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 April 12, 2018
For PhD, AM, MS, and professional degrees in SAS and SEAS
August 2017
GAS begins accepting dissertations Thursday, June 1.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | April 25 through July 10 |
| Late Sign-up1 | July 11- July 17 |
| Defend by | July 24 |
| Deposit by | July 31 |
| Degree Awarded | August 4 |
| 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 2017
GAS begins accepting dissertations Monday, September 11.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | July 18 through November 20 |
| Late Sign‐up1 | November 21-27 |
| Defend by Friday, October 13 & deposit by Monday, November 13 for fall tuition waiver | |
| Defend by | November 27 |
| Deposit by | December 4 |
| Degree Awarded | December 21 |
| 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 2018
GAS begins accepting dissertations Wednesday, January 10.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | November 28 through April 16 |
| Defend by Friday, February 16 & deposit by Friday, March 16 for spring tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign‐up1 | April 17-23 |
| Defend by | April 23 |
| Deposit by | April 30 |
| Degree Awarded | May 15 |
| 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 2018
GAS begins accepting dissertations Thursday, May 31
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | April 24 through July 9 |
| Late Sign-Up1 | July 10-16 |
| Defend by | July 23 |
| Deposit by | July 30 |
| Degree Awarded | August 3 |
| 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 2018
GAS begins accepting dissertations Monday, September 10.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | July 17 through November 12 |
| Defend by Friday, October 12 & deposit by Monday, November 12 for fall tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign-Up1 | November 13-19 |
| Defend by | November 19 |
| Deposit by | December 3 |
| Degree Awarded | December 20 |
| 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 2019
GAS begins accepting dissertations Wednesday, January 9.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | November 20 through April 15 |
| Defend by Friday, February 22 & deposit by Friday, March 22 for spring tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign-Up1 | April 16-22 |
| Defend by | April 22 |
| Deposit by | May 3 |
| Degree Awarded | May 20 |
| 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 2019
GAS begins accepting dissertations Thursday, May 30
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | April 23 through July 8 |
| Late Sign-Up1 | July 9-15 |
| Defend by | July 22 |
| Deposit by | July 29 |
| 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. |
December 2019
GAS begins accepting dissertations Monday, September 9.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Sign up | July 16 through November 18 |
| Defend by Friday, October 11 and deposit by Monday, November 11 for fall tuition waiver | |
| Late Sign‐up1 | November 19-25 |
| Defend by | November 25 |
| Deposit by | December 2 |
| 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. |