Application Deadlines
- Fall quarter: July 15
- Winter quarter: October 15
- Spring quarter: January 15
- Summer quarter: April 15
Academic Calendar
Below you will find important dates for graduate programs at SPS. Prospective students should note the application deadlines, and current students can find quarter start dates and registration deadlines on our calendar. For more information on the refund schedule, please see the Refund Schedule at the Student Finance website where you can also utilize the Withdrawal Calculator.
Graduate Quarter Start Dates
2026–27 Academic Year
- Fall quarter: September 23, 2026
- Winter quarter: January 5, 2027
- Spring quarter: March 29, 2027
- Summer quarter: June 21, 2027
Applications are accepted year round and are reviewed by the faculty admissions committee once per quarter. The exceptions are the full-time Accelerated MA in Public Policy and Administration, Accelerated MS in Information Systems, and Accelerated MS in Data Science programs which review applications in December and January for the following fall quarter program start. Applicants will be notified of their admission status approximately four weeks after the deadline.
2026–27 Academic and Holiday Calendar
Archived academic calendars from previous years can be found here.
September 2026 |
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Friday, September 4, 2026 |
Summer 2026 degrees awarded. |
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Monday, September 7, 2026 |
Labor Day (no classes) |
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Tuesday, September 8, 2026 |
Deadline to submit the Intent to Register form (for 499, 579, 580) and Thesis Registration form (for 589 and 590) and all other special registration requests for Fall Quarter registration by 5pm. Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses. |
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Tuesday, September 22, 2026 |
Students who drop a class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition. |
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Wednesday, September 23, 2026 |
Fall Quarter on-campus and online classes begin. |
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Tuesday, September 29, 2026 |
End of Fall Quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students |
October 2026 |
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Thursday, October 15, 2026 |
Application for readmission for Winter Quarter due. Application for admission for Winter Quarter due. |
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Friday, October 23, 2026 |
Application for a Degree due to the SPS Registrar’s Office to receive a December degree. |
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Friday, October 30, 2026 |
Last day to drop a Fall course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript. Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term.) |
November 2026 |
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Monday, November 16, 2026 |
Registration for Winter quarter opens in CAESAR. |
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Friday, November 20, 2026 |
Last day to withdraw from a Fall 2026 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript.) |
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Wednesday, November 25, 2026 |
Thanksgiving break (No sync sessions for online classes). |
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Thursday, November 26, 2026 |
Thanksgiving break (no sync sessions for online classes). |
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Friday, November 27, 2026 |
Thanksgiving break (no sync sessions for online classes). |
| Saturday, November 28, 2026 | Thanksgiving break (no sync sessions for online classes). |
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Sunday, November 29, 2026 |
Thanksgiving break (no sync sessions for online classes). |
December 2026 |
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Friday, December 4, 2026 |
All thesis requirements and approvals due by 5pm for students completing 590 Thesis to receive a December degree. |
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Saturday, December 12, 2026 |
Official end of quarter |
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Monday, December 14, 2026 |
Fall quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm. Deadline to submit the Intent to Register (for 499, 579, 580) and Thesis Registration form (for 589 and 590) form and all other special registration requests for winter quarter registration by 5pm. Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses. |
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Friday, December 18, 2026 |
Fall 2026 degrees awarded. |
| Thursday, December 24, 2026 | Winter recess, Northwestern University closed |
| Friday, December 25, 2026 | Winter recess, Northwestern University closed |
| Monday, December 28, 2026 | Winter recess, Northwestern University closed |
| Tuesday, December 29, 2026 | Winter recess, Northwestern University closed |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2026 | Winter recess, Northwestern University closed |
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Thursday, December 31, 2026 |
Winter recess, Northwestern University closed |
January 2027 |
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Friday, January 1, 2027 |
New Year's Day, Northwestern University closed |
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Sunday, January 3, 2027 |
Students who drop a class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition. |
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Monday, January 4, 2027 |
Winter quarter on-campus and online classes begin. |
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Friday, January 8, 2027 |
End of Winter quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students may not add a class after this date. |
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Friday, January 15, 2027 |
Application for readmission for Spring quarter due. Application for admission for Spring quarter due. |
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Monday, January 18, 2027 |
Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no classes (No sync sessions for online classes). |
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Friday, January 22, 2027 |
Application for a Degree due to the SPS Registrar’s Office to receive a March degree. |
February 2027 |
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Friday, February 12, 2027 |
Last day to drop a Winter course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript. Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term. ) |
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Monday, February 22, 2027 |
Registration for Spring Quarter opens in CAESAR. |
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Friday, February 26, 2027 |
Application for a Degree due to the SPS Registrar’s Office to receive a June degree. |
March 2027 |
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Friday, March 5. 2027 |
Last day to withdraw from a Winter 2027 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript.) |
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Friday, March 12, 2027 |
All thesis requirements and approvals due by 5pm for students completing 590 Thesis to receive a March degree. |
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Monday, March 15, 2027 |
Deadline to submit the Intent to Register (for 499, 579, 580) and Thesis Registration form (for 589 and 590) form and all other special registration requests for Spring Quarter registration by 5pm. Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses. |
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Saturday, March 20, 2027 |
Official end of quarter. |
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Monday, March 22, 2027 |
Winter Quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm. |
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Friday, March 26, 2027 |
Winter 2027 degrees awarded. |
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Sunday, March 28, 2027 |
Students who drop a class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition. |
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Monday, March 29, 2027 |
Spring Quarter SPS evening on-ground and online classes begin. |
April 2027 |
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Friday, April 2, 2027 |
End of Spring Quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students may not add a class after this date. |
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Monday, April 5, 2027 |
Registration for Summer Quarter begins. |
| Thursday, April 15, 2027 |
Application for program transfer for Summer quarter due. Application for readmission for Summer quarter due. Application for admission for Summer quarter due. |
May 2027 |
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Friday, May 7, 2027 |
Last day to drop a spring course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript. Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term.) |
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Friday, May 28, 2027 |
Last day to withdraw from a Spring 2027 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript.) |
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Monday, May 31, 2027 |
Memorial Day; Northwestern University closes (No sync sessions for online classes). |
June 2027 |
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Friday, June 4, 2027 |
All thesis requirements and approvals must be complete for students completing 590 Thesis to receive a June degree. |
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Monday, June 7, 2027 |
Deadline to submit the Intent to Register (for 499, 579, 580) and Thesis Registration form (for 589 and 590) form and all other special registration requests for Summer Quarter by 5pm. Deadline to submit Graduate Change of Registration form for non-SPS (WCAS) courses. Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses. |
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Saturday, June 12, 2027 |
Official end of quarter. |
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Sunday, June 13, 2027 |
School of Professional Studies Convocation Ceremony. |
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Monday, June 14, 2027 |
Commencement for all Northwestern graduates. |
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Tuesday, June 15, 2027 |
Spring Quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm. |
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Friday, June 18, 2027 |
Juneteenth Observed (no classes). |
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Sunday, June 20, 2027 |
Students who drop a class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition. |
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Monday, June 21, 2027 |
Spring 2026 degrees awarded. Summer Quarter on-campus and online classes begin. |
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Friday, June 25, 2027 |
End of Summer quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students may not add a class after this date. |
July 2027 |
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Monday, July 5, 2027 |
Independence Day; Northwestern University closed (no sync sessions for online classes). |
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Monday, July 12, 2027 |
Registration for Fall 2027 quarter opens in CAESAR. |
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Thursday, July 15, 2027 |
Application for program transfer for Fall Quarter due. Application for Readmission for Fall Quarter due. Application for admission for Fall Quarter due. |
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Friday, July 16, 2027 |
Application for a Degree due to the SPS Registrar’s Office to receive an August degree. |
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Friday, July 30, 2027 |
Last day to drop a summer course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript. Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term.) |
August 2027 |
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Friday, August 20, 2027 |
All thesis requirements and approvals due by 5pm for students completing 590 Thesis to receive an August degree. Last day to withdraw from a Summer 2027 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript.) |
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Saturday, August 28, 2027 |
Last day of Summer Quarter for on-campus classes and online classes. |
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Monday, August 30, 2027 |
Summer quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm. |
September 2027 |
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Friday, September 3, 2027 |
Summer 2027 degrees awarded. |