The Institute of Buddhist Studies follows the academic calendar of the Graduate Theological Union. All registration dates and deadlines are set by the GTU consortial registrar. Please consult the GTU website for a complete extended calendar of dates or deadlines if you have any questions.
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.
2019-2020 Academic Calendar
Fall Semester, September 3 through December 13, 2019
| Fall 2019 certificate application deadline | August 19 |
| Fall 2019 general registration | August 19-30 |
| GTU MA new student orientation | August 22 |
| IBS new and returning student orientation | August 28 |
| UCB instruction begins | August 28 |
| IBS/GTU instruction begins | September 3 |
| Deadline to register, petition for part time or leave of absence | September 13 |
| Thesis defense deadline (to avoid fall 2018 registration) | September 13 |
| Thesis filing deadline (for fall 2019 graduation) | October 1 |
| Graduate Student Symposium | October 17 |
| Reading week | October 21-25 |
| Spring 2020 degree program application deadline | November 1 |
| Spring 2020 scholarship applications due | November 1 |
| IBS Annual Memorial Service (tentative) | November 14 |
| Early registration for Spring 2020 | November 4-15 |
| Annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion | November 22-26 |
| Thanksgiving Holiday | November 28-29 |
| IBS/GTU semester ends; petition for incomplete due | December 13 |
| IBS winter holiday (administrative offices closed) | December 25-January 1 |
| Deadline to make up an incomplete | January 3 |
| Spring 2020 certificate application deadline | January 20 |
Spring Semester, February 3 through May 22, 2020
| Spring 2020 early registration | November 4-15 |
| UCB instruction begins | January 14 |
| Shinran Shonin Memorial Day (administrative offices closed) | January 16 |
| Martin Luther King Day (administrative offices closed) | January 20 |
| Spring 2020 certificate application deadline | January 20 |
| IBS/GTU instruction begins | February 3 |
| Deadline to register, petition for par time or leave of absence | February 14 |
| Thesis defense deadline (to avoid spring registration) | February 14 |
| President's Day (administrative offices closed) | February 17 |
| BCA National Council Meeting | February 19-23 |
| Degree program application deadline for fall 2020 | March 1 |
| Reading week | March 23-27 |
| Thesis filing deadline (for spring graduation) | April 1 |
| Spring Colloquy (tentative) | April 3 |
| Early registration for fall semester | April 6-17 |
| GTU Commencement and Graduation | May 7 |
| IBS Commencement and Graduation | May 22 |
| IBS/GTU semester ends; petition for incomplete due | May 22 |
| Memorial Day (administrative offices closed) | May 25 |
| Deadline to make up an incomplete | June 12 |
| Independence Day (administrative offices closed) | July 4 |