Degree Information

Graduation 2022, students group shot
Graduation 2022, students group shot

APPLICATION FOR DEGREE

Students wishing to obtain a degree must formally apply within their my.harvard account. The link can be found on the Student Home page.  In unusual circumstances, late applications may be accepted for one week past the deadline only; a late fee of $50 will be applied to the student’s term bill.

If a student applies but does not receive the degree, they must submit a new application for the degree period they intend to graduate in.

Harvard Griffin GSAS DEGREE CALENDAR 2023-2024

Degree applications open on my.harvard on:

Degree applications on my.harvard are due on:

Dissertations are due on ProQuest ETD by 11:59 p.m. ET on:

Degree recommendations from programs are due on:

For a diploma for an advanced degree to be awarded on:

Friday, June 30, 2023

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 (Thursday, September 7, 2023*)

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Monday, October 2, 2023

Friday, December 1, 2023

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Monday, April 1, 2024

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Thursday, May 16, 2024

Thursday, May 23, 2024

*Students who wish to retain health coverage for the fall 2023 term (through January 31, 2024) and who would like to be charged accordingly should submit the dissertation ON September 7, 2023.

NOTE: Your stipend will end based on your dissertation submission date, not the date of diploma availability. If you submit your dissertation before the 15th of the month, the stipend will be terminated at the end of that month. If you submit your dissertation after the 15th of the month, the next month’s stipend will be the final month the student is paid, at the discretion of the advisor.

Please review the Steps to Degree website for more specific information about the November, March and May degree deadlines and links to forms.

Important to Note:

Registration and Tuition Requirements for Degree Candidates:
All degree candidates must register continuously until completion of the requirements for the degree.  PhD candidates must have paid two years of Full tuition and two years of Reduced tuition before receipt of the degree, unless they have completed the PhD in less than four years from initial registration.  All PhD candidates must pay the PhD fee, equal to facilities fee in their last term of registration (unless a higher tuition has been paid).   This final charge is billed when a student applies for the degree; unless the student has already paid the Facilities fee for the term.

  • For November degree candidates, the preceding spring term is considered the final term of enrollment.
  • For March degree candidates, the preceding fall term is considered the final term of enrollment.
  • For May degree candidates, the spring term in which they apply for their degree is considered the final term of enrollment (except for May degree candidates filing dissertations by very early February who do not register or pay tuition for the spring term).

Students who are uncertain whether they will finish in time for degrees in November or March are encouraged to register for the fall or spring terms respectively, either in residence or on leave of absence, to avoid late registration fees if they miss the degree deadlines.  Should they finish in time their registration for the term will be cancelled.

Student health insurance expires on the last day of coverage for the last term of enrollment. Please visit HUHS for more information. November degree candidates should visit the Harvard Griffin GSAS academic calendar for important deadlines and information regarding health coverage eligibility.

Delivery of the Dissertation Following the Examination

Following the defense examination, the student, with the help of the Dissertation Advisor, should make any necessary corrections to the thesis. It is then the student’s responsibility to submit a copy of their dissertation:

Harvard Griffin GSAS requires submission of one electronic copy of the dissertation, submitted online through the ETDs @ Harvard online submission tool to the FAS Registrar’s Office for approval for the degree. During the submission process, students are asked to upload a separate copy of the signed DAC, approve two license agreements, and complete two surveys (the Harvard Griffin GSAS Employment Exit Survey and the Survey of Earned Doctorates).

The electronic copy submitted must meet the specifications described in Formatting Your Dissertation. A dissertation that does not conform to the minimum standards set by Harvard Griffin GSAS may have to be reformatted and resubmitted. In that event, the degree cannot be awarded until a dissertation in satisfactory form is completed and deposited with the Registrar.

Students interested in printed and bound copies can order personal copies through Thesis on Demand.

For more information regarding the PhD Dissertation, please see this website: https://gsas.harvard.edu/academics/dissertations