Graduation Dates and Deadlines

Important dates for graduation and deadlines for submitting forms are listed below. Forms must be submitted on or before the dates indicated for graduation in the specified term.

Select one of the terms below to navigate to the deadlines for that term.

Summer 2020

Summer 2020	Deadline Date
GO-16M Appointment of Master's Thesis Committee For all master's students completing a thesis.	June 1
Early Term Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation for Early Term Graduation	June 16
Application for Graduation For all graduate students. No student will graduate without submitting this form.	June 26
Thesis/Dissertation Defense For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. The student must deliver a draft of the thesis or dissertation to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the defense date.	July 10
Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. Final copies of theses and dissertations must be prepared in compliance with the ETD Formatting Requirements.	July 24
Non-Thesis Defense For all master's students completing a non-thesis examination, including a final project presentation.	August 14
Date of Degree Conferral Date of official degree conferral that will be listed on all diplomas and transcripts. See "Date Degree Awarding Begins" below for additional information.	August 15
GO-17 Recommendation for the Master's or Doctoral Degree For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. This form not to be handled by students.	August 18
Date Degree Awarding Begins Date the Graduate School will begin degree awarding. The process will continue into the first few days of Fall term.	August 19

Fall 2020	Deadline Date
GO-16M Appointment of Master's Thesis Committee For all master's students completing a thesis.	September 21
Early Term Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation for Early Term Graduation	August 18
Application for Graduation For all graduate students. No student will graduate without submitting this form.	October 2
Thesis/Dissertation Defense For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. The student must deliver a draft of the thesis or dissertation to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the defense date.	November 6
Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. Final copies of theses and dissertations must be prepared in compliance with the ETD Formatting Requirements.	November 20
Non-Thesis Defense For all master's students completing a non-thesis examination, including a final project presentation.	December 11
Date of Degree Conferral Date of official degree conferral that will be listed on all diplomas and transcripts. See "Date Degree Awarding Begins" below for additional information.	December 12
GO-17 Recommendation for the Master's or Doctoral Degree For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. This form not to be handled by students.	December 15
Date Degree Awarding Begins Date the Graduate School will begin degree awarding. The process will continue into mid January.	December 16

Winter 2021	Deadline Date
GO-16M Appointment of Master's Thesis Committee For all master's students completing a thesis.	November 30
Early Term Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation for Early Term Graduation	December 15
Application for Graduation For all graduate students. No student will graduate without submitting this form.	January 8
Thesis/Dissertation Defense For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. The student must deliver a draft of the thesis or dissertation to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the defense date.	February 12
Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. Final copies of theses and dissertations must be prepared in compliance with the ETD Formatting Requirements.	February 26
Non-Thesis Defense For all master's students completing a non-thesis examination, including a final project presentation.	March 19
Date of Degree Conferral Date of official degree conferral that will be listed on all diplomas and transcripts. See "Date Degree Awarding Begins" below for additional information.	March 20
GO-17 Recommendation for the Master's or Doctoral Degree For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. This form not to be handled by students.	March 23
Date Degree Awarding Begins Date the Graduate School will begin degree awarding. The process will continue into late April.	March 24

Spring 2021	Deadline Date
GO-16M Appointment of Master's Thesis Committee For all master's students completing a thesis.	March 8
Early Term Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation for Early Term Graduation	March 23
Application for Graduation For all graduate students. No student will graduate without submitting this form.	April 2
Thesis/Dissertation Defense For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. The student must deliver a draft of the thesis or dissertation to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the defense date.	May 7
Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. Final copies of theses and dissertations must be prepared in compliance with the ETD Formatting Requirements.	May 21
Non-Thesis Defense For all master's students completing a non-thesis examination, including a final project presentation.	June 11
Date of Degree Conferral Date of official degree conferral that will be listed on all diplomas and transcripts. See "Date Degree Awarding Begins" below for additional information.	June 13
GO-17 Recommendation for the Master's or Doctoral Degree For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. This form not to be handled by students. Doctoral students can only participate in the PSU Spring Commencement ceremony if they have met all Spring term deadlines, completed all degree requirements, and have been certified for graduation by the Graduate School; therefore, GO-17Ds for Spring term doctoral applicants are due one week earlier, June 8.	June 15
Date Degree Awarding Begins Date the Graduate School will begin degree awarding. The process will continue into late July.	June 16

Summer 2021	Deadline Date
GO-16M Appointment of Master's Thesis Committee For all master's students completing a thesis.	June 1
Early Term Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation for Early Term Graduation	June 15
Application for Graduation For all graduate students. No student will graduate without submitting this form.	June 25
Thesis/Dissertation Defense For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. The student must deliver a draft of the thesis or dissertation to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the defense date.	July 9
Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. Final copies of theses and dissertations must be prepared in compliance with the ETD Formatting Requirements.	July 23
Non-Thesis Defense For all master's students completing a non-thesis examination, including a final project presentation.	August 13
Date of Degree Conferral Date of official degree conferral that will be listed on all diplomas and transcripts. See "Date Degree Awarding Begins" below for additional information.	August 14
GO-17 Recommendation for the Master's or Doctoral Degree For all graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. This form not to be handled by students.	August 17
Date Degree Awarding Begins Date the Graduate School will begin degree awarding. The process will continue into the first few days of Fall term.	August 18