In addition to meeting the academic requirements of your degree, there are a number of administrative steps that you must follow in order to receive your degree. These steps must be completed in a specific order, and access to the next step is contingent on completion of the prior step. Your graduate program may have additional requirements and program-specific timelines for completion of each step.
Requirements by degree
All UMD master's and doctoral students admitted prior to Fall 2022 must submit a Graduate Degree Plan (GDP). Students admitted Fall 2022 or later will use the GPAS system. Check with your program or the Graduate Office regarding when to submit your GDP or GPAS Planner. Students in the following UMD degree programs should contact their program for information about degree completion steps and deadlines: M Ed, MEEd, MEHS, MPS, MEng, MTAG, and MTRES. These programs follow some, but not all, of the steps indicated in the guides.
Students in all other UMD graduate programs should refer to the guide for their degree type linked below to learn about the required steps and to access the forms needed for degree completion (reviewers' report form, final exam form, signature page & deposit agreement).
Master’s degree guides
Doctoral degree guides
Active status
All graduate students are required to maintain active status by registering every fall and spring term until their degree is awarded. There may be a time when you need to register solely to meet the registration requirement and avoid inactive status. Special registration categories are options for keeping your graduate student status active.
Application for Degree
About one month before you expect to complete all degree requirements, you must Apply to Graduate through MyU. Visit the Application for Degree page for step-by-step instructions and guidance on when to apply. View the guide for your degree type above to learn what steps must be completed before the apply to graduate link will become available in MyU.
Time limit for degree completion
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Master’s students have five calendar years to complete a degree according to the master’s degree: performance standards and progress policy.
- Doctoral students have eight calendar years to complete a degree according to the doctoral degree: performance standards and progress policy.
Students admitted prior to spring 2013 adhere to a different set of policies. Please contact your graduate program, the UMD Graduate Office, or GSSP for more information.
If you need additional time for your degree, please consult with your program about submitting a Doctoral or Master's Request for Extension to the Maximum Time Limit form.
Plan A Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
More information on formatting can be found on the GSSP page on the UMTC One Stop site.
This page includes links to Graduate School formatting requirements, and the link to upload thesis or dissertation to ProQuest.