Academic Calendar Spring Semester 2024

All dates and deadlines (noted below) are for semester full-term courses. PLEASE NOTE: Part of Term Courses have different dates and deadlines that are posted on the Part of Term Courses web page.

Date Event
Monday, January 8, 2024 FIRST DAY OF CLASSES - START OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
BEGINNING OF INSTRUCTION
Monday - Friday, January 8 - 19, 2024 Spring Registration Continues: Late Registration continues for undergraduate, graduate, and visiting students; Late Registration Fee increases to $125
Friday, January 12, 2024 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in previous Fall semester
Monday, January 15, 2024 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, January 19, 2024 Deadline: Last day to add courses online via ESTHER
Deadline: Last day to adjust variable credit for courses online via ESTHER
Deadline: Last day to complete late registration online via ESTHER
Deadline: Last day to convert a "Pass/Fail" to an earned letter grade for courses taken in previous Fall semester
Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in previous Fall semester
Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 100% refund of tuition and fees
Deadline: Last day for tuition adjustment for part-time students
Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for May (Spring) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER
Friday, January 26, 2024 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 70% refund of tuition
Friday, February 2, 2024 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 60% refund of tuition
Thursday, February 8, 2024 All classes normally held on Monday meet; This Thursday Spring Recess day to be used for classes on Mondays in Spring 2024 (to balance for Solar Eclipse Day (Mon., April 8); per Faculty Senate decision (12/01/2021)
Friday, February 9, 2024 SPRING RECESS (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, February 9, 2024

Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 50% refund of tuition

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Graduation Deadline: Last day for Rice faculty Official Certifiers to review, submit petitions, and certify undergraduate and graduate-level May (Spring) degree candidates via Degree Works
Friday, February 16, 2024 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 40% refund of tuition
Friday, February 23, 2024 Deadline: Last day to drop courses online via ESTHER (full-term courses)
Deadline: Last day to designate as "Audit" a course in which one is currently registered for credit (via Special Registration Form - Instructor Permission Required)
Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Mid-Semester Grades for first-year undergraduate students online via ESTHER
Deadline: College course plans due to the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) for following Fall semester
Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Summer to 1545txt@follett.com
Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 30% refund of tuition
Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level May (Spring) degree to file the following applicable forms in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (see GPS Forms page) for May (Spring) degree conferral:
  • Thesis Master's Candidacy Petition Form
  • Non-Thesis Master's Petition for Certification Form
  • Candidacy Master's Degree Form
  • Doctoral Candidacy Petition Form
Friday, March 1, 2024 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 20% refund of tuition
Deadline: Last day to submit New Course Request Forms to the Academic Deans for SCRC review (for new courses in the upcoming Fall semester)
Friday, March 8, 2024 Deadline: Last day for second-year undergraduate students to formally declare their official major with the Office of the Registrar via a Declaration of Major Form
Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 10% refund of tuition
Saturday - Sunday, March 9 - 17, 2024 SPRING BREAK (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, March 22, 2024 Deadline: Last day to designate a full-term course status to "Pass/Fail" option
Deadline: Last day to drop courses (for 1st year, 2nd semester (previous Fall) undergraduate matriculants only). Students must go to the Office of the Registrar or submit the Special Registration Form to registrar@rice.edu by 4:00 p.m.
Graduation Deadline: Last day for undergraduate-level May (Spring) degree candidates to declare any additional major, minor or university certificates, if applicable
Fall Registration: Fall 2024 Course Schedule published to courses.rice.edu
Fall Registration: Course Request Period begins for undergraduate students
Wednesday, March 27, 2024 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Fall to 1545txt@follett.com
Friday, April 5, 2024 Fall Registration: Course Request Period ends for undergraduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Monday, April 8, 2024 SOLAR ECLIPSE DAY: No Scheduled Classes
Monday, April 8, 2024 Fall Registration: Fall Registration begins for currently enrolled graduate, and undergraduate professional (BArch) students at 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for undergraduate students at 7:00 a.m.
Friday, April 12, 2024 Deadline: Last day to register for the upcoming Fall semester without a $75 Late Registration Fee
Saturday, April 13, 2024 Late Registration Begins: Continuing students that have not registered for any Fall classes are charged a $75 Late Registration Fee to add classes
Friday, April 19, 2024 Deadline: Last day to drop courses (for Spring undergraduate matriculants only) - students must go to the Office of the Registrar or submit the Special Registration Form to registrar@rice.edu by 4:00 p.m.

Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit thesis in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for May (Spring) degree conferral by 12:00 noon

Friday, April 19, 2024 LAST DAY OF CLASSES
END OF INSTRUCTION
Saturday - Tuesday, April 20 - 23, 2024 Study Days (NO EXAMS)
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 Graduation Deadline: Last day for academic departments to submit to the Provost's Office (c/o the office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry) their proposed list of degree candidates to receive the university honor of Distinction in Research and Creative Work
Wednesday - Tuesday, April 24 - 30, 2024 Final Examinations for all undergraduate courses
Tuesday, April 30, 2024 END OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
Friday, May 3, 2024 GRADUATION: Rice University's 111th Commencement
  • Jones School (MBA) Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Afternoon)
Saturday, May 4, 2024 GRADUATION: Rice University's 111th Commencement
  • Doctoral Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Morning)
  • Advanced Degree Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Afternoon)
  • Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
    Rice Football Stadium (Evening)

Please visit commencement.rice.edu for more information

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Spring semester final grades for all students online via ESTHER by 5:00 p.m.
Friday, May 10, 2024 Deadline: (May Undergraduate Degree Candidates only) Last day to convert a "Pass/Fail" to an earned letter grade for courses taken in Spring semester
Monday, May 20, 2024 GRADUATION: Degrees awarded for May (Spring) degree recipients
{with a degree conferral date of May 4, 2024}
Friday, June 7, 2024 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester
Friday, June 28, 2024 Graduation Deadline: Last day for all undergraduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for an August (Summer) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER
Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for August (Summer) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER
Graduation Deadline: Last day to file for graduate-level August (Summer) degree candidates to file the following applicable forms in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (see GPS Forms page) for August (Summer) degree conferral:
  • Thesis Master's Candidacy Petition Form
  • Non-Thesis Master's Petition for Certification Form
  • Candidacy Master's Degree Form
  • Doctoral Candidacy Petition Form
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Graduation Deadline: Last day for Rice faculty Official Certifiers to review, submit petitions, and certify undergraduate and graduate-level August (Summer) degree candidates via Degree Works
Friday, August 9, 2024 Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit thesis in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for August (Summer) degree conferral by 12:00 noon
Graduation Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester (by Summer degree candidates) for (Summer degree candidates)
Friday, August 30, 2024 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester