Current Students
Steps to Graduation
The Division of Graduate Studies will help you navigate your time at SFSU and get you to graduation. Keep track of deadlines and key steps so you can prepare and progress in your graduate studies.
Advancement to Candidacy
Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) is a significant milestone as you make progress in your degree, comprised of completed and planned coursework that recognizes you are ready to complete your Culminating Experience. Please work with your department advisor to ensure you are on track for Advancement to Candidacy.
Culminating Experience
Graduate students must complete a Culminating Experience, which may include a thesis, dissertation, field study or applied research, creative works project, supervised field internship, seminar or comprehensive examination prior to graduation. A Proposal for the Culminating Experience (PCE) must be approved by Graduate Studies before enrolling in the culminating experience course.
Prepare your thesis, dissertation and creative works
Graduate students completing a thesis, dissertation, or written creative work must follow SFSU's formatting and accessibility guidelines. Graduate Studies must review and approve the formatting of your work before it can be submitted to the University Library. Review the all of the requirements and the submission steps before beginning this process.
Thesis/Dissertation Guidelines
Committee approval of Report of Completion
Once your Culminating Experience has been completed and approved, your committee will need to sign a Report of Completion form and/ or Certification of Approval form. Not every department requires a Report of Completion form. Please refer to your ATC form or contact your department for more information.
Report of Completion for Ed.D. in Educational Leadership
Apply for graduation
To earn your degree you must apply online, the evaluator will review your student record for degree eligibility. Your application also allows you to participate in the annual commencement ceremony.
Additional support
Deadlines
Deadlines are subject to change according to the academic calendar.
Term calendar and deadlines
| TERM CALENDAR DEADLINES | Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 |
Priority Registration for continuing students: (please check the enrollment appointment in your student center for specific date and time) | 4/13/2026 | 11/09/2026 |
| First Day of Instruction | 8/24/2026 | 1/25/2027 |
| Adding Classes | Permission numbers ARE required | 9/7/2026- 9/14/2026 | 2/8/2027- 2/15/2027 |
| Steps to Graduation Workshop | TBD | TBD |
Advancement to Candidacy and Proposal for Culminating Experience Form submission Forms are submitted the semester prior to enrollment in the Culminating Experience Course. | 10/1/2026 | 4/1/2027 |
| CSU Research Competition - Register by: | Spring only | TBD |
| Grad Slam / Thesis Talk - Register by: | Spring only | TBD |
| Graduate Research and Creative Works Showcase - Register by: | Spring only | TBD |
| Last day of Instruction | 12/11/2026 | 5/14/2027 |
Graduation deadlines
| Summer 2026 | Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | Summer 2027 | |
Priority graduation application period opens *Applying on time for graduation will ensure a preliminary degree evaluation. Visit Commencement website for Commencement Ceremony. | 2/1/2026 | |||
| Graduation application late fee | 7/10/2026 | |||
| Last day to apply for graduation to have your name included in the Commencement Booklet | 4/1/2026 | |||
| Thesis/Dissertation/WCW Formatting Q&A | N/A | |||
Preliminary format check Graduate Studies will conduct preliminary reviews of theses, dissertations & written creative works past the dates listed. However, to allow for necessary format revisions, early submissions are encouraged. | 7/10/2026 | |||
Final format check Final and approved (by all parties) Thesis (898), Dissertation (998) and Written Creative Works (893) need to be submitted to the library by this day. Early submissions of completed and approved works are encouraged to allow for necessary format revisions. | 8/7/2026 | |||
Graduation deadline (all coursework needs to be completed and submitted by this date). Final day to apply for graduation Proof of Completion deadline | 8/7/2026 |