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Graduation Deadlines

Knowing the deadlines for submitting forms to the Graduate School can help to avoid delays in graduation. Review the Steps to Graduation to find out each of the steps and the necessary forms.

Graduate Programs with Dissertation/Thesis

These deadlines are for candidates in doctoral programs and for candidates in EdS and Master’s programs that have a thesis requirement.

Standard Deadlines

January 13

February 24

  • A preliminary draft of a thesis or dissertation must be submitted online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services.

April 6

April 14

  • All students must defend a thesis or dissertation by this date.

April 28

  • The thesis or dissertation must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. To ensure the document can be accepted, submission to TRACE must occur prior to this date. Contact the Coordinator of Student Services at thesis@utk.edu with any questions.
  • The Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must be submitted by EdD and PhD students to thesis@utk.edu by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) Form (doctoral or master’s) must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.

May 5

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.

Second Deadline Process

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular spring deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow a student to graduate in summer 2023 without being required to register for thesis or dissertation credit in summer 2023.

May 5

May 12

  • The application for the Second Deadline must be submitted.
  • The thesis or dissertation must be defended and passed by this date.
  • A new graduation application must be submitted in MyUTK for summer graduation.

June 2

  • If the thesis/dissertation, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, a student may graduate summer 2023, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in summer 2023.


Standard Deadlines

May 26

June 23

  • A preliminary draft of a thesis or dissertation must be submitted online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services.

July 14

July 21

  • All students must defend a thesis or dissertation by this date.

July 31

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.

August 4

  • The thesis or dissertation must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. To ensure the document can be accepted, submission to TRACE must occur prior to this date. Contact the Coordinator of Student Services at thesis@utk.edu with any questions.
  • The Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must be submitted by EdD and PhD students to thesis@utk.edu by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) Form (doctoral or master’s) must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.

Second Deadline Process

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular summer deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow a student to graduate in fall 2023 without being required to register for thesis or dissertation credit in fall 2023.

July 28

August 4

  • The application for the Second Deadline must be submitted.
  • The thesis or dissertation must be defended and passed by this date.
  • A new graduation application must be submitted in MyUTK for summer graduation.

August 18

  • If the thesis/dissertation, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, a student may graduate fall 2023, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in fall 2023.


Early Deadlines

The purpose of the early deadline is to allow thesis and dissertation students who complete all requirements for graduation before the semester starts to graduate at the end of fall 2023 without having to register for thesis or dissertation hours in fall 2023. Students’ official graduation date will be at the conclusion of the fall 2023 semester.

In order to be eligible, all materials must be completed, submitted, and accepted by the Graduate School by the established deadlines.

June 30

  • A preliminary draft of dissertation/thesis must be submitted in TRACE for review by Graduate School.
  • An Admission to Candidacy form (doctoral or masters) must be submitted.
  • The Graduation Application must be submitted and graduation fee paid online at MyUTK.
  • PhD students must submit a PhD Committee Form.
    Students in a non-PhD doctoral program (DSW, DrPH, DNP, EdD) must submit a Doctoral (Non-PhD) Committee Form.

July 30

August 4

  • The Early Deadline Application must be submitted by this date.
  • This is the last day to pass the thesis or dissertation defense.
  • Any remaining paperwork for degree conferral must be submitted. Email the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.

August 18

  • The thesis or dissertation must be accepted by the Graduate School by 5:00 p.m. on this date. To ensure the document can be accepted, submission to TRACE must occur prior to this date (email thesis@utk.edu for questions).
  • The Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must be submitted by EdD and PhD students to thesis@utk.edu by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) Form (doctoral or master’s) must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Thesis or Dissertation Approval Form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified (email gradspec@utk.edu for questions).


Standard Deadlines

Students intending to graduate in fall 2023 must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis or dissertation credits during the fall semester.

August 18

September 22

  • A preliminary draft of a thesis or dissertation must be submitted online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services.

October 27

November 10

  • All students must defend a thesis or dissertation by this date.

December 1

December 6

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.


Early Deadlines

The purpose of the early deadline is to allow thesis and dissertation students who complete all requirements for graduation before the semester starts to graduate at the end of spring 2024 without having to register for thesis or dissertation hours in spring 2024. Students’ official graduation date will be at the conclusion of the spring 2023 semester.

In order to be eligible, all materials must be completed, submitted, and accepted by the Graduate School by the established deadlines.

October 13, 2023

  • A preliminary draft of dissertation/thesis must be submitted in TRACE for review by Graduate School.
  • An Admission to Candidacy form (doctoral or masters) must be submitted.
  • The Graduation Application must be submitted and graduation fee paid online at MyUTK.
  • PhD students must submit a PhD Committee Form.
    Students in a non-PhD doctoral program (DSW, DrPH, DNP, EdD) must submit a Doctoral (Non-PhD) Committee Form.

December 1, 2023

December 22, 2023

  • The Early Deadline Application must be submitted by this date.
  • This is the last day to pass the thesis or dissertation defense.
  • Any remaining paperwork for degree conferral must be submitted. Email the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.

January 12, 2024

  • The thesis or dissertation must be accepted by the Graduate School by 5:00 p.m. on this date. To ensure the document can be accepted, submission to TRACE must occur prior to this date (email thesis@utk.edu for questions).
  • The Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must be submitted by EdD and PhD students to thesis@utk.edu by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) Form (doctoral or master’s) must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Thesis or Dissertation Approval Form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified (email gradspec@utk.edu for questions).


Standard Deadlines

Students intending to graduate in spring 2024 must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis or dissertation credits during the spring semester.

January 19

February 23

  • A preliminary draft of a thesis or dissertation must be submitted online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services.

April 5

April 12

  • All students must defend a thesis or dissertation by this date.

April 26

May 7

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.


Early Deadlines

The purpose of the early deadline is to allow thesis and dissertation students who complete all requirements for graduation before the semester starts to graduate at the end of summer 2024 without having to register for thesis or dissertation hours in summer 2024. Students’ official graduation date will be at the conclusion of the summer 2024 semester.

In order to be eligible, all materials must be completed, submitted, and accepted by the Graduate School by the established deadlines.

March 8

  • A preliminary draft of dissertation/thesis must be submitted in TRACE for review by Graduate School.
  • An Admission to Candidacy form (doctoral or masters) must be submitted.
  • The Graduation Application must be submitted and graduation fee paid online at MyUTK.
  • PhD students must submit a PhD Committee Form.
    Students in a non-PhD doctoral program (DSW, DrPH, DNP, EdD) must submit a Doctoral (Non-PhD) Committee Form.

May 3

May 17

  • The Early Deadline Application must be submitted by this date.
  • This is the last day to pass the thesis or dissertation defense.
  • Any remaining paperwork for degree conferral must be submitted. Email the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.

May 31

  • The thesis or dissertation must be accepted by the Graduate School by 5:00 p.m. on this date. To ensure the document can be accepted, submission to TRACE must occur prior to this date (email thesis@utk.edu for questions).
  • The Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must be submitted by EdD and PhD students to thesis@utk.edu by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) Form (doctoral or master’s) must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Thesis or Dissertation Approval Form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m.
  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified (email gradspec@utk.edu for questions).


Standard Deadlines

Students intending to graduate in summer 2024 must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis or dissertation credits during the summer semester.

May 31

June 21

  • A preliminary draft of a thesis or dissertation must be submitted online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services.

July 12

July 19

  • All students must defend a thesis or dissertation by this date.

August 2

August 8

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.


Master’s/EdS Non-Thesis Programs and Graduate Certificates

These deadlines are for candidates in any program that does not have a thesis requirement, such as the Specialist in Education (EdS), or for any students completing a graduate certificate.


Any student graduating in spring 2023 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the spring semester.

January 13

April 28

May 5

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.



Any student graduating in summer 2023 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the summer semester.

Standard Deadlines

May 26

July 31

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.

August 4



Any student graduating in fall 2023 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the fall semester.

Standard Deadlines

August 18

December 1

December 6

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.



Any student graduating in spring 2024 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the spring semester.

Standard Deadlines

January 19

April 26

May 7

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.



Any student graduating in summer 2024 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the summer semester.

Standard Deadlines

May 31

August 2

August 8

  • The removal of Incomplete and NR grades must be verified. Contact the Graduation Specialists at gradspec@utk.edu with any questions.