Academic Calendar
Spring Semester 2027

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 11, 2027 FIRST DAY OF CLASSES - START OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
BEGINNING OF INSTRUCTION
Monday - Friday, January 11 - 22, 2027 Spring Registration Continues: Late Registration continues for undergraduate, graduate, and visiting students; Late Registration Fee increases to $125
Friday, January 15, 2027 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in previous Fall semester
Monday, January 18, 2027 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, January 22, 2027 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 29, 2027 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 70% refund of tuition
Friday, February 5, 2027 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 60% refund of tuition
Thursday - Friday, February 11 - 12, 2027 SPRING RECESS (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, February 12, 2027 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 50% refund of tuition
Wednesday, February 17, 2027 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 19, 2027 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 40% refund of tuition
Friday, February 26, 2027 Deadline: Last day to drop (full-term) courses online via ESTHER
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 candidates to file the following applicable forms in the Office of the 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
Monday, March 1, 2027 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 5, 2027 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 20% refund of tuition
Friday, March 12, 2027 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 13 - 21, 2027 SPRING BREAK (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, March 26, 2027 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 2027 Course Schedule published to courses.rice.edu
Fall Registration: Course Request Period begins for undergraduate students
Wednesday, March 31, 2027 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Fall to 1545txt@follett.com
Friday, April 9, 2027 Fall Registration: Course Request Period ends for undergraduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Monday, April 12, 2027 Fall Registration: Course Registration begins for currently enrolled undergraduate professional (BArch) and graduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 14, 2027 Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for undergraduate students at 7:00 a.m.
Friday, April 16, 2027 Deadline: Last day to register for the upcoming Fall semester without a $75 Late Registration Fee
Saturday, April 17, 2027 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 23, 2027 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 23, 2027 LAST DAY OF CLASSES
END OF INSTRUCTION
Saturday - Tuesday, April 24 - 27, 2027 Study Days (NO EXAMS)
Wednesday, April 28, 2027 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 28 - May 4, 2027 Final Examinations for all undergraduate courses
Tuesday, May 4, 2027 END OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
Friday, May 7, 2027 GRADUATION: Rice University's 114th Commencement
  • Jones School (MBA) Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Afternoon)
Saturday, May 8, 2027 GRADUATION: Rice University's 114th Commencement
  • Doctoral Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Morning)
  • Advanced Degree Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Afternoon)
  • Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
    Rice Stadium (Evening)

Please visit commencement.rice.edu for more information

Wednesday, May 12, 2027 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Spring semester final grades for all students online via ESTHER by 5:00 p.m.
Friday, May 14, 2027 Deadline: (May Degree Candidates only) Last day to convert a "Pass/Fail" to an earned letter grade for courses taken in Spring semester
Monday, May 24, 2027 GRADUATION: Degrees Awarded for May (Spring) degree recipients
{with a degree conferral date of May 8, 2027}
Friday, June 11, 2027 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester
Friday, July 2, 2027 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 for graduate-level August (Summer) degree candidates to file the following applicable forms in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (see 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 28, 2027 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 13, 2027 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 an August (Summer) degree conferral
Friday, August 27, 2027 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester