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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. The following are the specific deadlines for each type of degree and term.

Doctoral Programs


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April 24
If you are in a PhD program, submit your PhD Committee Form to the Graduate School. If you are in a non-PhD doctoral program (DSW, DrPH, DNP, EdD), submit your Doctoral (Non-PhD) Committee Form to the Graduate School.
April 24
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
April 24
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee of $75 will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
June 5
Submit a draft of your dissertation online for preliminary review by the Dissertation Consultant. Contact thesis@utk.edu for submission instructions.
July 9
Submit your Scheduling of Defense of Dissertation form to the Graduate School.
July 16
Defend your dissertation.
July 30
Submit your final dissertation to Trace and have it accepted by 5:00 p.m. Dissertations are approved and accepted by Dissertation Consultant. Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must also be submitted by this date.
July 30
Submit your Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form and Dissertation Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
August 7
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.

Second Deadline for Dissertation Submission

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular summer deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in fall 2020 without being required to register for dissertation credit in fall 2020.

August 7
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
August 7
This is the last day to pass your dissertation defense. Scheduling of your defense and all other procedures listed must be successfully completed before this date. A new graduation application must be submitted for Fall Graduation.
August 18
If the dissertation, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, you may graduate fall 2020, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in fall 2020.


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August 14
If you are in a PhD program, submit your PhD Committee Form to the Graduate School. If you are in a non-PhD doctoral program (DSW, DrPH, DNP, EdD), submit your Doctoral (Non-PhD) Committee Form to the Graduate School.
August 14
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
August 14
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee of $75 will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
September 30
Submit a draft of your dissertation online for preliminary review by the Dissertation Consultant. Contact thesis@utk.edu for submission instructions.
October 30
Submit your Scheduling of Defense of Dissertation form to the Graduate School.
November 13
Defend your dissertation.
November 23
Submit your final dissertation to Trace and have it accepted by 5:00 p.m. Dissertations are approved and accepted by Dissertation Consultant. Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must also be submitted by this date.
November 23
Submit your Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form and Dissertation Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
November 30
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.

Second Deadline for Dissertation Submission

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular summer deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in spring 2021 without being required to register for dissertation credit in spring 2021.

November 30
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
November 30
This is the last day to pass your dissertation defense. Scheduling of your defense and all other procedures listed must be successfully completed before this date. A new graduation application must be submitted for Spring Graduation.
January 5, 2021
If the dissertation, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, you may graduate spring 2021, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in spring 2021.


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January 4
If you are in a PhD program, submit your PhD Committee Form to the Graduate School. If you are in a non-PhD doctoral program (DSW, DrPH, DNP, EdD), submit your Doctoral (Non-PhD) Committee Form to the Graduate School.
January 4
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
January 4
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee of $75 will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
February 19
Submit a draft of your dissertation online for preliminary review by the Dissertation Consultant. Contact thesis@utk.edu for submission instructions.
March 29
Submit your Scheduling of Defense of Dissertation form to the Graduate School.
April 16
Defend your dissertation.
April 23
Submit your final dissertation to Trace and have it accepted by 5:00 p.m. Dissertations are approved and accepted by Dissertation Consultant. Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must also be submitted by this date.
April 23
Submit your Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form and Dissertation Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
April 30
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.

Second Deadline for Dissertation Submission

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular summer deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in summer 2021 without being required to register for dissertation credit in summer 2021.

April 30
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
April 30
This is the last day to pass your dissertation defense. Scheduling of your defense and all other procedures listed must be successfully completed before this date. A new graduation application must be submitted for Spring Graduation.
May 19
If the dissertation, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, you may graduate summer 2021, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in summer 2021.


Master’s/EdS Thesis Programs

These deadlines are for Master’s or Specialist in Education programs that include a thesis requirement.


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April 24
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
April 24
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee of $30 will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
June 5
Submit a draft of your thesis online for preliminary review by the Thesis Consultant. Contact thesis@utk.edu for submission instructions.
July 16
Defend your thesis.
July 30
Submit your final thesis to Trace and have it accepted by 5:00 p.m. Theses are approved and accepted by the Thesis Consultant.
July 30
Submit your Report of Final Examination/Defense of Thesis (Pass/Fail) form and Thesis Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
August 7
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.

Second Deadline for Thesis Submission

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular Summer deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in fall 2020 without being required to register for thesis credit in fall 2020.

August 7
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
August 7
This is the last day to pass your thesis defense. All other procedures listed must be successfully completed before final submission of thesis. A new graduation application must be submitted for Fall Graduation.
August 18
If the thesis, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, you may graduate fall 2020, but will not be required to register for thesis credit in fall 2020.


Download as PDF
August 14
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
August 14
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee of $30 will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
September 30
Submit a draft of your thesis online for preliminary review by the Thesis Consultant. Contact thesis@utk.edu for submission instructions.
November 13
Defend your thesis.
November 23
Submit your final thesis to Trace and have it accepted by 5:00 p.m. Theses are approved and accepted by the Thesis Consultant.
November 23
Submit your Report of Final Examination/Defense of Thesis (Pass/Fail) form and Thesis Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
November 30
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.

Second Deadline for Thesis Submission

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular fall deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in spring 2021 without being required to register for thesis credit in spring 2021.

November 30
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
November 30
This is the last day to pass your thesis defense. All other procedures listed must be successfully completed before final submission of thesis. A new graduation application must be submitted for spring graduation.
January 5, 2021
If the thesis, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, you may graduate spring 2021, but will not be required to register for thesis credit in spring 2021.


Download as PDF
January 4
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
January 4
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee of $30 will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
February 19
Submit a draft of your thesis online for preliminary review by the Thesis Consultant. Contact thesis@utk.edu for submission instructions.
April 16
Defend your thesis.
April 23
Submit your final thesis to Trace and have it accepted by 5:00 p.m. Theses are approved and accepted by the Thesis Consultant.
April 23
Submit your Report of Final Examination/Defense of Thesis (Pass/Fail) form and Thesis Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
April 30
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.

Second Deadline for Thesis Submission

These deadlines are for students who cannot meet the regular fall deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in summer 2021 without being required to register for thesis credit in summer 2021.

April 30
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
May 19
This is the last day to pass your thesis defense. All other procedures listed must be successfully completed before final submission of thesis. A new graduation application must be submitted for spring graduation.
May 19
If the thesis, approval sheet, and pass/fail form are submitted and accepted by 5:00 p.m. on this date, you may graduate summer 2021, but will not be required to register for thesis credit in summer 2021.


Master’s/EdS Non-Thesis Programs

These deadlines are for candidates in the Specialist in Education Program, or any other degree program that does not have a thesis requirement.


Download as PDF
April 24
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
April 24
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee ($30 for Master’s and $45 for EdS) will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
July 30
Submit Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
August 7
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.


Download as PDF
August 14
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
August 14
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee ($30 for Master’s and $45 for EdS) will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
November 23
Submit Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
November 30
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.


Download as PDF
January 4
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
January 4
Submit your Graduation Application on line at MyUTK. A non-refundable graduation fee ($30 for Master’s and $45 for EdS) will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.
April 23
Submit Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
April 30
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.


Graduate Certificate Programs


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April 24
Submit Graduate Certificate Course Verification form to the Graduate School.
April 24
Submit Graduation Application online at MyUTK. If you are only earning a graduate certificate this term, a non-refundable processing fee ($30) will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.


Download as PDF

August 14
Submit Graduate Certificate Course Verification form to the Graduate School.
August 14
Submit Graduation Application online at MyUTK. If you are only earning a graduate certificate this term, a non-refundable processing fee ($30) will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.


Download as PDF

January 4
Submit Graduate Certificate Course Verification form to the Graduate School.
January 4
Submit Graduation Application online at MyUTK. If you are only earning a graduate certificate this term, a non-refundable processing fee ($30) will be charged upon submission and must be paid at MyUTK.


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