2024-25 Academic Calendar

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 2024

Fall Semester, September 3 through December 13, 2024
Fall certificate program, special student, and auditor applications deadlineAugust 9
IBS new and returning student orientationAugust 20
UCB instruction beginsAugust 21
GTU orientation period, see GTU website for detailsAugust 19-August 30
New student registration/returning student late registration periodAugust 19-August 30
Labor Day (administrative offices closed, no classes)September 2
IBS/GTU instruction beginsSeptember 3
Add/drop period; students may add/drop courses without chargeSeptember 3-13
Deadline to pay fall 2024 tuition September 13
Thesis defense deadline, to avoid fall 2024 registration and tuition chargeSeptember 13
Thesis filing deadline, for fall 2024 graduationOctober 1
Reading week (no classes)October 21-25
Spring 2025 degree program application deadlineNovember 1
Spring 2025 scholarship application deadlineNovember 1
Returning student registration for Spring 2025November 4-15
IBS 75th Anniversary and Annual Memorial ServiceNovember 16
Annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion in San Diego, CANovember 23-26
Thanksgiving Holiday (administrative offices closed, no classes)November 28-December 1
Jodo-e, Rohatsu, Bodhi Day, Buddha’s Enlightenment DayDecember 8
UCB instruction endsDecember 13
IBS/GTU semester ends; deadline to petition for incompleteDecember 13
IBS Winter Holiday (administrative offices closed)December 23-January 3
Deadline to make up an incompleteJanuary 3
Deadline for faculty to submit grades for fall 2024January 3

Spring 2025

Spring Semester, February 3 through May 23, 2025
Returning student registration for Spring 2025November 4-15, 2024
Spring certificate program, special student, and auditor applications deadlineJanuary 10
Shinran Shonin Memorial Day (administrative offices closed)January 16
Martin Luther King Day (administrative offices closed)January 20
UCB instruction beginsJanuary 21
New student registration/returning student late registration periodJanuary 21-31
IBS/GTU instruction beginsFebruary 3
Add/drop period; students may add/drop courses without chargeFebruary 3-February 14
Deadline to pay spring 2025 tuition February 14
Thesis defense deadline, to avoid spring 20204 registration and tuition chargeFebruary 14
Presidents Day (administrative offices closed)February 17
BCA National Council Meeting, Bay District (online)February 28-March 2
Ryukoku Lecture SeriesMarch, TBD
Deadline for degree program applications for AY2025-26March 1
Reading week/spring break (no classes)March 24-28
Thesis filing deadline, for spring 2025 graduationApril 1
Returning student registration for Fall 2025April 7-18
Good Friday (administrative offices closed, no classes)April 18
UCB instruction endsMay 16
GTU CommencementMay 22
IBS/GTU semester ends; deadline to petition for incompleteMay 23
IBS CommencementMay 23
Memorial Day (administrative offices closed)May 26
Deadline to make up an incompleteJune 13
Deadline for faculty to submit grades for spring 2025June 13
Juneteenth (administrative offices closed)June 19
Independence Day (administrative offices closed)July 4