Skip to main content

Academic Calendar


Fall 2023

Date

Day

Event/Deadline

August 21-25 Monday-Friday GSE New Student Orientation
August 29 Tuesday Fall term classes begin
September 4 Monday Labor Day (NO CLASSES)
September 12 Tuesday LAST DAY to add or drop a class without financial penalty (11:59PM ET via Path@Penn)
October 9 Monday LAST DAY to drop a course (NO REFUND)
Courses dropped after this date require instructor approval and 'W' will appear on transcript in place of grades
October 16 Friday Last day for new Summer and Fall incoming students to complete Penn Experience modules without incurring registration hold for Spring 2024
DOCTORAL (PH.D. and ED.D.) STUDENTS GRADUATING IN DECEMBER 2023 are strongly advised to defend by October 23 to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by November 6. The link to schedule your final defense is: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/student-forms/final-defense-sched. SRO requests that this form is submitted two weeks prior to defense date
October 16 Monday Opening of December 2023 Graduation Application here: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp
October 27 Friday LAST DAY to request course grade type change to audit. Requires instructor approval. Please send request and approval to gse-sro@gse.upenn.edu
TBD TBD Advance Registration for Spring 2024 available via Path@Penn
November 6 Monday LAST DAY to withdraw from a course (NO REFUND). Requires instructor approval. 'W' will appear on transcript in place of grade
November 6 Monday LAST DAY doctoral students may submit dissertation for review by the Associate Dean for December 2023 degree:
EdD students: upload to Proquest
PhD students: email dissertation to the Faculty Affairs Office (Ginger Emens: gemens@upenn.edu)
November TBD TBD Course selection for Spring 2024 re-opens. Log into Path@Penn after 7am to register for courses
November 21 - 22 Tuesday - Wednesday Alternative class meeting schedule:
NO classes will meet on Tuesday, Friday classes will meet on Wednesday
November 23 - 26 Thursday - Sunday Thanksgiving Break (NO CLASSES)
November 27 Monday LAST DAY for submission of approved and signed dissertations for December 2023 degree:
Ed.D. to Faculty Affairs Office (Ginger Emens)
Ph.D. to Office of the Provost
November 28 Tuesday LAST DAY to apply for December 2023 degree here: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp
December 4 Monday LAST DAY Divisions may submit Master’s Comprehensive Examination/Thesis/Portfolio results to the GSE Student Records Office for December 2023 degree
December 11 Monday Undergraduate Classes end
December 18 Monday LAST DAY of classes at GSE
December 21 Thursday LAST DAY May 2024 Ed.D. and Ph.D. graduates can hold final defense without having to pay Spring 2024 tuition (must receive a successful pass; tuition waiver does not apply for pending pass).
December 21 Thursday Fall term ends for the university
January 2 Tuesday Fall term grades due
Spring Classes begin on January 18, 2024 (Monday class schedule)
Graduation Applications do not roll over. Names are purged from the system after the December term

Spring 2024

January 15 Monday Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observed (NO CLASSES)
January 18 Thursday SPRING TERM CLASSES BEGIN
January 31 Wednesday Last day to add or drop a class without financial penalty (11:59P.M. ET via Path@Penn)
May 2024 Doctoral Gradutes: DOCTORAL STUDENTS (PH.D. AND ED.D.) STUDENTS DEPOSITING THEIR DISSERTATION IN MAY 2024 are strongly advised to defend by March 29 in order to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by April 5.

August 2024 Doctoral Graduates: DOCTORAL (PhD AND EdD) STUDENTS DEPOSITING THEIR DISSERTATION IN AUGUST 2024 are strongly advised to defend by June 28 to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by July 14.

The link to schedule your final defense is: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/student-forms/final-defense-sched. SRO requests that this form is submitted two weeks prior to defense date

February 27 Tuesday LAST DAY to drop a course (NO REFUND)
Courses dropped after February 27 require instructor approval and 'W' will appear on transcript in place of grade
March 2-10 Saturday - Sunday Spring Break (NO CLASSES)
March 11 Monday Classes resume
TBD TBD Graduation Application open for May 2024 graduates: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp
March 22 Friday LAST DAY to request course grade type change to audit. Requires instructor approval. Please send request and approval to gse-sro@gse.upenn.edu 
March 25 Monday Registration period for Summer & Advance Registration for Fall 2024 available via Path@Penn
TBD TBD Graduation Application closed for May 2024 graduates: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp
March 29 Friday LAST DAY for all May and August 2024 and December 2023 graduates to apply to graduate and RSVP for the May 2024 GSE commencement ceremony:
All students apply here: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/student-forms/apply-to-graduate

PHD students must also apply here: 

https://apps.sas.upenn.edu/sso/gas/degree/app-start.php
($100 fee for applications submitted after stated deadline)
April 2 Tuesday LAST DAY to withdraw from a course. Full financial obligation will apply. 'W' will appear on transcript in place of grade.
April 5 Friday LAST DAY doctoral students may submit dissertation for review by the Associate Dean for May 2024 degree
EdD students: upload to Proquest
PhD students:
 email dissertation to Faculty Affairs Office (Ginger Emens: gemens@upenn.edu
TBA TBA Course selection for Fall 2024 re-opens. Log into Path@Penn after 10:00A.M. to register for courses
May 1 Wednesday Undergraduate classes end
May 6 Monday LAST DAY for submission of approved & signed dissertations for May 2024 degree:
Ed.D. to Faculty Affairs Office (Ginger Emens)
Ph.D. to Graduate Arts & Sciences
May 6 Monday LAST DAY that divisions may submit Master's Comprehensive Examination/Thesis/Portfolio results to the GSE Student Records Office for May 2024 graduates 
May 8 Wednesday LAST DAY OF CLASSES AT GSE 
May 13 Monday Spring Term grades due
May 14 Tuesday Spring term ends for University
May 18 Saturday GSE Commencement ceremony
May 20 Monday University Commencement ceremony
May 24 Friday LAST DAY to hold an oral proposal hearing or final defense without having to pay summer tuition (Note: Both Ph.D and Ed.D students are billed at the Ed.D tuition rate in the Summer term. See tuition and fees page for rates: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/admissions_financial/tuition)
Summer I session begins on Tuesday, May 28, 2024
* ALL students who wish to march in the GSE Graduation Ceremony must RSVP to march online regardless of graduation date. For eligibility to march please consult the Graduation FAQ site: http://www.gse.upenn.edu/students/graduationfaqs

Summer 2024

Date

Day

Event/Deadline

May 27 Monday Memorial Day Observed (NO CLASSES)
May 28 Monday Summer Session I and 11 week classes begin at GSE
June 4 Tuesday LAST DAY to add or drop a Summer I class without financial penalty (11:59PM ET via Path@Penn)
June 11 Tuesday LAST DAY to add or drop an 11 week class without financial penalty (11:59PM ET via Path@Penn)
June 12 Wednesday LAST DAY to Withdraw from a Summer Session I course. Full financial obligation will apply. 'W' will appear on transcript in place of grade 
TBD TBD Opening of August 2024 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp
June 19 Monday Juneteenth Observed (NO CLASSES)
DOCTORAL (PhD AND EdD) STUDENTS GRADUATING IN AUGUST 2024 are strongly advised to defend by June 28 to ensure that they can submit their dissertation for format review by July 7. The link to schedule your final defense is: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/student-forms/final-defense-sched. SRO requests that this form is submitted two weeks prior to defense date
July 3 Wednesday LAST DAYof Summer Session I at GSE. No classes Tuesday, July 2
July 4 Thursday Independence Day Observed (NO CLASSES)
July 8 Monday Summer Session II classes begin at GSE
July 8 Monday Summer Session I gradues due
July 10 Wednesday LAST DAY to Withdraw from a 10/11 week course. Full financial obligation will apply. 'W' will appear on transcript in place of grade
July 11 Thursday LAST DAY to add or drop a Summer II class without financial penalty (11:59PM ET via Path@Penn)
July 12 Friday LAST DAY doctoral students may submit dissertation for review by the Associate Dean for August 2024 degree:
EdD students: Upload to Proquest PhD students: Email dissertation to Faculty Affairs Office Ginger Emens (gemens@upenn.edu)
TBD TBD Closing of August 2024 Graduation Application: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/GradApp
July 24 Wednesday LAST DAY to Withdraw from a Summer Session II course. Full financial obligation will apply. 'W' will appear on transcript in place of grade
July 29 Monday LAST DAY for submission of approved & signed dissertations for August 2024 degree:
EdD students: to Faculty Affairs Office (Ginger Emens)
PhD students: to Graduate Arts & Sciences
August 5 Monday LAST DAY Divisions may submit Master’s Examination/Thesis Portfolio results to the GSE Student Records Office for August 2024 degree
August 9 Friday LAST DAY of Summer Session II at GSE
August 12 Monday Summer Session II grades due
Fall classes begin on Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Contact the Penn GSE Student Records Office

GSE Student Records Office
3700 Walnut Street - 2nd Floor
215.898.2059
gse-sro@gse.upenn.edu

Michael Fennell
GSE Registrar & Director of Student Records

Nicole Guerrero
Coordinator, Student Records Office