Graduation
Applying for Graduation
The Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Sciences oversees the review of all non-professional doctoral dissertations and Master's theses for the University. Consequently, degree candidates not just in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, but for all academic graduate degrees in all nine of the university's graduate schools must apply to this office when planning to graduate in any given term.
For more information: https://www.sas.upenn.edu/graduate-division/resources/graduation-and-beyond
Graduation Calendar
Revised May 20, 2020
For PhD, AM, MS, and professional degrees in SAS and SEAS
August 2020
GAS begins accepting dissertations Thursday, June 4.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | April 28 through July 6 |
| Late Sign‐up1 | July 7 - July 13 |
| Defend by | July 20 |
| Deposit by | August 3 |
| Degree Awarded | August 7 |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |
December 2020
GAS begins accepting dissertations Monday, September 14.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | July 14 through November 16 |
| Late Sign‐up1 | November 17-23 |
| Defend by Friday, October 9 & deposit by Monday, November 9 for fall tuition waiver | |
| Defend by | November 23 |
| Deposit by | December 7 |
| Degree Awarded | December 22 |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |
May 2021
GAS begins accepting dissertations Wednesday, January 13.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | November 24 through April 19 |
| Defend by Friday, February 19 & deposit by Friday, March 22 for spring tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign‐up1 | April 20-26 |
| Defend by | April 26 |
| Deposit by | May 3 |
| Degree Awarded | May 17 |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |
August 2021
GAS begins accepting dissertations Thursday, June 3
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | April 27 through July 5 |
| Late Sign-Up1 | July 6-12 |
| Defend by | July 19 |
| Deposit by | August 2 |
| Degree Awarded | August 6 |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |
December 2021
GAS begins accepting dissertations Monday, September 13.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | July 13 through November 15 |
| Defend by Friday, October 8 & deposit by Monday, November 8 for fall tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign-Up1 | November 16-22 |
| Defend by | November 22 |
| Deposit by | December 6 |
| Degree Awarded | December 22 |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |
May 2022
GAS begins accepting dissertations Wednesday, January 12.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | November 23 through April 18 |
| Defend by Friday, February 18 & deposit by Friday, March 21 for spring tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign-Up1 | April 19-25 |
| Defend by | April 25 |
| Deposit by | May 2 |
| Degree Awarded | May 16 |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |
August 2022
GAS begins accepting dissertations Thursday, June 2
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | April 26 through July 4 |
| Late Sign-Up1 | July 5-11 |
| Defend by | July 18 |
| Deposit by | August 1 |
| Degree Awarded | August 5 |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |
December 2022
GAS begins accepting dissertations Monday, September 12.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | July 12 through November 21 |
| Defend by Friday, October 14 and deposit by Monday, November 14 for fall tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign‐up1 | November 12-28 |
| Defend by | November 28 |
| Deposit by | December 5 |
| Degree Awarded | TBA |
| 1 | Late Sign up fee is $100. Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must sign up again for the following degree cycle. Degree candidates may sign up on‐line for the next degree cycle as soon as the last degree cycle deadline is past. Students who apply for May degree after 3/16 will not be listed in the Commencement program. |