For Current Students

AUGUST GRADUATION: If you graduate in August, then you retain student status over the summer, and can come back the following May if you would like to participate in the main University graduation ceremony.

For August graduation, the important dates are:

June 9: Dissertation/thesis formatting checks DUE for August 2025 graduation

July 3: Last day for PhD dissertation defenses for August 2025 graduation

July 14: Formal dissertation submission DUE for August 2025 graduation

JANUARY GRADUATION: If you graduate in January, you will be invited to participate in commencement celebrations in May. 

For January 2025 graduation, the important dates are:

November 4: Dissertation/thesis formatting checks DUE for January 2025 graduation

November 26: Last day for PhD dissertation defenses for January 2025 graduation

December 2: Formal dissertation submission DUE for January 2025 graduation

MAY GRADUATION: If you graduate in May, then you can participate in the main University graduation ceremony in May, but you lose your student status perhaps on the date of graduation, but likely by June 1. If you want to graduate in May and spend your summer at Notre Dame doing math, we can arrange for you to retain University status. If you plan to graduate in May, please let us know as early in the final semester as your plans are firm, because some of the steps involved are easier with advance knowledge.

For May 2025  graduation, the important dates are:

March 17: Dissertation/thesis formatting checks DUE for May 2025 graduation

April 7: Last day for PhD dissertation defenses for May 2025 graduation

April 14 : Formal dissertation submission DUE for May 2025 graduation

From the bottom of the Graduation page

Your readers should have 2-4 weeks to read and approve/reject your dissertation and may refuse to read it if they are not given sufficient time. Our Graduate Administrator (Gabrielle Cretcher) will need to send your committee a form to complete to this effect so please be sure she has a list of your committee members as soon as possible. She will need to request committee approval from the DGS (Misha Gekhtman) and make sure these technicalities are in order prior to your defense. Please note that admissions season is in full swing as of January 7, so schedules begin to fill up quickly for Faculty. Gabrielle is more than happy to help you schedule a time and location for your defense as well, but please narrow down a week or any specific days you prefer.

You may find it helpful to start by planning backwards based on when you want to defend. From that point you can plan to have your Dissertation to your committee 4 weeks prior and so on.

Note that the Graduation & Commencement page includes information about buying or renting the academic gowns which are needed for the May graduation ceremony. The key deadline  to be announced is the deadline for getting a gown, and also to be announced is the deadline for the Registrar’s Graduation Application, which is required for all graduating students, regardless of ceremony participation.

Please feel free to ask the Graduate Administrator (Gabrielle Cretcher) or DGS (Misha Gekhtman) for help.