Academic Deadlines
There is no August Commencement. August graduates are invited to the December Commencement ceremony.
For deadlines for dynamic courses, please contact your department.
Fall 2025
| 2025 Fall Graduate Academic Deadlines | Full Semester (16-Week) | First Half-Semester (8-Week) | Second Half-Semester (8-Week) | 14-Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classes begin | Aug. 25, Monday | Aug. 25, Monday | Oct. 20, Monday | Sept. 8, Monday |
| Labor Day (university closed) | Sept. 1, Monday | Sept. 1, Monday | N/A | N/A |
| Last day to add or drop course(s) via self-service in MyNIU | Sept. 7, Sunday | Aug. 31, Sunday | Oct. 26, Sunday | Sept. 21, Sunday |
| Last day to make up a grade of incomplete from the spring 2025 semester | Sept. 10, Wednesday | Sept. 10, Wednesday | Sept. 10, Wednesday | Sept. 10, Wednesday |
| Last day to submit Application for Graduation for fall 2025 in MyNIU | Sept. 15, Monday | Sept. 15, Monday | Sept. 15, Monday | Sept. 15, Monday |
| Last day for fall 2025 graduates to submit Request for Oral Defense of Thesis or Dissertation | Oct. 10, Friday | Oct. 10, Friday | Oct. 10, Friday | Oct. 10, Friday |
| Last day to change a course grading option (audit/credit) | Oct. 19, Sunday | Sept. 21, Sunday | Nov. 16, Sunday | Oct. 26, Sunday |
| Last possible day for fall 2025 graduates to hold an Oral Defense | Oct. 31, Friday | Oct. 31, Friday | Oct. 31, Friday | Oct. 31, Friday |
| Last day to withdraw from current course/term | Nov. 2, Sunday | Sept. 28, Sunday | Nov. 23, Sunday | Nov. 9, Sunday |
| Last day for fall 2025 graduates to submit results of Oral Defense form | Nov. 7, Friday | Nov. 7, Friday | Nov. 7, Friday | Nov. 7, Friday |
| Last day for fall 2025 graduates to submit post-defense version of Thesis or Dissertation | Nov. 7, Friday | Nov. 7, Friday | Nov. 7, Friday | Nov. 7, Friday |
| Last day for departments to submit Certificate of Graduate Study forms | Nov. 15, Saturday | Nov. 15, Saturday | Nov. 15, Saturday | Nov. 15, Saturday |
| Last day to change a major to be effective for fall session | Nov. 24, Monday | Nov. 24, Monday | Nov. 24, Monday | Nov. 24, Monday |
| Thanksgiving break | Nov. 26, Wednesday - Nov. 30, Sunday | N/A | Nov. 26, Wednesday - Nov. 30, Sunday | Nov. 26, Wednesday - Nov. 30, Sunday |
| Last day to add a course, change credit hours, or swap a course in special circumstances with Graduate School approval | Nov. 30, Sunday | Oct. 12, Sunday | Nov. 30, Sunday | Nov. 30, Sunday |
| Classes resume after Thanksgiving break | Dec. 1, Monday | N/A | Dec. 1, Monday | Dec. 1, Monday |
| Last day for departments to submit Comprehensive Exam Report forms | Dec. 5, Friday | Dec. 5, Friday | Dec. 5, Friday | Dec. 5, Friday |
| Classes end | Dec. 6, Saturday | Oct. 19, Sunday | Dec. 6, Saturday | Dec. 6, Saturday |
| Final examinations | Dec. 8, Monday - Dec. 13, Saturday | as set by instructor | Dec. 8, Monday - Dec. 13, Saturday | Dec. 8, Monday - Dec. 13, Saturday |
| Last day to make up a grade of incomplete from the summer 2025 semester | Dec. 10, Wednesday | Dec. 10, Wednesday | Dec. 10, Wednesday | Dec. 10, Wednesday |
| Fall Graduate Commencement Ceremony | Dec. 13, Saturday | Dec. 13, Saturday | Dec. 13, Saturday | Dec. 13, Saturday |
Spring 2026
| 2026 Spring Graduate Academic Deadlines | Full Semester (16-Week) | First Half-Semester (8-Week) | Second Half-Semester (8-Week) | 14-Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classes begin | Jan. 12, Monday | Jan. 12, Monday | March 16, Monday | Jan. 26, Monday |
| Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (university closed) | Jan. 19, Monday | Jan. 19, Monday | N/A | N/A |
| Last day to add or drop course(s) via self-service in MyNIU | Jan. 25, Sunday | Jan. 18, Sunday | March 22, Sunday | Feb. 8, Sunday |
| Last day to submit Application for Graduation for spring 2026 in MyNIU | Feb. 14, Saturday | Feb. 14, Saturday | Feb. 14, Saturday | Feb. 14, Saturday |
| Last day for spring 2026 graduates to submit Request for Oral Defense of Thesis or Dissertation | March 6, Friday | March 6, Friday | March 6, Friday | March 6, Friday |
| Last day to change a course grading option (audit/credit) | March 8, Sunday | Feb. 8, Sunday | April 12, Sunday | March 22, Sunday |
| Spring recess | March 8, Sunday - March 15, Sunday | March 8, Sunday - March 15, Sunday | N/A | March 8, Sunday - March 15, Sunday |
| Classes resume after spring Recess | March 16, Monday | N/A | March 16, Monday | March 16, Monday |
| Last day to withdraw from current course/term | March 29, Sunday | Feb. 15, Sunday | April 19, Sunday | April 5, Sunday |
| Last possible day for spring 2026 graduates to hold an Oral Defense | March 27, Friday | March 27, Friday | March 27, Friday | March 27, Friday |
| Last day for spring 2026 graduates to submit results of Oral Defense form | April 3, Friday | April 3, Friday | April 3, Friday | April 3, Friday |
| Last day for spring 2026 graduates to submit post-defense version of Thesis or Dissertation | April 3, Friday | April 3, Friday | April 3, Friday | April 3, Friday |
| Last day for departments to submit Certificate of Graduate Study forms | April 15, Wednesday | April 15, Wednesday | April 15, Wednesday | April 15, Wednesday |
| Fall 2025 incompletes expire | April 15, Wednesday | April 15, Wednesday | April 15, Wednesday | April 15, Wednesday |
| Last day to change a major to be effective for spring session | April 20, Monday | April 20, Monday | April 20, Monday | April 20, Monday |
| Last day to add a course, change credit hours, or swap a course in special circumstances with Graduate School approval | April 26, Sunday | March 1, Sunday | April 26, Sunday | April 26, Sunday |
| Classes end | April 30, Thursday | March 7, Saturday | April 30, Thursday | April 30, Thursday |
| Last day for departments to submit Comprehensive Exam Report forms | May 1, Friday | May 1, Friday | May 1, Friday | May 1, Friday |
| Final examinations | May 2, Saturday; May 4, Monday - May 8, Friday | As set by instructor | May 2, Saturday; May 4, Monday - May 8, Friday | May 2, Saturday; May 4, Monday - May 8, Friday |
| Spring Graduate Commencement Ceremony | May 8, Friday | May 8, Friday | May 8, Friday | May 8, Friday |
Summer 2026
| 2026 Summer Graduate Academic Deadlines | Full Semester (8-Week) | First Half-semester (4-Week) | Second Half-semester (4-Week) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last day to submit Application for Graduation for summer 2026 in MyNIU | June 5, Friday | June 5, Friday | June 5, Friday |
| Last day for summer 2026 graduates to submit Request for Oral Defense of Thesis or Dissertation | June 5, Friday | June 5, Friday | June 5, Friday |
| Classes begin | June 15, Monday | June 15, Monday | July 13, Monday |
| Juneteenth (university closed) | June 19, Friday | June 19, Friday | N/A |
| Last day to add or drop course(s) via self-service in MyNIU | June 21, Sunday | June 19, Wednesday | July 19, Sunday |
| Last possible day for summer 2026 graduates to hold an Oral Defense | June 26, Friday | June 26, Friday | June 26, Friday |
| Independence Day (university closed) | July 3, Friday | July 3, Friday | N/A |
| Last day for summer 2026 graduates to submit results of Oral Defense form | July 6, Monday | July 6, Monday | July 6, Monday |
| Last day for summer 2026 graduates to submit post-defense version of Thesis or Dissertation | July 6, Monday | July 6, Monday | July 6, Monday |
| Last day to change a course grading option (audit/credit) | July 12, Sunday | June 28, Sunday | July 26, Sunday |
| Last day for departments to submit Certificate of Graduate Study forms | July 15, Wednesday | July 15, Wednesday | July 15, Wednesday |
| Last day to withdraw from current course/term | July 29, Sunday | June 28, Sunday | July 26, Sunday |
| Last day to change a major to be effective for summer session | July 20, Monday | July 20, Monday | July 20, Monday |
| Last day to add a course, change credit hours, or swap a course in special circumstances with Graduate School approval | Aug. 2, Sunday | July 5, Sunday | Aug. 2, Sunday |
| Last day for departments to submit Comprehensive Exam Report forms | Aug. 7, Friday | Aug. 7, Friday | Aug. 7, Friday |
| Classes end | Aug. 9, Sunday | July 12, Sunday | Aug. 9, Sunday |
Contact Us
The Graduate SchoolWilliston Hall 100 Northern Illinois University
1425 West Lincoln Hwy
DeKalb, IL 60115
Hours: M-F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.