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.
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 |
Fall 2026
| 2026 Fall Graduate Academic Calendar | Full Semester (16-Week) | First Half-Semester (8-Week) | Second Half-Semester (8-Week) | 14-Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classes begin | Aug. 24, Monday | Aug. 24, Monday | Oct. 19, Monday | Sept. 8, Tuesday |
| Last day to add or drop course(s) via self-service in MyNIU | Sept. 6, Sunday | Aug. 30, Sunday | Oct. 25, Sunday | Sept. 20, Sunday |
| Spring 2026 Incompletes expire | Sept. 9, Wednesday | Sept. 9, Wednesday | Sept. 9, Wednesday | Sept. 9, Wednesday |
| Last day to submit Application for Graduation in MyNIU | Sept. 15, Tuesday | Sept. 15, Tuesday | Sept. 15, Tuesday | Sept. 15, Tuesday |
| Last day for graduates to submit Request for Oral Defense of Thesis or Dissertation | Oct. 9, Friday | Oct. 9, Friday | Oct. 9, Friday | Oct. 9, Friday |
| Last day to change a course grading option (audit/credit) | Oct. 18, Sunday | Sept. 20, Sunday | Nov. 15, Sunday | Oct. 25, Sunday |
| Last day for graduates to hold an Oral Defense | Oct. 30, Friday | Oct. 30, Friday | Oct. 30, Friday | Oct. 30, Friday |
| Last day to withdraw from current course/term | Nov. 1, Sunday | Sept. 27, Sunday | Nov. 22, Sunday | Nov. 8, Sunday |
| Last day for graduates to submit Results of Oral Defense form | Nov. 6, Friday | Nov. 6, Friday | Nov. 6, Friday | Nov. 6, Friday |
| Last day for graduates to submit post-defense version of Thesis or Dissertation | Nov. 6, Friday | Nov. 6, Friday | Nov. 6, Friday | Nov. 6, Friday |
| Last day for departments to submit Certificate of Graduate Study forms | Nov. 15, Sunday | Nov. 15, Sunday | Nov. 15, Sunday | Nov. 15, Sunday |
| Last day to change a major to be effective for fall session | Nov. 23, Monday | Nov. 23, Monday | Nov. 23, Monday | Nov. 23, Monday |
| Thanksgiving break | Nov. 25, Wednesday - Nov. 29, Sunday | N/A | Nov. 25, Wednesday - Nov. 29, Sunday | Nov. 25, Wednesday - Nov. 29, Sunday |
| Last day to add a course, change credit hours, or swap a course in special circumstances with Graduate School approval | Nov. 29, Sunday | Oct. 11, Sunday | Nov. 29, Sunday | Nov. 29, Sunday |
| Classes resume after Thanksgiving break | Nov. 30, Monday | N/A | Nov. 30, Monday | Nov. 30, Monday |
| Last day for departments to submit Comprehensive Exam Report forms | Dec. 4, Friday | Dec. 4, Friday | Dec. 4, Friday | Dec. 4, Friday |
| Classes end | Dec. 5, Saturday | Oct. 18, Sunday | Dec. 5, Saturday | Dec. 5, Saturday |
| Final examinations | Dec. 7, Monday - Dec. 12, Saturday | as set by instructor | Dec. 7, Monday - Dec. 12, Saturday | Dec. 7, Monday - Dec. 12, Saturday |
| Summer 2026 Incompletes expire | Dec. 9, Wednesday | Dec. 9, Wednesday | Dec. 9, Wednesday | Dec. 9, Wednesday |
| Fall Graduate Commencement Ceremony | Dec. 12, Saturday | Dec. 12, Saturday | Dec. 12, Saturday | Dec. 12, Saturday |
For deadlines for dynamic courses, please contact your department.
Spring 2027
| 2027 Spring Graduate Academic Deadlines | Full Semester (16-Week) Jan. 11 – May 7 |
First Half-Semester (8-Week) Jan. 11 – Mar. 6 |
Second Half-Semester (8-Week) Mar. 15 – May 7 |
14-Week Jan. 25 – May 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classes begin | Jan. 1, Monday | Jan. 1, Monday | March 15, Monday | Jan. 25, Monday |
| Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (university closed) | Jan. 18, Monday | Jan. 18, Monday | N/A | N/A |
| Last day to add or drop course(s) via self-service in MyNIU | Jan. 24, Sunday | Jan. 17, Sunday | March 21, Sunday | Feb. 7, Sunday |
| Last day to submit Application for Graduation in MyNIU | Feb. 15, Monday | Feb. 15, Monday | Feb. 15, Monday | Feb. 15, Monday |
| Last day to submit Request for Oral Defense of Thesis or Dissertation | March 5, Friday | March 5, Friday | March 5, Friday | March 5, Friday |
| Last day to change a course grading option (audit/credit) | March 7, Sunday | Feb. 7, Sunday | April 11, Sunday | March 21, Sunday |
| Spring recess | March 7, Sunday - March 14, Sunday | March 7, Sunday - March 14, Sunday | N/A | March 7, Sunday - March 14, Sunday |
| Classes resume after spring recess | March 15, Monday | N/A | March 15, Monday | March 15, Monday |
| Last day to hold an Oral Defense | March 26, Friday | March 26, Friday | March 26, Friday | March 26, Friday |
| Last day to withdraw from current course/term | March 28, Sunday | Feb. 14, Sunday | April 18, Sunday | April 4, Sunday |
| Last day to submit results of Oral Defense form | April 2, Friday | April 2, Friday | April 2, Friday | April 2, Friday |
| Last day to submit post-defense version of Thesis or Dissertation | April 2, Friday | April 2, Friday | April 2, Friday | April 2, Friday |
| Fall 2026 incompletes expire | April 14, Wednesday | April 14, Wednesday | April 14, Wednesday | April 14, Wednesday |
| Last day for departments to submit Certificate of Graduate Study forms | April 15, Thursday | April 15, Thursday | April 15, Thursday | April 15, Thursday |
| Last day to change a major to be effective for spring session | April 19, Monday | April 19, Monday | April 19, Monday | April 19, Monday |
| Last day to add a course, change credit hours, or swap a course in special circumstances with Graduate School approval | April 25, Sunday | Feb. 28, Sunday | April 25, Sunday | April 25, Sunday |
| Classes end | April 29, Thursday | March 6, Saturday | April 29, Thursday | April 29, Thursday |
| Last day for departments to submit Comprehensive Exam Report forms | April 30, Friday | April 30, Friday | April 30, Friday | April 30, Friday |
| Final examinations | May 1, Saturday; May 3, Monday - May 7, Friday | As set by instructor | May 1, Saturday; May 3, Monday - May 7, Friday | May 1, Saturday; May 3, Monday - May 7, Friday |
| Spring Graduate Commencement Ceremony | May 7, Friday | May 7, Friday | May 7, Friday | May 7, Friday |
Contact Us
The Graduate SchoolWilliston Hall 100 Northern Illinois University
1425 West Lincoln Hwy
DeKalb, IL 60115
Office Hours
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed for lunch: noon to 1 p.m.
Mondays and Fridays: virtual office hours, available by appointment only