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 website for more important TWU Academic Calendar dates.
CONFERENCE, SCHOLARSHIP & THESIS ITEMS |
DATE |
DESCRIPTION |
---|---|---|
WINTER THESIS DEFENCE BLACKOUT |
December 5, 2022 to January 6, 2023 |
Thesis defences will not be scheduled during this time. The blackout period is as a result of degree completion deadline, office closure, and limited faculty member availability to attend and to chair examinations during this time period. |
Completion of all post-defense requirements for December 31 conferral |
December 16, 2022 |
See Office of the Registrar for full and current details. |
WINTER BREAK 2022 |
December 19, 2022 to January 2, 2023 |
Office of Graduate Studies will be closed for two weeks over the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The office will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. |
Completion of all degree requirements for December 31 conferral |
December 31, 2022 |
See Office of the Registrar for full and current details. |
January 30, 2023 |
Story submissions due. 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 |
January 31, 2023 |
Graduate students must apply for graduation through the Office of the Registrar (OTR). See OTR website for full and current details. |
January 31, 2023 |
Registration due for participation in TWU’s 2023 3MT Competition on February 28, 2023. See Participants webpage for details and registration form. |
|
February 1, 2023 |
Internal deadline for applications, as set by the Agency. Eligibility open to graduates of Canadian institutions entering or enrolled in graduate or doctoral programs in Canada or elsewhere. |
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February 1, 2023 |
Internal deadline for applications, as set by the Agency. Eligibility open to graduates of Canadian institutions entering or enrolled in graduate or doctoral programs in the US or UK, within specific fields. |
|
Last day for thesis students to submit Supervisory Committee Approval (SCA) for participation in spring convocation |
January 27, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description and Forms & Procedures for current form. Forms must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Coordinator at GradStudies@twu.ca from a student's @mytwu.ca email. |
February 10, 2023 |
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 are welcome to apply. These awards enable students to undertake research training with a focus on workplace health and safety. |
|
Last date to submit Nominations for Third Reader (NTR) for May 31 conferral |
February 22, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description and Forms & Procedures for current form. |
February 28, 2023 |
See Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition for more details. Location: RGK, Rm 434 Time: 1:00-3:00 PM |
|
Last thesis defence date for participation in spring convocation |
March 10, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
Nominations for Graduate Valedictorian at spring convocation |
March 10, 2023 |
SGS programs may nominate students for eligibility to be the graduate valedictorian at the graduation ceremony. Nominations must be submitted in writing directly to GradStudies@twu.ca. See Forms & Procedures for current form. |
Completion of all degree requirements for participation in spring convocation |
March 24, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC) |
March 31, 2023 |
CERIC is a national charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and encourages the engagement of Canada’s full-time graduate students whose academic focus is in career development and/or related fields through the Graduate Student Engagement Program (GSEP). GSEP students can compete for the GSEP Award, which includes $1,000. |
Last day for thesis students to submit Supervisory Committee Approval (SCA) for May 31 conferral |
April 19, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description and Forms & Procedures for current form. |
Canada Graduate Scholarship-Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (CGS-MSFSS) |
May 6 and September 6 (annually) |
Internal application deadlines. The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements (CGS-MSFSS) Program supports high-calibre Canadian graduate students in building global linkages and international networks through the pursuit of exceptional research experiences at research institutions abroad. By accessing international scientific research and training, CGS-MSFSS recipients will contribute to strengthening the potential for collaboration between Canadian and foreign institutions. |
Last thesis defence date for May 31 conferral |
May 17, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
Completion of all degree requirements for May 31 conferral |
May 31, 2023 |
See Office of the Registrar for full and current details. |
Last date to submit Nominations for Third Reader (NTR) for participation in fall convocation |
June 16, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
Last day for students to submit Supervisory Committee Approval (SCA) for participation in fall convocation |
July 14, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
Apply for Graduation |
July 15, 2023 |
Graduate students must apply for graduation through the Office of the Registrar (OTR). See OTR website for full and current details. |
Last day for students to submit Supervisory Committee Approval (SCA) for participation in fall convocation |
July 15, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description and Forms & Procedures for current form. Forms must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Coordinator at GradStudies@twu.ca from a student's @mytwu.ca email. NOTE: Submission requirement is greater than the typical six weeks, as the Office of Graduate Studies office closure dates are not included in the minimum submission requirement. |
SUMMER THESIS DEFENCE BLACKOUT |
July and August 2023 |
Thesis defences will not be scheduled during this time. The blackout period is as a result of office closure and limited faculty member availability to attend and to chair examinations during this time period. |
SUMMER BREAK 2022 |
July 31 to August 18, 2023 |
Office of Graduate Studies will be closed for three weeks during the summer term. The office will reopen August 21. |
Canada Graduate Scholarship-Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (CGS-MSFSS) |
September 6 and May 6 (annually) |
Internal application deadlines. The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements (CGS-MSFSS) Program supports high-calibre Canadian graduate students in building global linkages and international networks through the pursuit of exceptional research experiences at research institutions abroad. By accessing international scientific research and training, CGS-MSFSS recipients will contribute to strengthening the potential for collaboration between Canadian and foreign institutions. |
Last date to submit Nominations for Third Reader (NTR) for Dec 31 conferral |
September 8, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
Last thesis defence date for participation in fall convocation |
September 15, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
Nominations for Graduate Valedictorian at fall convocation |
September 15, 2023 |
SGS programs may nominate students for eligibility to be the graduate valedictorian. Nominations must be submitted in writing directly to GradStudies@twu.ca. See Forms & Procedures for current form. |
Information Session for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D) Program |
September 19, 2023 |
Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Studies Coordinator will introduce prospective applicants to the CGS-M award and it's application process. |
September 28, 2023 |
Internal application deadline. Applicants seek endorsement from host institution to apply, prepare and submit application (institutions may have internal deadlines). Candidates must be nominated by a Canadian institution with a quota (i.e., a predetermined number of applications that can be put forward to the national competition) to host Vanier scholars. Candidates should only seek a nomination from the institution at which they want to study. The Government of Canada launched the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program in 2008 to strengthen Canada's ability to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health. Agency deadline for Vanier applications is November 2, 2021, and TWU's internal deadline is set five weeks in advance. |
|
Completion of all degree requirements for participation in fall convocation |
September 29, 2023 |
See Office of the Registrar for full and current details. |
Information Session for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s (CGS-M) Program |
October 5, 2023 |
Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Studies Coordinator will introduce prospective applicants to the CGS-M award and it's application process. |
October 17, 2023 |
Institutional deadline for submission of applications.
Applicants submitting directly to the Agency must apply by the Agency due date of October 17, 2022.
The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS D) program is a federal program of scholarships awarded through national competitions by the granting agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
Visit the CGS-D website for full and current details. |
|
Last day for students to submit Supervisory Committee Approval (SCA) for December 31 conferral |
October 20, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description and Forms & Procedures for current form. Forms must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Coordinator at GradStudies@twu.ca from a student's @mytwu.ca email. |
TBD (November 2023) |
Competition opens. 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. |
|
Workshop for Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s (CGS-M) Program |
November 2, 2023 |
Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Studies Coordinator will guide CGS-M applicants through the application process and answer FAQs.
As CGS-M applications cannot be revised after submission, workshop attendance is encouraged. |
December 1, 2023 |
Agency due date. 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. |
|
Last thesis defence date for December 31 conferral |
December 1, 2023 |
See Thesis Defence Timeline for description. |
WINTER THESIS DEFENCE BLACKOUT |
December 4, 2023 to January 8, 2024 |
Thesis defences will not be scheduled during this time. The blackout period is as a result of degree completion deadline, office closure, and limited faculty member availability to attend and to chair examinations during this time period. |
Completion of all post-defense requirements for December 31 conferral |
December 15, 2023 |
See Office of the Registrar for full and current details. |
WINTER BREAK |
December 18, 2023 to January 1, 2024 |
Office of Graduate Studies will be closed for two weeks over the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The office will reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2023. |
Completion of all degree requirements for December 31 conferral |
December 31, 2023 |
See Office of the Registrar for full and current details. |