Spring 2026 Academic Calendars
- Traditional/ Residential Programs Calendar
- Executive Format Program Calendar
- Educator Training Program Calendar
Traditional/Residential Programs
Students in the following programs follow this calendar:
- Education, Culture, and Society (PhD, MSEd)
- Education Studies (Online MSEd)
- Education Policy (PhD, MSEd)
- Educational Linguistics (PhD, EdD)
- Higher Education (PhD, EdD, MSEd)
- Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development (PhD, MSEd)
- International Educational Development (MSEd)
- Language, Globalization, and Intercultural Studies (MSEd)
- Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (Online MSEd)
- Learning Sciences and Technologies (PhD, MSEd)
- Literacy Studies (PhD, EdD, MSEd)
- Quantitative Methods (PhD, MPhilEd)
- Professional Counseling (MPhilEd)
- Reading Specialist (Certification Only)
- Statistics, Measurement, Assessment, and Research Technology (MSEd)
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MSEd)
- Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education (PhD, EdD, MSEd)
Students in these programs may be registered by their program staff. It is the responsibility of the student to understand these dates and communicate with their program staff to effectuate changes to their course registration.
|
Date |
Day |
Event/Deadline |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 14 | Wednesday | First day of spring term classes. Monday classes meet this day and normal schedule (Thursday classes) commence on January 15. | |||||||||
| January 19 | Monday | MLK Jr. Day (No Classes) | |||||||||
| January 27 | Tuesday | LAST DAY to add or drop a class without financial penalty (11:59PM ET via Path). | |||||||||
| January 27 | Tuesday | LAST DAY for students to register for the spring term. Active students must be registered or take a leave of absence by this date to avoid being withdrawn from their program. | |||||||||
| January 27 | Tuesday | LAST DAY for international students to arrive for in-person programs. | |||||||||
| February 4 | Wednesday | Opening of May 2026 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp. | |||||||||
| February 16 | Monday | Closing of OPT applications to USCIS for Fall 2025 international students with 12/18/2025 end date. Please check on the I20, if you have different program dates on the I20, please reach out to ISSS for updates. | |||||||||
| February 17 | Tuesday | Opening of OPT application to USCIS for Spring 2026 international students graduating in the spring term with a 05/18/2026 end date. Please check your I20, if you have different program end dates, please reach out to ISSS. | |||||||||
| February 23 | Monday | LAST DAY to add or drop a course (no refund). Courses dropped after this date require instructor approval and a 'W' will appear on transcript in place of a grade. | |||||||||
| March 7-15 | Saturday-Sunday | Spring Term Break (No Classes) | |||||||||
| March 16 | Monday | Classes resume. | |||||||||
| DOCTORAL (PhD AND EdD) STUDENTS GRADUATING IN MAY 2026 are strongly advised to defend by March 27 to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by April 3. DOCTORAL (PhD AND EdD) STUDENTS GRADUATING IN AUGUST 2026 are strongly advised to defend by June 27 to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by July 10. The link to schedule your final defense is: https://oss.gse.upenn.edu/register/finaldefensehearing. SRO requests that this form is submitted two weeks prior to defense date. |
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| March 23 | Monday | LAST DAY to request course grade type change to audit or pass/fail. Requires instructor approval. Courses taken for audit or pass/fail cannot be counted towards degree requirements unless otherwise noted in the program's course catalog page. | |||||||||
| March 23 | Monday | Advanced Registration for Fall 2026 available via Path. | |||||||||
| March 23 | Monday | Open Enrollment for Summer 2026 available via Path. | |||||||||
| March 30 | Monday | LAST DAY to withdraw from a course (No Refund). | |||||||||
| April 3 | Friday | LAST DAY doctoral students may submit dissertation for review by the Director of Academic Affairs for May 2026 degree: EdD students: Upload to Proquest PhD students: Email dissertation to Chris Kubik Cedeño |
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| April 6 | Monday | Advanced Registration for Fall 2026 ends. | |||||||||
| April 14 | Tuesday | Open Enrollment for Fall 2026 available via Path. | |||||||||
| April 15 | Wednesday | Last day to submit a Return of Leave of Absence for the summer term. | |||||||||
| April 15 | Wednesday | Closing of May 2026 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp. | |||||||||
| TBD | TBD | LAST DAY for all December 2025, May 2026, and August 2026 graduates to RSVP for the May 2026 GSE commencement ceremony. | |||||||||
| May 4 | Monday | LAST DAY for submission of approved & signed dissertations for May 2026 degree: EdD students: to Academic Affairs Office PhD students: to Graduate Arts & Sciences |
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| May 4 | Monday | LAST DAY Divisions may submit Master’s Examination/Thesis Portfolio results to the GSE Student Records Office for May 2026 degree. | |||||||||
| May 6 | Wednesday | LAST DAY of the Spring classes at GSE. | |||||||||
| May 11 | Monday | Spring term grades due. | |||||||||
| May 16 | Saturday | GSE Commencement ceremony. | |||||||||
| May 18 | Monday | Spring Degree Conferral Date. | |||||||||
| May 18 | Monday | University Commencement ceremony. | |||||||||
| May 22 | Friday | LAST DAY EdD and students can hold final defense without having to pay Summer 2026 or Fall 2026 tuition (must receive a successful pass; tuition waiver does not apply for pending pass). Students must notify programs if they intend to upload their dissertation in the summer term. Only one term (fall or summer) will be free. | |||||||||
Executive Format Program Calendar
Students in the following programs follow this calendar:
- Education Entrepreneurship (MSEd)
- Educational and Organizational Leadership (EdD)
- Global Higher Education Management (Online MSEd)
- Higher Education Management (EdD)
- Medical Education (MSEd)
- Penn Chief Learning Officer (EdD)
- School and Mental Health Counseling (MSEd)
Students in these programs may be registered by their program staff. It is the responsibility of the student to understand these dates and communicate with their program staff to effectuate changes to their course registration.
|
Date |
Day |
Event/Deadline |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 5 | Monday | First day of spring term for continuing cohorts. All programs will have academic engagement during this week. Specific programs will dictate the In-person, online synchronous and online a-synchronous class schedule in course materials available to students. | |||||||||
| January 9 | Friday | LAST DAY for Executive-format students taking classes in the spring to be registered. Active students must be registered or take a leave of absence by this date to avoid being withdrawn from their program. | |||||||||
| Executive-format students must drop courses before their first in-person session of the term to receive a full refund. Academic engagement for the term will commence prior to the first in-person session. | See dates listed in the following box: | Executive-format students must drop courses before their first in-person classes of the term to receive a full refund; if separating from the program during the first in-person classes there will be a 50% refund; if separating after the conclusion of the first in-person classes there will be no refund. See dates below:
Education Entrepreneurship (MSEd): January 9-11 |
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| January 19 | Monday | MLK Jr. Day (No Classes) | |||||||||
| January 27 | Tuesday | LAST DAY for students to register for dissertation or master's thesis status (EDUC 9950 and 9900) in the spring term. Active students who are in dissertation or master's thesis status must be registered or take a leave of absence by this date to avoid being withdrawn from their program. | |||||||||
| February 4 | Wednesday | Opening of May 2026 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp. | |||||||||
| February 16 | Monday | Closing of OPT applications to USCIS for Fall 2025 international students with 12/18/2025 end date. Please check on the I20, if you have different program dates on the I20, please reach out to ISSS for updates. | |||||||||
| February 17 | Tuesday | Opening of OPT application to USCIS for Spring 2026 international students graduating in the spring term with a 05/18/2026 end date. Please check your I20, if you have different program end dates, please reach out to ISSS. | |||||||||
| DOCTORAL (PhD AND EdD) STUDENTS GRADUATING IN MAY 2026 are strongly advised to defend by March 27 to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by April 3. DOCTORAL (PhD AND EdD) STUDENTS GRADUATING IN AUGUST 2026 are strongly advised to defend by June 27 to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by July 10. The link to schedule your final defense is: https://oss.gse.upenn.edu/register/finaldefensehearing. SRO requests that this form is submitted two weeks prior to defense date. |
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| April 3 | Friday | LAST DAY doctoral students may submit dissertation for review by the Director of Academic Affairs for May 2026 degree: EdD students: Upload to ProQuest PhD students: Email dissertation to Chris Kubik Cedeño |
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| April 15 | Wednesday | Last day to submit a Return of Leave of Absence for the summer term. | |||||||||
| April 15 | Wednesday | Closing of May 2026 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp. | |||||||||
| TBD | TBD | LAST DAY for all December 2025, May 2026, and August 2026 graduates to RSVP for the May 2026 GSE commencement ceremony. | |||||||||
| May 4 | Monday | LAST DAY for submission of approved & signed dissertations for May 2026 degree: EdD students: to Academic Affairs Office PhD students: to Graduate Arts & Sciences |
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| May 4 | Monday | LAST DAY Divisions may submit Master’s Examination/Thesis Portfolio results to the GSE Student Records Office for May 2026 degree. | |||||||||
| May 16 | Saturday | GSE Commencement Ceremony. | |||||||||
| May 18 | Monday | Spring Degree Conferral Date. | |||||||||
| May 18 | Monday | University Commencement Ceremony. | |||||||||
| May 18 | Monday | Last day of spring term for Executive-format students. All programs will have academic engagement during this week. Specific programs will dictate the In-person, online synchronous and online a-synchronous class schedule within their internal documentation. | |||||||||
| May 22 | Friday | LAST DAY August or December 2026 EdD potential graduates can hold final defense without having to pay Summer 2026 or Fall 2026 tuition (must receive a successful pass; tuition waiver does not apply for pending pass). Students must notify programs if they intend to upload their dissertation in the summer term. Only one term (fall or summer) will be free. | |||||||||
| May 26 | Tuesday | Executive format programs spring grades due. | |||||||||
| June 30 | Tuesday | LAST DAY August or December 2026 EdD potential graduates can hold final defense without having to pay Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 tuition (must receive a successful pass; tuition waiver does not apply for pending pass). Students must notify programs if they intend to attempt to successfully defend their dissertation in June. Students will be enrolled in EDUC 9950 and will be charged. Provided the student successfully defends by June 30, the summer and subsequent fall tuition, if necessary, will be waived. | |||||||||
Educator Training Program Calendar
Students in the following programs follow this calendar:
- Independent School Teaching Residency (MSEd)
- School Leadership (MSEd, Certification Only)
- Urban Education (Online MSed)
- Urban Teaching Residency (MSEd, Certification Only)
- Urban Teaching Apprenticeship (MSEd)
Students in these programs may be registered by their program staff. It is the responsibility of the student to understand these dates and communicate with their program staff to effectuate changes to their course registration.
|
Date |
Day |
Event/Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| January 5 | Monday | First day of spring term. All programs will have academic engagement during this week. Specific programs will dictate the In-person, online synchronous and online asynchronous class schedule in course materials available to students. |
| January 9 | Friday | LAST DAY for Independent School Teaching Residency and School Leadership students taking classes in the spring to be registered. Active students must be registered or take a leave of absence by this date to avoid being withdrawn from their program. |
| Independent School Residency Program (ISTR) and School Leadership Program (SLP) students must drop courses before their first in-person session of the term to receive a full refund. Academic engagement for the term will commence prior to the first in-person session. | See dates listed in the following box: | ISTR and SLP students must drop courses before their first in-person classes of the term to receive a full refund; if separating from the program during the first in-person classes there will be a 50% refund; if separating after the conclusion of the first in-person classes there will be no refund. See dates below: Independent School Teaching Residency (MSEd): January 16-18 School Leadership (MSEd and Certification Only): January 10-11 |
| January 19 | Monday | MLK Jr. Day (No Classes) |
| January 21 | Wednesday | LAST DAY for UTAP, URED, and UTR to add or drop a spring course without financial penalty. |
| January 21 | Wednesday | LAST DAY for students to register for master's thesis (EDUC 9900) in the spring term. Active students who are in master's thesis status must be registered or take a leave of absence by this date to avoid being withdrawn from their program. |
| February 4 | Wednesday | Opening of May 2026 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp. |
| February 16 | Monday | Closing of OPT applications to USCIS for Fall 2025 international students with 12/18/2025 end date. Please check on the I20, if you have different program dates on the I20, please reach out to ISSS for updates. |
| February 17 | Tuesday | Opening of OPT application to USCIS for Spring 2026 international students graduating in the spring term with a 05/18/2026 end date. Please check your I20, if you have different program end dates, please reach out to ISSS. |
| February 24 | Tuesday | LAST DAY for UTAP, URED, and UTR to drop a course (no refund). Courses dropped after this date require instructor approval and a ' W' will appear on the transcript in place of grade. |
| April 2 | Thursday | LAST DAY for UTAP, URED, and UTR to withdraw from a course (No Refund). |
| April 15 | Wednesday | Last day to submit a Return of Leave of Absence for the summer term. |
| April 15 | Wednesday | Closing of May 2026 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp. |
| TBD | TBD | LAST DAY for all December 2025, May 2026, and August 2026 graduates to RSVP for the May 2026 GSE commencement ceremony. |
| May 4 | Monday | LAST DAY Divisions may submit Master’s Examination/Thesis Portfolio results to the GSE Student Records Office for May 2026 degree. |
| May 16 | Saturday | GSE Commencement Ceremony. |
| May 18 | Monday | Spring Degree Conferral Date. |
| May 18 | Monday | University Commencement Ceremony. |
| May 18 | Monday | Last day of spring term for Educator Training program students. All programs will have academic engagement throughout this week. Specific programs will dictate the In-person, online synchronous and online a-synchronous class schedule within their internal documentation. |
| May 26 | Tuesday | Educator training programs spring grades due. |
