Candidacy Deadlines

A student must be enrolled or otherwise be eligible for campus privileges, for a minimum of one credit, during the term in which preliminary exams are taken. Please see the Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies section 4.3 Candidacy Requirements for more information.

*COVID Accommodation. All dates are subject to change.
**Connectivity Issue Accommodation approved August 30, 2023

Keep in mind prelims taken in the fall or winter term (for a student being advanced to candidacy in that term) will be assessed 8 hours of 995 for that term. Students registered full-time (8 hours, or 6 if a GSI, GSSA, or GSRA) during the previous fall and winter terms have through the end of May to complete the preliminary examination without registering for the spring or spring/summer term.

Recommendation for Candidacy

A doctoral student may be advanced to candidacy by the graduate school upon recommendation of the student’s department. Advancement to candidacy will be granted when it is determined that the student has completed all requirements for the doctoral degree except the dissertation, and been approved for subsequent dissertation work. To recommend a doctoral student for candidacy the graduate coordinator (not the student) must submit the recommendation through the online system.

Advancement to Candidacy

When candidacy is approved, the Registrar’s staff will change all 990 enrollments to 995 for the student. Tuition will then be reassessed at the candidacy rate; only 990 registrations will be changed to 995; other courses would require an official drop/add form initiated by the student if changes are needed.