USU Graduate School Deadlines (Academic Year 2026 – 2027)
This page outlines important deadlines and milestones for graduate students at Utah State University. Dates are aligned with the USU Registrar’s Calendar.
Graduation Requirements
To graduate in a given semester:
- Submit your graduation application and pay the $15 fee before the university deadline.
- Complete all degree requirements (e.g., thesis/plan b paper or project/dissertation approval, internships, exams like PRAXIS).
- Defend your thesis/plan b paper or project/dissertation and submit all final forms 3 weeks before the last day of the semester (see deadlines below).
- Check with your Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) for any program-specific deadlines.
Semester Deadlines
| Semester | Graduation Application Deadline | Thesis/Dissertation Submission Deadline | Degree Conferral & Defense Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fall 2026 |
October 31, 2026 |
December 4, 2026 |
December 18, 2026 |
|
Spring 2027 |
February 28, 2027* |
April 16, 2027 |
May 7, 2027 |
|
Summer 2027 |
July 15, 2027 |
July 16, 2027 |
August 6, 2027 |
*To graduate in May and participate in the commencement ceremony, students must submit their graduation application by February 28. Students who defend in the spring and use the summer semester as their grace semester may participate in commencement and will be considered summer graduates.
The degree conferral and defense deadline is the last day of the semester and the final day to defend.
Please note: Students who defend after the submission deadline should expect to complete the graduation process during the following grace semester.
Master’s Plan A and Doctoral Students
To graduate in a given semester, students must:
- Submit the thesis or dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies by the submission deadline.
- Address all revisions requested by the School of Graduate Studies, receive School of Graduate Studies approval, and receive final confirmation from the USU Library that the manuscript has been deposited in the digital repository by the degree conferral date.
Manuscripts submitted by the submission deadline are guaranteed review. Manuscripts submitted after the deadline will still be reviewed, but completion by the degree conferral date is not guaranteed and may result in graduation during the following grace semester.
Graduate degrees are awarded within 45 days of the degree conferral date.
Master’s Plan B Students
After the defense and completion of required revisions, Plan B students must submit the final paper or project directly to the USU Library for approval and deposit in the digital repository.
Graduate Student Insurance Deadlines
- Fall: 2nd Friday in September
- Spring/Summer: 2nd Friday in January
Registrar Forms & Program Milestones
Master’s Students
- Supervisory Committee Form (Master's Plan A/Plan B): Submit by the end of your second semester. No changes allowed within 6 weeks of defense.
- Program of Study Form: Submit by the end of your second semester. Revisions allowed anytime via updated form.
- Appointment for Final Defense (AFD): Submit at least 10 business days before your defense.
All required forms by degree type can be found on the Academic Forms page.
Doctoral Students
- Supervisory Committee Form: Submit by the end of your third semester. No changes allowed within 6 weeks of defense.
- Program of Study Form: Submit by the end of your third semester. Revisions allowed anytime via updated form.
- Appointment for Final Defense (AFD): Submit at least 10 business days before your defense.
The Grace Semester
- Please review the Grace Semester policy for further information.
- For full academic calendars and official deadlines, visit the USU Registrar’s Calendar