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 noted in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.
Please consult the Degree Completion/Defence Date Planner for assistance in determining thesis completion timelines, using your defence date or refund/convocation deadline.
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.
Blackout Dates and Holidays
*There is a blackout period for PhD comprehensive examinations and defences in the last two weeks of Fall 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.
Fall 2026: Wednesday, December 9 - Wednesday, December 23