu 02/16/26 Monday
Chinese New Year Confucian/Taoist/Buddhist 02/17/26 thru 03/03/26 Tue, Feb 17, 2026 thru Tue, Mar 3, 2026
Ramadan * Muslim 02/17/26 thru 03/19/26 Tue, Feb 17, 2026 thru Thu, Mar 19, 2026
Ash Wednesday / Beginning of Lent Christian 02/18/26 Wednesday
Beginning of Lent (Clean Monday) Orthodox Christian 02/23/26 Monday
Magha Puja Day Buddhism 03/03/26 Tuesday
Purim * Jewish 03/03/26 Tuesday
Holi Hindu 03/04/26 Wednesday
Laylat al-Qadr * Muslim 03/16/26 Monday
Navaratri Hindu 03/19/26 thru 03/27/26 Thu, Mar 19, 2026 thru Fri, Mar 27, 2026
Eid al-Fitr * Muslim 03/20/26 Friday
Ostara/Spring Equinox Pagan, Wiccan 03/20/26 Friday
Naw-Rúz * Bahá’í 03/21/26 Saturday
Rama Navami Hindu 03/26/26 Thursday
Palm Sunday Christian 03/29/26 Sunday
Passover/Pesach * Jewish 04/01/26 thru 04/09/26 Wed, Apr 1, 2026 thru Thu, Apr 9, 2026
Maundy (or Holy) Thursday Christian 04/02/26 Thursday
Good Friday Christian 04/03/26 Friday
Easter Christian 04/05/26 Sunday
Easter (Pascha) Orthodox Christian 04/05/26 Sunday
Holy Friday/Good Friday (Orthodox) Orthodox Christian 04/10/26 Friday
Vaisakhi Sikh 04/14/26 Tuesday
Yom HaShoah * Jewish 04/14/26 Tuesday
First Day of the Ridván Festival * Bahá’í 04/21/26 Tuesday
Ninth Day of the Ridván Festival * Bahá’í 04/29/26 Wednesday
Beltane Pagan, Wiccan 05/01/26 Friday
Twelfth Day of the Ridván Festival * Bahá’í 05/02/26 Saturday
Shavuot * Jewish 05/23/26 Saturday
Buddha Day / Visakha Puja Buddhist 05/24/26 Sunday
Declaration of the Báb * Bahá’í 05/24/26 Sunday
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh * Bahá’í 05/29/26 Friday
Martyrdom of the Báb * Bahá’í 07/09/26 Thursday
Asalha Puja Buddist 07/29/26 Wednesday
Feast of the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic 08/15/26 Saturday
Mawlid al-Nabi (Birthday of Muhammad) * Muslim 08/26/26 Wednesday
Rosh Hashanah * Jewish 09/11/26 thru 09/13/26 evening of Fri, Sep 11, 2026 thru Sun, Sep 13, 2026
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Roman Catholic 09/14/26 Monday
Yom Kippur * Jewish 09/21/26 Monday
Mabon/Autumnal Equinox Pagan, Wiccan 09/23/26 Wednesday
Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (Michaelmas) Roman Catholic 09/29/26 Thursday
Shemini Atzeret * Jewish 10/03/26 Saturday
Simchat Torah * Jewish 10/04/26 Sunday
Dussehra Hindu 10/20/26 Tuesday
All Saints' Day Roman Catholic 11/01/26 Sunday
Samhain* Pagan, Wiccan 11/01/26 Sunday
Día de los Muertos cultural / secular 11/01/26 thru 11/02/26 Sun, Nov 1, 2026 thru Mon, Nov 2, 2026
All Souls' Day Roman Catholic 11/02/26 Monday
Diwali Hindu 11/08/26 Sunday
Birth of Báb * Bahá’í 11/10/26 Tuesday
Birth of Bahá’u’lláh * Bahá’í 11/11/26 Wednesday
Hanukkah/Chanukah * Jewish 12/04/26 thru 12/12/26 evening of Fri, Dec 4, 2026 thru Sat, Dec 12, 2026
Yule / Midwinter (Winter Solstice) Pagan, Wiccan 12/21/26 Monday
Christmas Eve Christian 12/24/26 Thursday
Christmas Christian 12/25/26 Friday
Kwanzaa cultural / secular 12/26/26 thru 01/01/27 Sat, Dec 26, 2026 thru Fri, Jan 1, 2027