Academic Calendar
Spring Semester 2023

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 9, 2023 FIRST DAY OF CLASSES - START OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
BEGINNING OF INSTRUCTION
Monday - Friday, January 9 - 20, 2023 Spring Registration Continues: Late Registration continues for undergraduate, graduate, and visiting students; Late Registration Fee increases to $125
Friday, January 13, 2023 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in previous Fall semester
Monday, January 16, 2023 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY (HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, January 20, 2023 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 a paper Application for Degree (accessible in ESTHER) for May (Spring) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar either in-person or via email to registrar@rice.edu
Friday, January 27, 2023 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 70% refund of tuition
Friday, February 3, 2023 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 60% refund of tuition
Thursday - Friday, February 9 - 10, 2023 SPRING RECESS (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, February 10, 2023 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 50% refund of tuition
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 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 17, 2023 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 40% refund of tuition
Friday, February 24, 2023 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 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
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 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 3, 2023 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 20% refund of tuition
Friday, March 10, 2023 Deadline: Last day to withdraw from the university with a 10% refund of tuition
Saturday - Sunday, March 11 - 19, 2023 SPRING BREAK (NO SCHEDULED CLASSES)
Friday, March 24, 2023 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.
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
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 2023 Course Schedule published to courses.rice.edu
Fall Registration: Course Request Period begins for undergraduate students
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit textbook orders for upcoming Fall to 1545txt@follett.com
Friday, April 7, 2023 Fall Registration: Course Request Period ends for undergraduate students at 5:00 p.m.
Monday, April 10, 2023 Fall Registration: Fall Registration begins for currently enrolled graduate, and undergraduate professional (BArch) students at 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 Fall Registration: Add/Drop Period begins for undergraduate students at 7:00 a.m.
Friday, April 14, 2023 Deadline: Last day to register for the upcoming Fall semester without a $75 Late Registration Fee
Saturday, April 15, 2023 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 21, 2023 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 21, 2023 LAST DAY OF CLASSES
END OF INSTRUCTION
Saturday - Tuesday, April 22 - 25, 2023 Study Days (NO EXAMS)
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 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 26 - May 2, 2023 Final Examinations for all undergraduate courses
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 END OF THE SPRING SEMESTER
Friday, May 5, 2023 {NEW} GRADUATION: Rice University's 110th Commencement
  • Jones School (MBA) Commencement Ceremony
    Rice Stadium (7:00 p.m.)
Saturday, May 6, 2023 {NEW} GRADUATION: Rice University's 110th Commencement
  • Doctoral Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (9:00 a.m.)
  • Advanced Degree Commencement Ceremony
    Tudor Fieldhouse (2:00 p.m.)
  • Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
    Rice Stadium (7:00 p.m.)

Please visit commencement.rice.edu for more information

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit Spring semester final grades for all students online via ESTHER by 5:00 p.m.
Friday, May 12, 2023 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 22, 2023 GRADUATION: Degrees Awarded for May (Spring) degree recipients
Friday, June 9, 2023 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Other" (OT) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester
Friday, June 30, 2023 Graduation Deadline: Last day for all undergraduate-level students to submit an online Application for Degree (accessible in ESTHER) for an August (Summer) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar via ESTHER
Graduation Deadline: Last day for all graduate-level students to submit a paper Application for Degree (accessible in ESTHER) for August (Summer) degree conferral with the Office of the Registrar either in-person or via e-mail to registrar@rice.edu
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 26, 2023 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 11, 2023 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 25, 2023 Deadline: Last day for instructors to submit final grades to resolve "Incomplete" (INC) grades for courses taken in the Spring semester