Winter Session helps students save time on degrees

Winter Session gives students another opportunity to earn credits between fall and spring semesters, with 16 new courses planned for the upcoming session.

Published: Nov. 2, 2026

Dec. 21 will mark the beginning of Winter Session’s fourth year

Students who participate in Winter Session are graduating faster than their peers, according to Purdue data.

Across 2024-25 and 2025-26 combined, Winter Session participants had an average time to degree 0.11 years shorter than nonparticipants.

“By giving students another opportunity to earn credits outside the fall and spring semesters, Winter Session has become a unique way for them to make academic progress,” says John Race, Winter Session manager.

Ava Yu is a business student who used the Winter Session to accelerate her learning plan. In just three weeks, she completed a required class that normally takes 16 weeks.

“Because I invested in a winter course, I am going to complete my degree two semesters early,” she says. “I am not only going to save on costs, but I am also going to be able to start my career a year early.”

Winter Session courses are offered asynchronously online

The progress students achieve through Winter Session has encouraged Purdue to continue expanding the program, which enters its fourth year in December.

This year, Winter Session will accommodate up to 2,070 participants, representing a 15% increase in capacity. A total of 1,627 students completed a course last winter.

To better meet students’ needs, Purdue will also offer 16 new courses. Two of these, ILS 23000 and ILS 23100, will fulfil the university’s recently added AI requirement in its core curriculum.

“Adding those courses to Winter Session will give students more flexibility in planning their academic schedules,” Race says. “That flexibility will give students more time to pursue opportunities both inside and outside their academics.”

Instructors interested in teaching a Winter Session class can find more information on the Winter Session FAQ page. Students can visit the Winter Session website to learn more about courses, registration and financial aid.

Jedaiah Gottfried
Communication Assistant for the Office of Summer and Winter Sessions, wintersession@purdue.edu

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