Deadlines for Doctoral Degree Candidates

To be eligible to earn an advanced degree, students must fulfill appropriate requirements as established by their major department and the Graduate School, and have an approved Candidacy Application.Procedures and final deadlines required by the Graduate School are described below.

Note:Please submit paperwork first to your department and allow time for review before Graduate School deadlines.

Commencement Dates &Requirements​

For Dec. 11, 2026*

DateDetails
Oct. 1, 2026Doctoral students who have not already done somustapply online to graduatethroughon the “apply for graduation” card in order tohave the degree awarded in December.This is required even though there is no university-wide ceremony.PhD students must enter their dissertation title as part of the online graduation application; you may update the title through the portal until this date.This title will appearon your transcript after your degree is awarded.
Nov. 5, 2026Doctoralstudents must complete the PhD dissertation defense or final examination by this date.Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the doctoral final examination form a minimum of two weeks (but no more than 4 weeks) before the exam.
Nov. 12, 2026PhD students must submit the dissertationwith Thesis Approval Form (TAF) to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must befor review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. Thesingle-pageTAF must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.Students whose dissertationsare received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,must apply to graduate at the following semester'scommencement.
Nov. 12, 2026PhD and DMA students must fill out the by this deadline.Learn more about the survey on the .
Nov. 23, 2026Grade changes must besubmitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters.
Dec. 7, 2026Deadline for fall doctoral graduates toupdate diploma name or addressin Buff Portal.

For Spring 2027

DateDetails
March 1, 2027Doctoral students who have not already done somustapply online to graduatethroughon the “apply for graduation” card in order tohave the degree awarded in May.PhD students must enter their dissertation title as part of the online graduation application; you may update the title through the portal until this date.This title will appearon your transcript after your degree is awarded.
April 1, 2027Doctoral students who plan to have their degrees awarded in August but would like to be listed in the commencement program mustapply online to graduatethroughon the “apply for graduation” card.PhD students must also enter their dissertation title as part of the graduation application.Though you plan to participate in aMay ceremony, please select August 2026 as the semester of graduation if that is when your degree will be awarded.
April 1, 2027Doctoralstudents must complete the PhD dissertation defense or final examination by this date.Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the doctoral final examination form two weeks before the exam a minimum of two weeks (but no more than 4 weeks) before the exam.
April 8, 2027PhD students must submit the dissertationwith Thesis Approval Form (TAF) to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must befor review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. Thesingle-pageTAF must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.Students whose dissertationsare received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,must apply to graduate at the following semester'scommencement.
April 8, 2027PhD and DMA students must fill out the by this deadline.Learn more about the survey on the .
April 12, 2027Grade changes must besubmitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters.
TBADeadline for spring doctoral graduates toupdate diploma name or addressin Buff Portal.

For Aug. 12, 2027*

DateDetails
April 1, 2027Doctoral students who plan to have their degrees awarded in August but would like to be listed in the commencement program mustapply online to graduate through on the “apply for graduation” card.PhD students must also enter their dissertation title as part of the graduation application.Though you plan to participate in aMay ceremony, please select August 2026 as the semester of graduation if that is when your degree will be awarded.
June 15, 2027Doctoral students who have not already done somustapply online to graduatethroughon the “apply for graduation” card in order tohave the degree awarded in May.PhD students must enter their dissertation title as part of the online graduation application; you may update the title through the portal until this date.This title will appearon your transcript after your degree is awarded.
July 13, 2027Doctoralstudents must complete the PhD dissertation defense or final examination by this date.Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the doctoral final examination form two weeks before the exam a minimum of two weeks (but no more than 4 weeks) before the exam.
July 20, 2027PhD students must submit the dissertationwith Thesis Approval Form (TAF) to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must befor review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. Thesingle-pageTAF must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.Students whose dissertationsare received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,must apply to graduate at the following semester'scommencement.
July 20, 2027PhD and DMA students must fill out the by this deadline. Learn more about the survey on the .
July 26, 2027Grade changes must besubmitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters.
TBADeadline for summer doctoral graduates toupdate diploma name or addressin Buff Portal.

*Note: although there is no campus-wide ceremony, students may have degrees awarded in August and December.