Academic Calendar
Spring Semester 2029

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
Thursday, January 4, 2029 Spring Registration: Course Registration begins for new (incoming) graduate and undergraduate professional students (BArch) students at 5:00 p.m.
Monday, January 8, 2029 FIRST DAY OF CLASSES - START OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
BEGINNING OF INSTRUCTION
Monday - Friday, January 8 - 19, 2029 Spring Registration Continues: Late Registration continues for undergraduate, graduate, and visiting students; Late Registration Fee increases to $125
Friday, January 12, 2029 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in the previous Fall semester
Monday, January 15, 2029 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, January 19, 2029 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 the 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, 2029 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 70% refund of tuition
Friday, February 2, 2029 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 60% refund of tuition
Thursday - Friday, February 8 - 9, 2029 SPRING RECESS (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, February 9, 2029 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 50% refund of tuition
Wednesday, February 14, 2029 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, 2029 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 40% refund of tuition
Friday, February 23, 2029 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 by 5:00 p.m.
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, February 26, 2029 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 2, 2029 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 20% refund of tuition
Friday, March 9, 2029 Deadline: Last day for second-year undergraduate students to formally declare their official major - students must bring the signed Declaration of Major Form to the Office of the Registrar, or submit the form to registrar@rice.edu by 4:00 p.m.
Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 10% refund of tuition
Saturday - Sunday, March 10 - 18, 2029 SPRING BREAK (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, March 23, 2029 Deadline: Last day to designate a full-term course status to "Pass/Fail" option online via ESTHER
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 2028 Course Schedule published to courses.rice.edu
Fall Registration: Course Request Period begins for undergraduate students
Wednesday, March 28, 2029 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Fall to 1545txt@follett.com
Monday, April 2, 2029 Advising Day with Divisional Advisors to be held in the residential colleges from 11:45am - 1:15pm. More information here
Monday - Friday, April 2-6, 2029 Advising Week with departmental advising sessions. More information here
Friday, April 6, 2029 Fall Registration: Course Request Period ends for undergraduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Monday, April 9, 2029 Fall Registration: Course Registration begins for currently enrolled undergraduate professional (BArch) and graduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 11, 2029 Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for undergraduate students at 7:00 a.m.
Friday, April 13, 2029 Deadline: Last day to register for the upcoming Fall semester without a $75 Late Registration Fee
Saturday, April 14, 2029 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 20, 2029 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 20, 2029 LAST DAY OF CLASSES
END OF INSTRUCTION
Saturday - Tuesday, April 21 - 24, 2029 Study Days (NO EXAMS)
Wednesday, April 25, 2029 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 25 - May 1, 2029 Final Examinations for all undergraduate courses
Tuesday, May 1, 2029 END OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
Friday, May 4, 2029 GRADUATION: Rice University's 116th Commencement
  • Jones School (MBA) Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (Afternoon)
Saturday, May 5, 2029 GRADUATION: Rice University's 116th 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

Tuesday, May 8, 2029 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Spring semester final grades for all students online via ESTHER by 5:00 p.m.
Graduation Deadline: Last day for undergraduate and graduate-level May (Spring) degree candidates to submit non-Rice final transcript for transfer credit for May (Spring) degree conferral, if applicable
Friday, May 11, 2029 Graduation Deadline: Last day for undergraduate-level May (Spring) degree candidates to convert a "Pass/Fail" to an earned letter grade for courses taken in Spring semester
Monday, May 21, 2029 GRADUATION: Degrees Awarded for May (Spring) degree recipients
{with a degree conferral date of May 5, 2029}
Friday, June 8, 2029 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in the previous Spring semester
Friday, June 29, 2029 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 25, 2029 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 10, 2029 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 previous Spring semester (for Summer degree candidates)
Friday, August 24, 2029 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the previous Spring semester