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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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August 13
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 13
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
August 13
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 24
Submit a preliminary draft of your dissertation online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services. Preliminary drafts do not need to be complete. Failure to submit a preliminary draft by the deadline may result in your dissertation not being reviewed prior to the final deadline for acceptance in TRACE. For instructions on submitting your dissertation please visit the submission page. If you have questions about the submission process please contact thesis@utk.edu.
October 29
Submit your Scheduling of Defense of Dissertation form to the Graduate School.
November 5
Defend your dissertation.
November 19
Your dissertation must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. Failure to have your document accepted by this date can result in postponement of your graduation. Dissertations are approved and accepted by the Coordinator of Student Services. Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must also be submitted by this date.
November 19
Submit your Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form and Dissertation Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
December 3
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 fall deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in spring 2022 without being required to register for dissertation credit in spring 2022.

November 29
This is the last day to schedule a defense of dissertation, if applicable.
December 6
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
December 6
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 summer graduation.
January 24, 2022
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 2022, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in spring 2022.


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January 21
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 21
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
January 21
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 25
Submit a preliminary draft of your dissertation online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services. Preliminary drafts do not need to be complete. Failure to submit a preliminary draft by the deadline may result in your dissertation not being reviewed prior to the final deadline for acceptance in TRACE. For instructions on submitting your dissertation please visit the submission page. If you have questions about the submission process please contact thesis@utk.edu.
April 8
Submit your Scheduling of Defense of Dissertation form to the Graduate School.
April 14
Defend your dissertation.
April 29
Your dissertation must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. Failure to have your document accepted by this date can result in postponement of your graduation. Dissertations are approved and accepted by the Coordinator of Student Services. Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must also be submitted by this date.
April 29
Submit your Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form and Dissertation Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
May 6
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 fall deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in summer 2022 without being required to register for dissertation credit in summer 2022.

May 6
This is the last day to schedule a defense of dissertation, if applicable.
May 12
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
May 12
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 summer graduation.
June 8
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 2022, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in summer 2022.


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May 13
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.
May 13
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
May 13
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 24
Submit a preliminary draft of your dissertation online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services. Preliminary drafts do not need to be complete. Failure to submit a preliminary draft by the deadline may result in your dissertation not being reviewed prior to the final deadline for acceptance in TRACE. For instructions on submitting your dissertation please visit the submission page. If you have questions about the submission process please contact thesis@utk.edu.
July 1
Submit your Scheduling of Defense of Dissertation form to the Graduate School.
July 8
Defend your dissertation.
July 22
Your dissertation must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. Failure to have your document accepted by this date can result in postponement of your graduation. Dissertations are approved and accepted by the Coordinator of Student Services. Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate of completion must also be submitted by this date.
July 22
Submit your Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form and Dissertation Approval Form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
August 5
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 fall deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in fall 2022 without being required to register for dissertation credit in fall 2022.

July 25
This is the last day to schedule a defense of dissertation, if applicable.
August 1
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
August 1
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 summer graduation.
August 16
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 2022, but will not be required to register for dissertation credit in fall 2022.


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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August 13
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
August 13
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 24
Submit a preliminary draft of your thesis online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services. Preliminary drafts do not need to be complete. Failure to submit a preliminary draft by the deadline may result in your thesis not being reviewed prior to the final deadline for acceptance in TRACE. For instructions on submitting your thesis please visit the submission page. If you have questions about the submission process please contact thesis@utk.edu.
November 5
Defend your thesis.
November 19
Your thesis must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. Failure to have your document accepted by this date can result in postponement of your graduation. Theses are approved and accepted by the Coordinator of Student Services.
November 19
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.
December 3
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 2022 without being required to register for thesis credit in spring 2022.

December 6
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
December 6
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 summer graduation.
January 24, 2022
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 2022, but will not be required to register for thesis credit in spring 2022.


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January 21
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
January 21
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 25
Submit a preliminary draft of your thesis online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services. Preliminary drafts do not need to be complete. Failure to submit a preliminary draft by the deadline may result in your thesis not being reviewed prior to the final deadline for acceptance in TRACE. For instructions on submitting your thesis please visit the submission page. If you have questions about the submission process please contact thesis@utk.edu.
April 14
Defend your thesis.
April 29
Your thesis must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. Failure to have your document accepted by this date can result in postponement of your graduation. Theses are approved and accepted by the Coordinator of Student Services.
April 29
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.
May 6
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 spring deadline dates. Fulfilling these obligations will allow you to graduate in summer 2022 without being required to register for thesis credit in summer 2022.

May 12
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
May 12
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 summer graduation.
June 8
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 2022, but will not be required to register for thesis credit in summer 2022.


Download as PDF
May 13
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
May 13
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 24
Submit a preliminary draft of your thesis online in TRACE for review by the Coordinator of Student Services. Preliminary drafts do not need to be complete. Failure to submit a preliminary draft by the deadline may result in your thesis not being reviewed prior to the final deadline for acceptance in TRACE. For instructions on submitting your thesis please visit the submission page. If you have questions about the submission process please contact thesis@utk.edu.
July 8
Defend your thesis.
July 22
Your thesis must be accepted in TRACE by 5:00 p.m. Failure to have your document accepted by this date can result in postponement of your graduation. Theses are approved and accepted by the Coordinator of Student Services.
July 22
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 5
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 2022 without being required to register for thesis credit in fall 2022.

August 1
This is the last day to submit your application for the Second Deadline.
August 1
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 summer graduation.
August 16
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 2022, but will not be required to register for thesis credit in fall 2022.


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
August 13
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
August 13
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 19
Submit Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
December 3
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.


Download as PDF
January 21
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
January 21
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 29
Submit Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
May 6
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.


Download as PDF
May 13
Submit your Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate School, if this is the first semester to apply.
May 13
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 22
Submit Report of Final Examination (Pass/Fail) form by 5:00 p.m. to the Graduate School.
August 6
Verify the removal of incompletes and NR grades for graduation with your graduation specialist.


Graduate Certificate Programs


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August 13
Submit Graduate Certificate Course Verification form to the Graduate School.
August 13
Submit Graduation Application online at MyUTK.


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January 21
Submit Graduate Certificate Course Verification form to the Graduate School.
January 21
Submit Graduation Application online at MyUTK.


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May 13
Submit Graduate Certificate Course Verification form to the Graduate School.
May 13
Submit Graduation Application online at MyUTK.