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 so must apply online to graduate through buff portal on the “apply for graduation” card in order to have 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 appear on your transcript after your degree is awarded.
Nov. 5, 2026Doctoral students 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 dissertation with Thesis Approval Form (TAF) to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must be submitted electronically for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page TAF must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete. Students whose dissertations are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF, must apply to graduate at the following semester's commencement.
Nov. 12, 2026PhD and DMA students must fill out the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) online by this deadline. Learn more about the survey on the National Science Foundation's website.
Nov. 23, 2026Grade changes must be submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters.
Dec. 7, 2026Deadline for fall doctoral graduates to update diploma name or address in Buff Portal.

For Spring 2027

DateDetails
March 1, 2027Doctoral students who have not already done so must apply online to graduate through buff portal on the “apply for graduation” card in order to have 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 appear on 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 must apply online to graduate through buff portal 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 a May ceremony, please select August 2026 as the semester of graduation if that is when your degree will be awarded.
April 1, 2027Doctoral students 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 dissertation with Thesis Approval Form (TAF) to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must be submitted electronically for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page TAF must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete. Students whose dissertations are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF, must apply to graduate at the following semester's commencement.
April 8, 2027PhD and DMA students must fill out the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) online by this deadline. Learn more about the survey on the National Science Foundation's website.
April 12, 2027Grade changes must be submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters.
TBADeadline for spring doctoral graduates to update diploma name or address in 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 must apply online to graduate through buff portal 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 a May 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 so must apply online to graduate through buff portal on the “apply for graduation” card in order to have 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 appear on your transcript after your degree is awarded.
July 13, 2027Doctoral students 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 dissertation with Thesis Approval Form (TAF) to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must be submitted electronically for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page TAF must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete. Students whose dissertations are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF, must apply to graduate at the following semester's commencement.
July 20, 2027PhD and DMA students must fill out the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) online by this deadline. Learn more about the survey on the National Science Foundation's website.
July 26, 2027Grade changes must be submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters.
TBADeadline for summer doctoral graduates to update diploma name or address in Buff Portal.

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