Academic Calendar Fall Semester 2015

Date Event
Friday, August 14, 2015 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in Summer 2015
Sunday - Friday, August 16-21, 2015 Orientation week for new students
Monday, August 24, 2015 FIRST DAY OF CLASSES - START OF THE FALL SEMESTER
Monday - Friday, August 24 - August 28, 2015 Fall Registration Continues: Registration continues for undergraduate, graduate, and visiting students
Friday, August 28, 2015 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve “Incompletes” (INC) grades for courses taken in Spring and Summer 2015
Friday, September 4, 2015

Deadline: Last day to complete late registration
Deadline: Last day to add courses (Please go to ESTHER to add courses)
Deadline: Last day to adjust variable credit for courses online via ESTHER
Deadline: Last day to designate a credit course as "Audit" or vice versa
Deadline: Last day to convert a “Pass/Fail” to an earned letter grade for courses taken in Spring or Summer 2015
Deadline: Last day for part-time students to receive a refund for tuition
Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 100% refund of tuition and fees
Monday, September 7, 2015 LABOR DAY (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, September 11, 2015 Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 70% refund of tuition
Friday, September 18, 2015 Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 60% refund of tuition
Friday, September 25, 2015 Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 50% refund of tuition
Wednesday, September 30, 2015 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for Spring 2016 to bookstore@rice.edu
Friday, October 2, 2015 Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 40% refund of tuition
Friday, October 9, 2015

Deadline: Last day to drop courses (Please go to ESTHER to drop courses)
Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Mid-semester Grades for first-year undergraduate students online via ESTHER
Deadline: College course plans due to Dean of Undergraduates office for Spring 2016
Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 30% refund of tuition
Monday - Tuesday, October 12 - 13, 2015 MIDTERM RECESS (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, October 16, 2015 Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 20% refund of tuition
Friday, October 23, 2015 Deadline: Last day to withdraw with a 10% refund of tuition
Friday, October 30, 2015

Deadline: Last day to designate a full-term course status to “Pass/Fail” option
Deadline: Last day to file an application for December 2015 degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar (Undergraduate and Graduate Students)
Deadline: Last day to file an application for a May 2016 degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar (Undergraduate Students only)
Deadline: Last day to file the following in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for December 2015 degree conferral: Thesis masters candidacy petitions; Certification of non-thesis masters; Form for candidacy masters; Ph.D. candidacy petitions
Monday, November 2, 2015

Spring Registration: Spring 2016 Course Schedule Published
Spring Registration: ESTHER Course Registration Planner opens for undergraduate students for Spring 2016 registration.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Spring semester classroom and lab software requests to edtech@rice.edu
Sunday, November 15, 2015 Deadline: ESTHER Course Registration Planner closes at 11:59 PM
Monday, November 16, 2015 Spring Registration: Spring 2016 registration begins for currently enrolled graduate and fifth-year students at 5:00 PM
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 Spring Registration: Spring 2016 ADD/DROP begins for currently enrolled undergraduate students at 7:00 AM
Friday, November 20, 2015 Deadline: Last day to register for Spring 2016 by 5:00 PM without a Late Registration Fee
Saturday, November 21, 2015 Late Registration Begins: Continuing students that have not registered for any classes are charged a Late Registration Fee to add classes
Thursday - Friday, November 26 - 27, 2015 THANKSGIVING RECESS (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, December 4, 2015

LAST DAY OF CLASSES
Deadline: Last day to drop courses (for Fall 2015 undergraduate matriculants only) - students must go to the Office of the Registrar by 5:00 PM
Deadline: For a mid-year conferral of degree, students must submit thesis to the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies by 12:00 noon
Saturday - Tuesday, December 5 - 8, 2015 STUDY DAYS - NO EXAMS
Wednesday - Wednesday, December 9 - 16, 2015 Final examinations for undergraduate courses
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 END OF THE FALL SEMESTER
Friday, December 25, 2015 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Final Grades online via ESTHER