Academic Calendar Fall Semester 2021

Updated and Revised

Date Event
Sunday - Saturday, August 15-21, 2021 Orientation Week for New Students
Monday, August 16, 2021 Fall Registration: Course Request Period begins for incoming undergraduate students
Thursday, August 19, 2021 Deadline: Course Request Period ends for incoming undergraduate students at 12:00 p.m.
Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for incoming graduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for incoming undergraduate students at 7:00 p.m.
Monday, August 23, 2021 FIRST DAY OF CLASSES - START OF THE FALL SEMESTER
BEGINNING OF INSTRUCTION
Monday - Tuesday, August 23-24, 2021 Update (on 08/19/2021): Semester Course Preparation Days (two days dedicated to provide additional preparation time for course delivery (due to notice of mode-of-instruction change for all courses to online through Friday, Sept. 3rd))
Monday - Friday, August 23-27, 2021 Fall Registration Continues: Registration continues for undergraduate, graduate, and visiting students
Friday, August 27, 2021 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in previous Spring semester
Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) and "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in previous Summer semester
Friday, September 3, 2021 (Update on 08/23/2021):The deadlines below, all normally associated with Week 2 of the full-term semester have been extended 1 week (to Friday, September 10, 2021)
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 Spring or Summer 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
Monday, September 6, 2021 LABOR DAY (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, September 10, 2021 Deadline (Update on 08/23/2021): Last day to add courses online via ESTHER
Deadline (Update on 08/23/2021): Last day to adjust variable credit for courses online via ESTHER
Deadline (Update on 08/23/2021): Last day to complete late registration online via ESTHER
Deadline (Update on 08/23/2021): Last day to convert a "Pass/Fail" to an earned letter grade for courses taken in previous Spring or Summer semester
Deadline (Update on 08/20/2021): Last day to withdraw from the university with a 100% refund of tuition and fees
Deadline (Update on 08/20/2021): Last day for tuition adjustment for part-time students
Friday, September 17, 2021 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 60% refund of tuition
Friday, September 24, 2021 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 50% refund of tuition
Thursday, September 30, 2021 Deadline: Last day to submit New Course Request Forms to the Academic Deans for SCRC review (for new courses in the upcoming Spring semester)
Friday, October 1, 2021 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 40% refund of tuition
Friday, October 8, 2021 Deadline: Last day to drop courses online via ESTHER (full-term courses)
Update (on 10/07/2021): The "last day to drop courses online via ESTHER (full-term courses)" deadline has been extended 3 weeks (to Friday, October 29, 2021)
Deadline: Last day to designate as "Audit" a course in which one is currently registered for credit (via Special Registration Form - Instructor Permission Required)
Update (on 10/07/2021): The "last day to designate as "Audit" a course in which one is currently registered for credit" deadline has been extended 3 weeks (to Friday, October 29, 2021)
Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Mid-Semester Grades for first-year undergraduate students online via ESTHER
Deadline: College course plans due to Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) for following Spring semester
Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 30% refund of tuition
Monday - Tuesday, October 11-12, 2021 MIDTERM RECESS (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, October 15, 2021 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 20% refund of tuition
Friday, October 22, 2021 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 10% refund of tuition
Friday, October 29, 2021 Deadline (Updated 10/07/2021): Last day to drop courses online via ESTHER (full-term courses)
Update (on 10/29/2021): The "last day to drop courses online via ESTHER (full-term courses)" deadline has been extended to the last day of classes (to Friday, December 3, 2021), with dropped courses processed (between 11/01-12/03/2021) as "late drops" and reflected with a "W" on the student's academic transcript
Deadline (Updated 10/07/2021): 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 to designate a full-term course status to "Pass/Fail" option
Update (on 10/29/2021): The "last day to designate a full-term course status to "Pass/Fail" option" deadline has been extended (to Friday, December 3, 2021)
Graduation Deadline: Last day for undergraduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for December (Fall) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER
Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level students to submit a paper Application for Degree (accessible in ESTHER) for December (Fall) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar either in-person or via email to registrar@rice.edu
Graduation Deadline: Last day for undergraduate-level December (Fall) degree candidates to declare any additional major, minor or university certificates, if applicable
Graduation Deadline: Last day for undergraduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree for May (Spring) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER
Graduation Deadline: Last day for graduate-level December (Fall) degree candidatesto file the following in-person and in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for December (Fall) degree conferral:
  • Thesis masters candidacy petitions
  • Certification of non-thesis masters
  • Form for candidacy masters
  • Ph.D. candidacy petitions

Spring Registration: Spring 2022 Course Schedule Published to courses.rice.edu
Spring Registration: Course Request Period begins for undergraduate students
Wednesday, November 10, 2021 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Spring to 1545txt@follett.com
Friday, November 12, 2021 Spring Registration: Course Request Period ends for undergraduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Monday, November 15, 2021 Spring Registration: Spring Registration begins for currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate professional (BArch) students at 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 Spring Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for undergraduate students at 7:00 a.m.
Friday, November 19, 2021 Deadline: Last day to register for the upcoming Spring semester by 5:00 p.m. without a Late Registration Fee
Saturday, November 20, 2021 Late Registration Begins: Continuing students that have not registered for any Spring classes are charged a Late Registration Fee to add classes
Wednesday - Friday, November 24-26, 2021 THANKSGIVING RECESS (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, December 3, 2021 LAST DAY OF CLASSES
END OF INSTRUCTION
Friday, December 3, 2021 Deadline (Updated 10/29/2021): Last day to designate a full-term course status to "Pass/Fail" option
Deadline (Updated 10/29/2021): Last day to late drop courses online via ESTHER (full-term courses), with dropped courses processed (between 11/01-12/03/2021) as "late drops" and reflected with a "W" on the student's academic transcript
Deadline: Last day to drop courses (for 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: For a December (Fall) degree conferral, students must submit thesis to the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies by 12:00 noon
Saturday - Tuesday, December 4-7, 2021 Study Days - NO EXAMS
Tuesday, December 7, 2021 GRADUATION - Convocation Ceremony for Summer and Fall 2021 degree recipients - for information please visit ceremony.rice.edu
Wednesday - Tuesday, December 8-14,
2021
Final Examinations for all undergraduate courses
Friday, December 10, 2021 Summer Registration: Summer Registration begins for currently enrolled degree-seeking Rice undergraduate and graduate students via ESTHER
Applications: Visiting student application process opens for Summer 2022
Tuesday, December 14, 2021 END OF THE FALL SEMESTER
Wednesday, December 22, 2021 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Fall semester Final Grades for all students online via ESTHER