Degree Completion Deadlines
When you are preparing your thesis for degree completion, you may want to consider completion dates for each step and still graduate before the deadline that is important to you. This could be the convocation deadline, or the 100% and 50% refund deadlines.
Students who do not follow these recommended deadlines may not have their thesis approved by the GSPA in time to meet the convocation or refund deadlines.
Note: Even if you do follow the recommended degree completion deadlines, if your committee has major changes for you to complete, you may not meet these deadlines.
For assistance in determining thesis completion timelines outside of the convocation deadline, or the 100% and 50% refund deadlines please consult the Degree Completion/Defence Date Planner.
Thesis Completion Deadlines
MASc
| Follow the steps and recommended dates listed below to meet the deadlines to the right. |
Spring 2023 100% refund
(May 29)
|
Spring 2023 50%
refund
(June 23) |
End of Term - Fall
Convocation
(August 31)
|
Fall 2023 100% refund (September 26)
|
Fall 2023
50% refund
(October 25)
|
End of Term - Spring
Convocation (April 30)
|
Winter 2024 100% refund (January 26)
|
Winter 2024
50% refund
(February 16)
|
End of Term - Spring
Convocation (April 30)
|
|---|
| Review Degree Completion guidelines |
1-Mar |
1-Apr |
1-May |
1-Jul
|
1-Aug
|
1-Sept |
1-Nov |
1-Dec |
1-Jan |
| Apply to Graduate on Quest |
1-May |
1-Jun |
1-Jul |
1-Sept
|
1-Oct
|
1-Nov |
1-Jan |
1-Jan |
1-Feb |
| Provide committee with thesis, obtain signatures confirming thesis receipt, and submit MASc Thesis Submission form and thesis for 15 business day display |
17-Apr |
15-May |
21-Jul |
16-Aug
|
11-Sept
|
15-Nov |
14-Dec (Note: Christmas holidays do not count towards display period) |
9-Jan |
23-Mar |
| EGSO will put the thesis on display, send e-mail confirmation and Department Thesis Approval form (usually within three days) |
| Complete your seminar and any other program requirements |
| Display period ends. Complete any thesis revisions and collect approval signatures on Department Thesis Approval form |
8-May |
6-Jun |
14-Aug |
7-Sept
|
2-Oct
|
6-Dec |
9-Jan |
30-Jan |
12-Apr |
| Within 3-5 business days, EGSO will prepare your Thesis Acceptance and send you an e-mail confirmation - only then can you upload to UW Space |
|
Upload the final version of your thesis to UW Space
|
19-May |
16-Jun |
24-Aug |
19-Sept
|
13-Oct
|
16-Dec |
19-Jan |
9-Feb |
24-Apr |
| Once the thesis submission is approved, you will receive a confirmation email from the GSPA |
| Deadline for your Department to confirm of degree completion |
29-May |
23-Jun |
31-Aug |
26-Sept
|
20-Oct
|
23-Dec |
26-Jan |
16-Feb |
31-Apr |
PhD
| Submit the documents below by the dates listed to meet the deadlines to the right. |
Spring 2023 100% refund
(May29) |
Spring 2023 50%
refund
(June 23) |
End of Term - Fall
Convocation
(August 31) |
Fall 2023 100% refund (September 26)
|
Fall 2023 50% refund
(October 25)
|
End of Term - Spring Convocation (April 30)
|
Winter 2024 100% refund (January 26)
|
Winter 2024
50% refund
(February 16)
|
End of Term - Spring Convocation (April 30)
|
|---|
| Review Degree Completion guidelines |
1-Mar |
1-Apr |
1-Sept |
1-Jul
|
1-Aug
|
1-Sept
|
1-Nov |
1-Dec |
1-Jan |
|
Apply to Graduate on Quest
|
1-May |
1-Jun |
1-Jul |
1-Sept
|
1-Oct
|
1-Nov
|
1-Jan |
1-Jan |
1-Feb |
| Submit forms for external examiner/committee approval and defence set up |
22-Mar |
18-Apr |
23-Jun |
19-Jul
|
15-Aug
|
19-Oct
|
14-Nov |
6-Dec |
24-Feb |
| Once the committee has been approved, the EGSO will prepare a Thesis Receipt and contact the student, supervisor(s), committee, and external examiner |
| Submit thesis to committee and Department for display period (always 25 business days before defence or earlier) |
4-Apr |
1-May |
7-Jul |
1-Aug
|
28-Aug
|
1-Nov
|
27-Nov (Note: Christmas holidays do not count towards display period) |
19-Dec (Note: Christmas holidays do not count towards display period) |
9-Mar |
| EGSO will put thesis on display and send out the defense announcement |
| Last day for thesis defence (recommended) |
9-May |
6-Jun |
19-Aug |
7-Sept
|
2-Oct
|
6-Dec
|
9-Jan |
30-Jan |
13-Apr |
| Complete any thesis revisions and have them approved by supervisor(s) by email EGSO |
16-May |
13-Jun |
21-Aug |
14-Sept
|
10-Oct
|
13-Dec
|
16-Jan |
6-Feb |
20-Apr |
| Once supervisor(s) confirms all revisions have been completed and approved, the department must confirm with EGSO that you have met all other program requirements and you must confirm your final thesis title with the EGSO |
| Within 3-5 business days, EGSO will prepare your Thesis Acceptance and send you an e-mail confirmation - only then can you upload to UW Space |
|
Upload the final version of your thesis to UW Space
|
19-May |
16-Jun |
24-Aug |
19-Sept
|
13-Oct
|
16-Dec
|
19-Jan |
9-Feb |
25-Apr |
| Once the thesis submission is approved, you will receive a confirmation email from the GSPA |
| Deadline for your Department to confirm of degree completion |
29-May |
23-Jun |
31-Aug |
26-Sept
|
20-Oct
|
23-Dec
|
26-Jan |
16-Feb |
30-Apr |
Blackout Dates and Holidays
There is a blackout period for comprehensive examinations and defences in the last two weeks of each term. There will be no comprehensive examinations or PhD thesis defences during this period. UW Space final uploads are acceptable.
The blackout period is necessary and is supported by the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs Office as a result of limited faculty member availability to attend and to chair examinations during this time period.
In exceptional cases where committee members and/or external examiners are available only during the blackout period and the examination is required to be completed by the end of the term, the supervisor must contact the Engineering Graduate Studies Coordinator - PhD. All requests to hold an examination during the blackout period must be approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs before they can be scheduled. In addition, if the request for an exam in the blackout period is approved, the supervisor will be required to find a Chair for the comprehensive examination or defence from outside the home department.
Blackout dates count toward the 25 business day display period, holidays do not.
Winter 2023: Monday, April 17 - Friday, April 28
Spring 2023: Monday, August 21 - Friday, September 1
Fall 2023: Monday, December 11 - Friday, December 22
Holidays
