Home Navigating Your Degree Doctoral Degree Deadlines Doctoral Degree Deadlines This document serves to provide deadlines and requirements related to degree certification. This information is intended to assist students in the completion and/or submission of required documentation to Rackham in preparation for degree conferral by the University of Michigan Board of Regents. Deadlines are based on intended final term of enrollment. All requirements must be complete, final, and approved by Rackham, no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline day. Please note that these dates are subject to change. The deadlines in this video are only examples and are not current. Doctoral Degree Deadlines Doctoral Defense Term (expected term of final enrollment) Deadline All Requirements Must Be Completed to Receive Degree for Degree Conferral Date Degree Conferral Date Apply for Graduation Commencement Eligibility Name Will Appear in Commencement Booklet Winter 2025 Friday, April 4, 2025 May 2, 2025 Winter 2025 May 2025 Rackham Graduate Exercises May 2025 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding) May 2025 Rackham Graduate Exercises Winter 2025 (Grace Period) Friday, June 20, 2025 August 15, 2025 Summer 2025 May 2025 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding) December 2025 Winter Commencement April 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises May 2026 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding) December 2025 Winter Commencement Spring/Summer 2025 Friday, August 1, 2025 August 15, 2025 Summer 2025 December 2025 Winter Commencement April 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises May 2026 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding) December 2025 Winter Commencement Spring/Summer 2025 (Grace Period) Monday, September 15, 2025 December 13, 2025 Fall 2025 December 2025 Winter Commencement May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises December 2025 Winter Commencement Fall 2025 Friday, November 14, 2025 December 13, 2025 Fall 2025 December 2025 Winter Commencement May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises December 2025 Winter Commencement Fall 2025 (Grace Period) Tuesday, January 27, 2026 May 2, 2026 Winter 2026 May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises May 2026 Spring Commencement (does not include hooding) May 2026 Rackham Graduate Exercises