The Institute of Buddhist Studies follows the academic calendar of the Graduate Theological Union, including registration and thesis filing dates and deadlines. Please visit the GTU website for the extended calendar which includes all dates, deadlines, holidays, and other events across the GTU consortium.
For more details about our course offerings, please review the extended course listings here.
For more information about our upcoming public events, view the event listings here.
Fall 2025
| Fall Semester, September 2 through December 12, 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Fall certificate program, special student, and auditor applications deadline | August 8 |
| IBS new and returning student orientation | August 23 |
| UCB instruction begins | August 27 |
| GTU orientation period, see GTU website for details | August 18-August 29 |
| New student registration/returning student late registration period | August 18-August 29 |
| Labor Day (administrative offices closed, no classes) | September 1 |
| IBS/GTU instruction begins | September 2 |
| Add/drop period; students may add/drop courses without charge | September 1-12 |
| Deadline to pay fall 2025 tuition | September 12 |
| Thesis defense deadline, to avoid fall 2025 registration and tuition charge | September 12 |
| WASC Accreditation Visit | September 24-26 |
| Thesis filing deadline, for fall 2025 graduation | October 1 |
| Reading week (no classes) | October 20-24 |
| Spring 2026 degree program application deadline | November 3 |
| Spring 2026 scholarship application deadline | November 3 |
| Returning student registration for Spring 2026 | November 3-14 |
| Annual memorial service | November 13 |
| Annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion in Boston, MA | November 22-25 |
| Thanksgiving Holiday (administrative offices closed, no classes) | November 27-28 |
| Jodo-e, Rohatsu, Bodhi Day, Buddha’s Enlightenment Day | December 8 |
| UCB instruction ends | December 12 |
| IBS/GTU semester ends; deadline to petition for incomplete | December 12 |
| IBS Winter Holiday (administrative offices closed) | December 25-January 1 |
| Deadline to make up an incomplete | January 2 |
| Deadline for faculty to submit grades for fall 2025 | January 2 |
Spring 2026
| Spring Semester, February 2 through May 22, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Returning student registration for Spring 2026 | November 3-14, 2025 |
| Spring certificate program, special student, and auditor applications deadline | January 9 |
| Shinran Shonin Memorial Day (administrative offices closed) | January 16 |
| Martin Luther King Day (administrative offices closed) | January 19 |
| UCB instruction begins | January 20 |
| New student registration/returning student late registration period | January 19-30 |
| IBS/GTU instruction begins | February 2 |
| Add/drop period; students may add/drop courses without charge | February 2-February 13 |
| Deadline to pay spring 2026 tuition | February 13 |
| Thesis defense deadline, to avoid spring 2026 registration and tuition charge | February 13 |
| BCA National Council Meeting (Northwest District) | February 13-15 |
| President's Day (administrative offices closed) | February 16 |
| Ryukoku Lecture Series | March, TBD |
| Deadline for degree program applications for AY2026-27 | March 2 |
| Reading week/spring break (no classes) | March 23-27 |
| Thesis filing deadline, for spring 2026 graduation | April 1 |
| Good Friday (administrative offices closed, no classes) | April 3 |
| Returning student registration for Fall 2026 | April 6-17 |
| UCB instruction ends | May 8 |
| GTU Commencement | May 21 |
| IBS Commencement (tentative | May 22 |
| IBS/GTU semester ends; deadline to petition for incomplete | May 22 |
| Memorial Day (administrative offices closed) | May 25 |
| Deadline to make up an incomplete | June 12 |
| Deadline for faculty to submit grades for spring 2026 | June 12 |
| Juneteenth (administrative offices closed) | June 19 |
| Independence Day (administrative offices closed) | July 4 |