GSAS Academic & Events Calendars
The GSAS Academic Calendar provides a schedule of important events and deadlines specific to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The GSAS Events Calendar, which includes academic and social activities related to the Graduate School, is located at the bottom of the page.
For additional calendars, including the College's Five-Year Academic Calendar, see College Calendars.
GSAS Academic Calendar
Fall 2026
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Aug. 26 | GSAS New Student Orientation |
| Aug. 27 | GSAS TA Orientation |
| Aug. 28 - Sept. 10 | Registration and Add/Drop Period |
| Aug. 31 | Deadline to enroll in (or waive) Bryn Mawr College Student Health Insurance. |
| Aug. 31 | Classes begin. |
| Sept. 7 | Labor Day (no classes) |
| Sept. 25 | Deadline to change incomplete grades from the 2025-2026 academic year to S or U. |
| Oct. 8 | Deadline to apply for M.A. Candidacy for a December degree via the M.A. Candidacy Form. |
| Oct. 8 | Deadline to finalize dates for a Fall 2026 preliminary examination. Note: all preliminary exams must be completed by November 13. |
| Oct. 8 | Deadline to apply for Ph.D. Candidacy for students planning to take their preliminary exams in Spring 2027 via the Ph.D. Candidacy Form. |
| Oct. 10-18 | Fall Break (no classes) |
| Oct. 22 | Deadline for GGACHA students to submit a dissertation for a December degree via the Pre-Defense Dissertation Submission Form. Note: Dissertations must be submitted at least 6 weeks prior to the scheduled defense date, and no later than October 22, 2026. |
| Nov. 2-13 | Registration for Spring 2027 |
| Nov. 13 | Deadline to complete preliminary exams for Fall 2026. |
| Nov. 16 | Deadline for GGSM students to submit a dissertation for a December degree via the Pre-Defense Dissertation Submission Form. Note: Dissertations must be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the scheduled defense date, and no later than November 16, 2026. |
| Nov. 20 | Deadline for GGACHA students to apply for financial support renewal for 2027-2028 via the Financial Support Application. |
| Nov. 26-29 | Thanksgiving Break (no classes) |
| Dec. 3 | Deadline to take a Final Oral Examination (Dissertation Defense) for a December degree. |
| Dec. 10 | Last day of classes at Bryn Mawr |
| Dec. 10 | Deadline to complete an M.A. Final Examination for a December degree. |
| Dec. 14 | Deadline to deposit a dissertation for a December degree. |
| Dec. 16 | Deadline for GGACHA students to apply for Curatorial fellowships via the online Curatorial Fellowship Application. |
| Dec 16 | Deadline for GGACHA to submit supplemental materials for competitive fellowships for 2026-2027. |
| Dec. 18 - Jan. 18 | Winter Break |
| Dec. 24 - Jan. 5 | GSAS Office closed. |
Spring 2027
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan. 20 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day observed (no classes) |
| Jan. 15-27 | Registration & Add/Drop Period |
| Jan. 19 | First day of classes |
| Feb. 27 | Deadline to finalize dates for a Spring 2027 preliminary examination. Note: all preliminary exams must be completed by April 15, 2027. |
| Mar. 5 | Deadline to apply for M.A. Candidacy for a December Degree via the M.A. Candidacy Form. |
| Mar. 5 | Deadline to apply for Ph.D. Candidacy for students planning to take their preliminary exams in Fall 2027 via the Ph.D. Candidacy Form. |
| Mar. 15 | Deadline for GGACHA students to submit a dissertation for a December degree via the Pre-Defense Dissertation Submission Form. Note: Dissertations must be submitted at least 6 weeks prior to the scheduled defense date, and no later than Mar 15, 2026. |
| Mar. 7 - 14 | Spring Break (no classes) |
| Apr. 5 | Deadline for GGSM students to submit a dissertation for a December degree via the Pre-Defense Dissertation Submission Form. Note: Dissertations must be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the scheduled defense date, and no later than April 5, 2027. |
| Apr. 5-16 | Registration for Fall 2027 |
| Apr. 14 | Deadline to complete preliminary exams for Spring 2027. |
| Apr. 30 | Deadline to take Ph.D. Final Oral Examination (Dissertation Defense) for a May degree. |
| Apr. 30 | Last day of classes at Bryn Mawr. |
| May 6 | Deadline to complete an M.A. Final Examination for a May degree. |
| May 10 | Deadline to deposit a dissertation for a December degree. |
| May 14 | Graduate Commencement Ceremony |
GSAS Events Calendar
(click above to open the Events Calendar in a new window)