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.**	Fall 2025 100% refund (September 23)	Fall 2025 50% refund (October 17)	End of Term - Spring Convocation (April 30)	Winter 2026 100% refund (January 23)	Winter 2026 50% refund (February 20)	End of Term - Spring Convocation (April 30)	Spring 2026 100% refund (June 1)	Spring 2026 50% refund (June 26)	End of Term - Fall Convocation (August 31)
Review Degree Completion guidelines	1-Jul	1-Aug	1-Sep	1-Nov	1-Dec	1-Jan	1-Mar	1-Apr	1-May
Apply to Graduate on Quest	1-Sept	1-Oct	1-Nov	1-Jan	1-Feb	1-Mar	1-May	1-June	1-Jul
Provide committee with thesis, obtain signatures confirming thesis receipt, and submit MASc Thesis Submission form and thesis for 15 business day display	15-Aug	11-Sept	15-Nov	10-Dec (*Note:* Christmas holidays do not count towards display period)	19-Jan	24-Mar	27-Apr	22-May	27-Jul
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-Sept	2-Oct	6-Dec	12-Jan	9-Feb	15-Apr	19-May	15-Jun	18-Aug
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	16-Sept	10-Oct	16-Dec	16-Jan	13-Feb	21-Apr	28-May	24-Jun	26-Aug
Once the thesis submission is approved, you will receive a confirmation email from the GSPA
Deadline for your Department to confirm of degree completion	23-Oct	17-Oct	23-Dec	23-Jan	20-Feb	30-Apr	1-Jun	26-Jun	31-Aug

PhD

*Submit the documents below by the recommended dates* listed to meet the deadlines to the right.**	Spring 2025 100% refund (May 26)	Spring 2025 50% refund (June 20)	End of Term - Fall Convocation (August 31)	Fall 2025 100% refund (September 24)	Fall 2025 50% refund (October 17)	End of Term - Spring Convocation (April 30)	Winter 2026 100% refund (January 23)	Winter 2026 50% refund (February 20)	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
Submit forms for external examiner/committee approval and defence set up	19-Mar	15-Apr	21-Jun	17-Jul	7-Aug	17-Oct	14-Nov	28-Nov	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)	3-Apr	30-Apr	8-Jul	31-Jul	21-Aug	31-Oct	27-Nov (Note: Christmas holidays do not count towards display period)	11-Dec (Note: Christmas holidays do not count towards display period)	6-Mar
EGSO will put thesis on display and send out the defense announcement
Last day for thesis defence (recommended)*	8-May	5-Jun	13-Aug	5-Sept	26-Sept	5-Dec	9-Jan	23-Jan	10-Apr
Complete any thesis revisions and have them approved by supervisor(s) by email EGSO	14-May	10-Jun	19-Aug	10-Sept	2-Oct	11-Dec	15-Jan	30-Jan	17-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	16-May	13-Jun	26-Aug	17-Sept	9-Oct	16-Dec	20-Jan	6-Feb	23-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	26-May	20-Jun	31-Aug	23-Sept	17-Oct	23-Dec	23-Jan	13-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.

Blackout dates count toward the 25 business day display period, holidays do not.

Spring 2025: Monday, August 18 - Friday, August 29

Fall 2025: Monday, December 8 - Tuesday, December 23

Winter 2026: Monday, April 13 - Friday, April 24

Thesis Completion Deadlines

MASc

PhD

Blackout Dates and Holidays

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Degree Completion Deadlines

Thesis Completion Deadlines

MASc

PhD

Blackout Dates and Holidays

Support Waterloo Engineering

Engineering Faculty OpeningsEngineering Website Help

Engineering Faculty Openings
Engineering Website Help