This information is to provide information regarding the final date of degree conferral for master's  and doctoral degrees in the Graduate School, payroll end dates, and tuition remission eligibility. 

Student Status:  Graduate students who complete all degree requirements at any point during a semester remain officially enrolled and retain student status through the official graduation date for that semester as determined by the Secretary of the Faculty and posted as degree conferral date on the transcript. 

Payroll:

Academic Semester:  Graduate students holding the position of project/program assistant, research assistant, teaching assistant, lecturer (SA), fellow,    and/or    trainee may remain on the payroll until the end of the academic semester in which the degree is granted.  However they may be removed if necessary for a change of status (e.g. to a postdoctoral position and academic staff position), or if the project/grant funding ends. 

Window Period:  In general, students who deposit in a window period may only remain employed until their deposit date within the window period.  In summer, Master's candidates who complete in the "summer window period" (between the end of spring and the beginning of the summer 8-week session)may have a teaching assistant or project/program appointment over the summer without enrolling if they continue to enrolll in the fall as PhD students. 

Tuition Remission:  If a student is removed from the payroll before the end of the semester, the Bursar's Office will check with the Graduate School Academic Services Office to confirm graduation at the end of the given semester.  They student will receive tuition remission if they remain on the payroll for at least a 33.33% appointment for the length of the semester or has a higher percentage appointment for a shorter number of weeks that is equivalent to a 33.333% appointment for the duration of the semester.

Confirmation of Degree Completion:  If it is necessary to provide proof of degree completion prior to the official graduation date (tg. to an employer, for a post-doctoral position, or other degree program), the student may request a degree completion letter/certificate of graduation from the Office of the Registrar:  https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/certification-of-graduation/