Important Dates
Thesis Defense Timeline Planning: Note the office closures and blackout periods during the summer term and over winter break. Office closure dates are not included in the minimum submission requirement. There will be no thesis defenses during the blackout periods. Blackout dates are not included in the SCA validity period. Please contact GradStudies@twu.ca to determine your thesis submission deadline if your anticipated thesis date overlaps a blackout period or university holiday.
Dates subject to change. For the most current information, refer often to the table below.
See the Office of the Registrar webpage for more important TWU Academic Calendar dates.
| Conference, Scholarship & Thesis Items | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
SPRING 2025 | ||
| Applications for Mitacs | OPEN | Mitacs helps undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows access funding, source research placements in their chosen discipline, and gain invaluable hands-on experience by applying their expertise to real-world projects with leaders in industry and not-for-profit organizations. |
| Applications for Health Research BC | VARIES | Health Research BC offers a suite of targeted health research |
| Competition Launch for Canadian Nurses Foundation | Jan. 1 (annually) | The Canadian Nurses Foundation provides scholarships for nursing students across Canada at the baccalaureate, masters, and Ph.D. levels. |
WINTER RETURN | Jan. 6 | Office of Graduate Studies reopens. |
THESIS DEFENCE SCHEDULING for 2025 | Jan. 9, 2025 – May 30, 2025 | Master’s thesis defences anticipated for the 2025 year may be scheduled to occur between January 9 and May 30 or September 3 and December 19. |
| Story submissions due for SSHRC Storytellers | Jan. 16 | SSHRC’s Storytellers contest challenges postsecondary students to show Canadians, in three minutes or 300 words, how social sciences and humanities research is affecting our lives, our world and our future for the better. |
| Apply for graduation | Jan. 31 (annually) | See the Office of the Registrar for further details. |
| Applications due for Mackenzie King Open Scholarship | Feb. 1 (annually) | Eligibility open to graduates of Canadian institutions entering or enrolled in graduate or doctoral programs in Canada or elsewhere. |
| Applications due for Mackenzie King Travelling Scholarship | Feb. 1 (annually) | Eligibility open to graduates of Canadian institutions entering or enrolled in graduate or doctoral programs in the US or UK, within specific fields. |
| Submission of final master’s thesis for participation in spring convocation | Feb. 28 (annually) | See the Thesis Guidebook for further information and Forms & Procedures for current forms. |
| TWU's 2025 3MT Competition | March 5 | See Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition for more Event Contact: GradStudies@twu.ca Time: 1:00-3:00 PM Location: Library’s Glass Room |
| Applications due for Canadian Nurses Foundation | March 15 (annually) | The Canadian Nurses Foundation provides scholarships for nursing students across Canada at the baccalaureate, masters, and Ph.D. levels. |
| Grade entry due for participation in spring convocation | March (annually) | All final grades are due five weeks prior to the convocation date. |
| Competition Launch for Banting Post-Doctoral Fellowship | April (annually) | The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program provides The objective of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
|
SUMMER 2025 | ||
| Applications for Mitacs | OPEN | Mitacs helps undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows access funding, source research placements in their chosen discipline, and gain invaluable hands-on experience by applying their expertise to real world projects with leaders in industry and not-for-profit organizations. |
| Applications due for Canada Graduate Scholarship-Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (CGS-MSFSS) | May 6 & Sept. 29 (annually) | The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Michael Smith Foreign NOTE: TWU's institutional due date is five weeks in advance |
| Submission of final master’s thesis for May 31 conferral | May 16, 2025 | See the Thesis Guidebook for further information and Forms & Procedures for current forms. |
| NEW! Thesis Defence Info Session | May 22, 2025 | Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies, for students Event Contact: GradStudies@twu.ca Time: 12-1 p.m. Virtual Location: Zoom |
| Completion of all degree requirements for May 31 conferral | May 31 (annually) | See the Office of the Registrar for further details. |
SUMMER THESIS DEFENSE BLACKOUT | June, July & August (annually) | Thesis defences are not scheduled during this time. The blackout period is a result of office closures and limited faculty member availability to attend and to chair examinations during this time period. |
| Apply for graduation | July 15 (annually) | See the Office of the Registrar for further details. |
| Competition Launch for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D) Program | July (annually) | The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS D) Visit the CGS-D Overview webpage for further details. For where to apply, consult the CGS-D Application Applicants submitting directly to an agency must apply by The Office of Graduate Studies hosts a CGS-D Information |
SUMMER BREAK | TBD | Office of Graduate Studies is closed for three weeks during the summer term. |
| Competition Launch for CERIC Graduate Student Engagement Program | August (annually) | CERIC is dedicated to the advancement of education, research, and advocacy in the field of career counselling and development. |
| Submission of final master’s thesis for participation in fall convocation | Aug. 31 (annually) | See the Thesis Guidebook for further information and Forms & Procedures for current forms. |
FALL 2025 | ||
| Applications for Mitacs | OPEN | Mitacs helps undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows access funding, source research placements in their chosen discipline, and gain invaluable hands-on experience by applying their expertise to real-world projects with leaders in industry and not-for-profit organizations. |
| Applications for Health Research BC | VARIES | Health Research BC offers a suite of targeted health research funding programs. Using our program learning and improvement cycle, we continue to grow and evolve our health funding programs to ensure they meet the needs of BC’s life sciences sector. |
| Competition Launch for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s (CGS-M) Program | September (annually) | The objective of the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s (CGS M) program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies. Visit the CGS-M Overview webpage for further details. The Office of Graduate Studies hosts an CGS-M Information Session annually in October. See details below. |
THESIS DEFENCE SCHEDULING for Fall 2025 | Sept. 3, 2025 – Dec. 19, 2025 | Master’s thesis defences anticipated for the Fall 2025 semester may be scheduled to occur between Sept. 3 and Dec. 19. |
| Information Session for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D) Program | Sept. 11 | Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies. Interested applicants will learn about the CGS-M award and application process. Event Contact: GradStudies@twu.ca Time: 12-1 p.m. Virtual Location: MSTeams |
| Grade entry due for participation in fall convocation | September (annually) | All final grades are due five weeks prior to the convocation date. |
| Competition Launch for PEO International Peace Scholarship Fund | Sept. 15 (annually) | The International Peace Scholarship (IPS) Fund provides scholarships for international women students to pursue graduate study in the U.S. or Canada. |
| Applications due for Canada Graduate Scholarship-Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (CGS-MSFSS) | Sept. 29 & May 6 (annually) | The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Michael Smith Foreign NOTE: TWU's institutional due date is five weeks in advance |
| Applications due for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D) Program | Oct. 1 (annually) | The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS D) Visit the CGS-D Overview webpage for further details. This is TWU’s institutional due date for applicants who are For where to apply, consult the CGS-D Application |
| Information Session for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s (CGS-M) Program | Oct. 2 | Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies. Interested applicants will learn about the CGS-M award and application process. Time: 12-1 p.m. Virtual Location: MSTeams |
Applications due for | October TBD (annually) | CERIC is dedicated to the advancement of education, research, and advocacy in the field of career counselling and development. |
| Application workshop for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s (CGS-M) Program | October 30 | Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies. Applicants are guided through the application process. As CGS-M applications cannot be revised after submission, workshop attendance is encouraged. Event Contact: GradStudies@twu.ca Time: 12-1 p.m. Virtual Location: MSTeams |
| Competition Launch for Soroptimist Foundation Grants for Women Graduate Students | Nov. 1 (annually) | The Soroptimist Foundation of Canada annually offers several $8,500 grants to female graduate students in Canada who are pursuing careers that focus on improving the quality of women’s lives. Examples of such careers include, but are not limited to providing medical services, providing legal counselling and assistance, counselling mature women entering or re-entering the labour market, counselling women in crisis, counselling and training women for non-traditional employment, and positions in women’s centres. |
| Competition Launch for SSHRC Storytellers | November (annually) | SSHRC’s Storytellers contest challenges postsecondary students to show Canadians, in three minutes or 300 words, how social sciences and humanities research is affecting our lives, our world and our future for the better. |
| Applications due for WorkSafe BC Research Training Awards | November TBD (annually) | Research Training Awards are designed to foster the development of occupational health and safety research expertise in B.C. by supporting the training of new researchers today who will be able to help answer the critical research questions of tomorrow. Research Training Awards are available to highly qualified graduate students at the master’s and doctoral level. To qualify, applicants need to be engaged in a full-time graduate studies program with a B.C. university. International students who are attending a B.C. university are welcome to apply. These awards enable students to undertake research training with a focus on workplace health and safety. Research projects should align with WorkSafe BC’s research priorities and any of the topics below:
|
| Applications due for WorkSafe BC Ralph McGinn Postdoctoral Fellowship | November TBD (annually) | Ralph McGinn, former chair of the WorkSafeBC Board of Directors, was a lifelong advocate and leader in the field of occupational health and safety. To commemorate his tremendous contributions, the Ralph McGinn Postdoctoral Fellowship award was established in 2021. This award is designed to foster the development of occupational health and safety and work disability research in B.C. and Canada. The fellowship award supports doctoral graduates who are training for careers as academic researchers in occupational health and safety or work disability. The award is open to researchers holding a postdoctoral position at a Canadian university or research institution. Applicants must be within four years of completing their Ph.D. and commit to spending a minimum of 75 percent of their time on research activities. Research projects should be aligned with WorkSafeBC’s mandate and research priorities. |
| Applications due for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s (CGS-M) Program | Dec. 1 (annually) | The objective of the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s (CGS M) program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies. Visit the CGS-M Overview webpage for further details. |
| Submission of final master’s thesis for December 31 conferral | Dec. 5, 2025 | See the Thesis Guidebook for further information and Forms & Procedures for current forms. |
| 3MT Participant Registration | Dec. 12, 2025 | Students wanting to participate in TWU's 3MT Competition in the following spring semester must submit their registration form by this date. |
| Applications due for PEO International Peace Scholarship Fund | Dec. 15 (annually) | The International Peace Scholarship (IPS) Fund provides scholarships for international women students to pursue graduate study in the U.S. or Canada. |
WINTER BREAK | Dec. 22, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026 | The Office of Graduate Studies is closed for two weeks over the Christmas and New Year's holidays. |
WINTER THESIS DEFENCE BLACKOUT | Dec. 22, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026 | Thesis defences are not scheduled during this time. The blackout period is a result of the degree completion deadline, office closures, and limited faculty member availability to attend and to chair examinations during this time period. |
| Completion of all degree requirements for December 31 conferral | Dec. 31 (annually) | See the Office of the Registrar for further details. |
SPRING 2026 | ||
| Competition Launch for Canadian Nurses Foundation | Jan. 1 (annually) | The Canadian Nurses Foundation provides scholarships for nursing students across Canada at the baccalaureate, masters, and Ph.D. levels. |
| Applications for Mitacs | OPEN | Mitacs helps undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows access funding, source research placements in their chosen discipline, and gain invaluable hands-on experience by applying their expertise to real-world projects with leaders in industry and not-for-profit organizations. |
| Applications for Health Research BC | VARIES | Health Research BC offers a suite of targeted health research funding programs. Using our program learning and improvement cycle, we continue to grow and evolve our health funding programs to ensure they meet the needs of BC’s life sciences sector. |
WINTER RETURN | Jan. 5 | Office of Graduate Studies reopens. |
THESIS DEFENCE SCHEDULING for 2026 | Jan. 6, 2026 to May 29, 2026 | Master’s thesis defences anticipated for the 2026 year may be scheduled to occur between Jan. 6 and May 29 or Sept. 9 and Dec. 18. |
| Story submissions due for SSHRC Storytellers | January TBD (annually) | SSHRC’s Storytellers contest challenges postsecondary students to show Canadians, in three minutes or 300 words, how social sciences and humanities research is affecting our lives, our world and our future for the better. |
| Apply for graduation | Jan. 31 (annually) | See the Office of the Registrar for further details. |
| Applications due for Mackenzie King Open Scholarship | Feb. 1 (annually) | Eligibility open to graduates of Canadian institutions entering or enrolled in graduate or doctoral programs in Canada or elsewhere. |
| Applications due for Mackenzie King Travelling Scholarship | Feb. 1 (annually) | Eligibility open to graduates of Canadian institutions entering or enrolled in graduate or doctoral programs in the US or UK, within specific fields. |
| Submission of final master’s thesis for participation in spring convocation | Feb. 28 (annually) | See the Thesis Guidebook for further information and Forms & Procedures for current forms. |
| Grade entry due for participation in spring convocation | March (annually) | All final grades are due five weeks prior to the convocation date. |
| TWU's 2026 3MT Competition | March 4 | See Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition for more details. Event Contact: GradStudies@twu.ca Time: 1-3 p.m. Location: Library’s Glass Room |
| Applications due for Canadian Nurses Foundation | March 15 (annually) | The Canadian Nurses Foundation provides scholarships for nursing students across Canada at the baccalaureate, masters, and Ph.D. levels. |
