Degree Conferral/Payroll End Dates

Graduate students who complete all degree requirements at any point during a term remain officially enrolled and retain student status through the official degree conferral date for that term, as determined by the Secretary of the Faculty and posted as conferral date on the transcript. Degrees are granted three times per year in May, August, and December. The official conferral date can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s Dates & Deadlines webpage.

Funding for graduating students

Graduate assistants, fellows, and trainees may remain on the payroll until the end of the term, as stated above, or may be removed if necessary for a change of status (e.g. to a postdoc or academic staff position) or end of grant funding. If a student is removed, the Bursar’s Office will check with the Graduate School to confirm graduation at the end of the given term and will maintain tuition remission for appropriately funded students if the student remains on payroll through the dates listed below:

  • Doctoral candidates: through the date of dissertation deposit or through the official conferral date of term
  • Non-thesis master’s candidates: through the completion date stated on warrant or through the official conferral date of term
  • Thesis master’s candidates: through the date thesis is received by the Memorial Library or through the official conferral date of term

International students: contact International Student Services for guidance on the degree completion date and its impact on the visa status. The dates listed above may be different for international students.

Window Period degrees

The “Window Period” is the time between the end of one degree period and the beginning of the next. Students are eligible to complete their degree requirements during the window period if they were registered for the previous semester (fall, spring, or summer). If all degree requirements are met by the end of the window period, a student’s degree will be granted for the following semester. Students will not have to register or pay fees for the next semester.

Students receiving window period degrees may remain on payroll and retain student status only through the dates listed below:

  • Doctoral candidates: through the date of dissertation deposit or through the last day of the window period
  • Non-thesis master’s candidates: through the completion date stated on warrant
  • Thesis master’s candidates: through the date thesis is received by the Memorial Library

International students: contact International Student Services for guidance on the degree completion date and its impact on the visa status. The dates listed above may be different for international students.

See Certification of Graduation (or ‘Degree Completion Letter’)Graduation