United States Air Force AcademyStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for United States Air Force Academy. Free for students.

Public Research University in Air Force Academy, CO. Operating on a semester system.

Looking for dorms? Scroll for the dorm and housing breakdown below.

Free for all United States Air Force Academy students. No credit card required.

4K+

Total Enrollment

Research University

Institution Type

2

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Fall Semester 2026

The semester, explained for United States Air Force Academy

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Fall Semester 2026
Campus terms
12
Local details
12

Academic calendar

Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 3, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

7 entries
  1. Summer 2026
  2. Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
  3. Winter Break
  4. Spring Semester 2027
  5. 1st Summer Period 2027
  6. 2nd Summer Period 2027
  7. 3rd Summer Period 2027

Add dates to DormWay

Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

12 terms

A

AFCW
Air Force Cadet Wing, the collective body of all cadets at the Academy.
AMT
Academy Military Trainer, a non-commissioned officer who mentors and trains cadets within a squadron.
AOC
Air Force Officer in Charge, the active-duty officer who commands a cadet squadron.

C

C4C
Fourth-Class Cadet (Freshman); similarly C3C (Sophomore), C2C (Junior), and C1C (Senior).
Contrails
The official handbook of the Air Force Academy that Fourth-Class Cadets are required to memorize.
CS
Cadet Squadron, the primary organizational unit (1 through 40) that cadets live and work within.

D

Doolie
A Fourth-Class Cadet (freshman), derived from the Greek word 'doulos' meaning slave or servant.

F

Form 10
The official administrative form used to report a cadet for a conduct or disciplinary infraction.

M

Mitch's
Mitchell Hall, the massive dining facility where the entire Cadet Wing eats meals simultaneously.

S

Sijan
Sijan Hall, the cadet dormitory located on the south side of the Terrazzo, named after Lance Sijan.
Smack
A derogatory or informal term for a Fourth-Class Cadet, often used to imply they lack knowledge or coordination.

V

Vandy
Vandenberg Hall, the larger of the two main cadet dormitories located on the north side of the Terrazzo.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

12 details
AMI
A-Morning Inspection, a formal and rigorous inspection of cadet rooms and uniforms.
CAMIS
Cadet Administrative Management Information System, the primary online portal for tracking grades, military performance, and schedules.
DI
Daily Inspection, a standard check of room cleanliness and orderliness performed on most weekdays.
Fairchild
Fairchild Hall, the primary academic building containing classrooms, laboratories, and the library.
Harmon
Harmon Hall, the main administrative building housing the Superintendent and senior staff.
high_country_inn_dining
High Country Inn Dining
mitchell_hall
Mitchell Hall
Polaris
Polaris Hall, the Center for Character and Leadership Development (CCLD) building known for its distinct glass tower.
polaris_perk
Polaris Perk
richter_lounge_food_court_domino_s_subway_lucy_s_grill
Richter Lounge Food Court (Domino's, Subway, Lucy's Grill)
Taps
The signal for lights out and the end of the duty day, usually at 2300 hours.
The Terrazzo
The central open-air pavilion and walkway area that connects the main cadet buildings.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 3, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
12 approved campus terms and 12 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Get to know your university

Assisted

Find a few communities to try at United States Air Force Academy

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed
Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for United States Air Force Academy.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Using DormWay at United States Air Force Academy

What the product handles for students.

Syllabus to schedule

Upload any United States Air Force Academy syllabus and get a complete semester breakdown in seconds

Workload planning

Balance your courseload with helpful workload distribution

Free student access

No premium tiers, no paywalls. Free for all United States Air Force Academy students

United States Air Force Academy on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

3

Active Students

3

Syllabi Analyzed

3

Courses on DormWay

Browse all courses →

Popular Courses

Browse all →
Fundamentals of MechanicsGeneral Physics I with LaboratoryLaw for Air Force Officers

Life in Air Force Academy for United States Air Force Academy Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Air Force Academy.

Timezone

Mountain Time (MT)

Median Rent

$1,600

Cost of Living Index

105

Student Population

4,095

City Transportation

Walkability

40

Bikeability

50

Public Transit

Regional bus service from Colorado Springs, On-base shuttle and transportation services

Nearest Airports

Colorado Springs Airport, Denver International Airport

Climate Averages

Climate

Semi-arid / continental

Avg Annual Temp

50°F

Avg Snowfall

93 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Lot 6

surface_lot • High (Ride share and shuttle lot)

Primary location for event shuttles.

Lots 1, 2, 3

surface_lot • Limited during games

Accessed via South Gate for football games.

Lots 4, 5

surface_lot • Limited during games

Accessed via North Gate for football games.

Upcoming Events

What's happening at United States Air Force Academy

NextGen Presents: Networking

August 27, 2026

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at United States Air Force Academy

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

2 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

Sijan Hall

Capacity: 1,964

Room types: cadet room

Vandenberg Hall

Capacity: 1,320

Room types: cadet room

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Public

Email Domain

@unitedstatesairforce.edu

Official Website

Visit Website →

Plan your semester at United States Air Force Academy

Upload a syllabus, collect the important dates, and build a schedule around the work ahead.