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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.

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 2024 without having to register for thesis or dissertation hours in fall 2024. Students’ official graduation date will be at the conclusion of the fall 2024 semester.

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

June 28

  • 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.

August 2

  • 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 16

  • 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 2024 must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis or dissertation credits during the fall semester.

August 16

September 20

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

November 8

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

November 26

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 2025 without having to register for thesis or dissertation hours in spring 2025. Students’ official graduation date will be at the conclusion of the spring 2025 semester.

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

October 11

  • 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 16

  • 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 17

  • 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 2025 must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis or dissertation credits during the spring semester.

January 24

February 21

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

April 11

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

April 25

May 9

  • 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 2025 without having to register for thesis or dissertation hours in summer 2025. Students’ official graduation date will be at the conclusion of the summer 2025 semester.

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

March 7

  • 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 16

  • 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 23

  • 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 2025 must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis or dissertation credits during the summer semester.

May 30

June 20

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

July 18

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

August 5

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 fall 2024 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the fall semester.

Standard Deadlines

August 16

November 26

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 2025 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the spring semester.

Standard Deadlines

January 24

April 25

May 9

  • 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 2025 must be registered for at least 1 credit hour during the summer semester.

Standard Deadlines

May 30

August 5

August 8

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