Home Navigating Your Degree Doctoral Degree Deadlines Doctoral Degree Deadlines This document serves to provide deadlines and requirements related to degree certification. This information is intended to assist students in the completion and/or submission of required documentation to Rackham in preparation for degree conferral by the University of Michigan Board of Regents. Deadlines are based on intended final term of enrollment. All requirements must be complete, final, and approved by Rackham, no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline day. Please note that these dates are subject to change. The deadlines in this video are only examples and are not current. Doctoral Defense Term (expected term of final enrollment)Deadline All Requirements Must Be Completed to Receive Degree for Degree Conferral DateDegree Conferral DateApply for GraduationCommencement EligibilityName Will Appear in Commencement Booklet Fall 2025 (Grace Period)Tuesday, January 27, 2026May 1, 2026Winter 2026May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises, May 2026 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding)May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises Winter 2026Friday, April 3, 2026May 1, 2026Winter 2026May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises, May 2026 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding)May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises Winter 2026 (Grace Period)Friday, June 19, 2026August 20, 2026Summer 2026December 2026 Winter Commencement, May 2027 Rackham Graduate ExercisesDecember 2026 Winter Commencement Spring/Summer 2026Friday, July 31, 2026August 20, 2026Summer 2026December 2026 Winter Commencement, May 2027 Rackham Graduate ExercisesDecember 2026 Winter Commencement Spring/Summer 2026 (Grace Period)Monday, September 14, 2026December 21, 2026Fall 2026December 2026 Winter Commencement, May 2027 Rackham Graduate ExercisesDecember 2026 Winter Commencement Fall 2026Friday, November 13, 2026December 21, 2026Fall 2026December 2026 Winter Commencement, May 2027 Rackham Graduate ExercisesDecember 2026 Winter Commencement Fall 2026 (Grace Period)Tuesday, January 26, 2027May 1, 2027Winter 2027May 2027 Rackham Graduate Exercises, May 2027 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding)May 2027 Rackham Graduate Exercises Important: Students will automatically receive an invitation only for the first ceremony that they qualify for. If you are interested in attending a future term in which you qualify, you will need to contact Academic Records and Dissertations or reply to the invitation email you receive. The invitation that students receive automatically will include a question asking if you would like to attend the next ceremony. Contact Academic Records and Dissertations Hours: Academic Records and Dissertations is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is closed Saturdays and Sundays and on the following holidays: Thanksgiving (Thursday and the following Friday), Christmas through New Year’s, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4), and Labor Day. Location 0120 Rackham Building 915 East Washington Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070 Contact Phone: 734.763.0171 Fax: 734.936.3335 Email: [email protected]
