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Final-Semester Enrollment, Commencement Deadlines and Completion Guidelines
The Graduate School’s requirements and deadlines help ensure that you are able to complete your degree requirements, participate in commencement, have your name printed in the commencement bulletin, and receive your diploma in a timely manner. The following list provides links to the information and deadlines you need to know in order for the Graduate School to award your degree.
- Enrollment
- Enrolling in your last semester
- Qualifying for defending student status
- Commencement deadlines
- Students who qualify for defending student status
- PhD/EdD students who plan to participate in commencement this semester
- PhD/EdD students who do NOT plan to participate in commencement this semester (may participate in a future ceremony)
- Masters and Education Specialist students
- Certificate students
- Completion Guidelines
- Legal Name
- Application for Degree
- Term of completion change
- Final exam request form
- Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) submission
- Commencement attendance
Enrolling in your last semester
Graduate School policy requires you to be enrolled during the term in which your degree is awarded. You must enroll in at least 3 credit hours in your last semester, unless you qualify for defending student status.
Qualifying for Defending Student Status
Defending Student Status (DSS) is a special enrollment category that allows enrollment for 1 credit if you have fulfilled all requirements, including advisory committee review and agreement that your thesis or dissertation is ready to be defended, and are registering only to take your final-exam exam. To qualify for DSS, you must meet all of the following criteria:
If you were… |
and you have… |
and you will… |
and your committee has also…
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and you also… |
then you…
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enrolled in at least three credits the preceding semester |
completed all of your degree requirements (including passing grades on all courses on your plan of study), except for your final exam |
submit a final copy of your thesis/dissertation to your committee within the first three weeks of the semester |
read your thesis/dissertation and consider it ready for exam (to the extent that you can submit your ETD within two weeks of your exam) by Friday of the third week of classes |
submit your DSS form to the Graduate School by the Friday of the third week of classes or no later than 2 weeks prior to your exam, whichever date comes first |
qualify for defending student status |
Important note for international students on student visas: If you qualify for defending student status, you must defend by the end of the 5th week of the semester to maintain immigration status. You must also submit your ETD no more than two weeks after the exam to maintain immigration status.
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Commencement Deadlines
Please reference the following tables to find the category that best fits your status.
Summer I and Summer II, 2013 deadlines for doctoral, masters, EdS and certificate students
Summer graduates are welcome to participate in the fall commencement ceremony. If you do not meet the exam and ETD-approval deadlines, the Graduate School will award your degree next semester. The Graduate School will enroll you in 1 credit of defending student status.
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Application for degree submission in HokieSpa |
Final exam |
ETD submission |
All requirements complete (including approved ETD) and degree awarded by the Graduate School |
Summer I, 2013 |
June 1 |
July 5 |
July 19 |
Aug. 9 |
Summer II, 2013 |
Aug. 1 |
Aug. 15 |
Aug. 29 |
Sept. 20 |
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Deadlines for students who qualify for defending student status
(Do you qualify for defending student status?)
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Defending Student status Form submission to the Graduate School
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Application for Degree submission in HokieSpa |
Electronic exam Request submission |
Final exam |
ETD submission |
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Fall 2013 |
Aug. 26-Sep. 13 |
Submit at the same time you file for DSS |
Submit at least 2 weeks before your final exam
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Within first 5 weeks of the semester |
Within 2 weeks following your exam but no later than 12/28 |
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Spring 2014 |
Jan. 21-Feb. 7 |
Submit at the same time you file for DSS |
Submit at least 2 weeks before your final exam
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Within first 5 weeks of the semester |
Within 2 weeks following your exam but no later than 5/22
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Summer I and II 2014 |
May 27-Aug. 15 but no later than 3 weeks prior to the exam
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Submit at the same time you file for DSS |
Submit at least 2 weeks before your final exam
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May defend at any point in the summer |
Within 2 weeks following your exam but no later than 8/29
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Deadlines for PhD/EdD students who plan to participate in commencement this semester
Doctoral students receive diplomas during commencement; therefore, you must meet all requirements and have your degree officially awarded prior to the ceremony.
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Application for degree submission in HokieSpa |
Final exam |
ETD submission |
All requirements complete (including approved ETD) and degree awarded by the Graduate School |
Fall 2013 |
Oct. 1 |
Nov. 1 |
Nov. 15 |
Dec. 13 |
Spring 2014 |
Mar. 1 |
Mar. 28 |
Apr. 11 |
May 9 |
Deadlines for PhD/EdD students who do NOT plan to participate in commencement this semester*
If you do not meet the exam and ETD-approval deadlines, the Graduate School will award your degree next semester. The Graduate School will enroll you in 1 credit of defending student status.
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Application for degree submission in HokieSpa |
Final exam |
ETD submission |
Requirements complete (including approved ETD) |
Fall 2013 |
Oct. 1 |
Dec. 11 |
Dec. 26 |
Feb. 7 |
Spring 2014 |
Mar. 1 |
May 7 |
May 21 |
Jul. 4 |
Summer I 2014 |
Jun. 1 |
Jul. 3 |
Jul. 17 |
Aug. 8 |
Summer II 2014 |
Aug. 1 |
Aug. 14 |
Aug. 28 |
Sep. 19 |
*Summer graduates may participate in fall commencement.
Deadlines for masters and EdS students
Masters and EdS students do NOT receive diplomas during commencement; therefore, you are welcome to participate in the ceremony, even if your degree has not yet been awarded for this semester. If you do not meet the exam and ETD-approval deadlines, the Graduate School will award your degree next semester. The Graduate School will enroll you in 1 credit of defending student status.
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Application for degree submission in HokieSpa |
Final exam |
ETD submission |
All requirements complete (including approved ETD) and degree awarded by the Graduate School |
Fall 2013 |
Oct. 1 |
Dec. 11 |
Dec. 26 |
Feb. 7 |
Spring 2014 |
Mar. 1 |
May 7 |
May 21 |
Jul. 4 |
Summer I 2014 |
Jun. 1 |
Jul. 3 |
Jul. 17 |
Aug. 8 |
Summer II 2014 |
Aug. 1 |
Aug. 14 |
Aug. 28 |
Sep. 19 |
Deadlines for certificate students not earning a degree in the same semester
All certificate students are invited to participate in commencement. If you do not meet the Graduate School semester award deadline, the Graduate School will award your certificate next semester. The Graduate School will enroll you in 1 credit of defending student status.
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Application for degree submission in HokieSpa |
All requirements complete and certificate awarded by the Graduate School |
Fall 2013 |
Oct. 1 |
Feb. 7 |
Spring 2014 |
Mar. 1 |
Jul. 4 |
Summer I 2014 |
Jun. 1 |
Aug. 8 |
Summer II 2014 |
Aug. 1 |
Sep. 19 |
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Completion Guidelines
Legal Name
The name printed on the diploma will be the full legal name entered on your official University record. Name changes must be submitted to the Graduate School before the deadline to submit your Application for Degree. View the name change instructions for details.
Application for Degree
Electronically submit Application for Degree (AFD) and/or Application for Certificate Conferral (ACC) online using HokieSPA by deadline listed above. An AFD must be submitted by the deadline for your name to appear in the Commencement Bulletin. PHD and EDD students must also include their dissertation titles when submitting the AFD for their names to appear in the bulletin. Without this title, your name will not be listed. The information entered electronically is used to order your diploma so please ensure that the information is correct. An AFD fee ($25.00) will be assessed to your student account.
Term of completion change
It is the student's responsibility to submit an AFD for the term of completion. If the degree requirements are not completed during the semester indicated on the AFD, the student will need to submit a new AFD for the appropriate term.
Final Exam Request Form
The Request to Admit Candidate to Final Exam must be submitted through the Electronic Signature System at least two weeks prior to your desired exam date. For Masters Thesis and Doctoral students, when your final exam request is approved, the ETD archiving fee of $20 will be assessed to your student account. Doctoral students will be assessed a $45 UMI/ProQuest abstract archiving fee in addition to the VT archiving fee.
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Submission
Following the exam of the thesis/dissertation, upload your ETD within 2 weeks of your exam. Submit any applicable supporting documentation for the ETD (such as copyright permission letters to reproduce items, IRB approval or exemption notices, UMI form, Survey of Earned Doctorates) to the Graduate School within 2 weeks of your exam as well.
Commencement Attendance
Master's candidates finishing degree requirements, as listed above, are welcome to attend fall and spring commencement. Doctoral candidates must have completed all requirements for the degree by the dates listed above to participate in the doctoral hooding ceremony. Please use the Degree menu on HokieSPA to confirm your plans to attend. Please see the deadlines and checklists above for details.
Additional details about Commencement >>
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