Key Dates

New Student Immigration Document Requests

New student immigration document requests are available for all incoming international students through the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) Portal. To ensure students receive their F-1 or J-1 visa in time, please visit the OISS website for full details and the deadline.

Immunizations

Northwestern students are required to submit proof of immunizations and enter their vaccine/lab dates via the Health Portal as soon as possible. The penalty deadline for completing all documents and meeting the requirements is 30 days after classes start, after which a non-refundable $100 late fee will be charged. Please note that it takes 2–3 weeks to process submissions.

New Student Orientation

The Graduate School’s 2026 New Student Orientation will be a hybrid experience with an online, self-paced orientation course in Canvas that will launch in August, a series of virtual Q&A sessions in late August and early September (more details will be shared with incoming TGS students in August 2026), a webpage of campus resources and TGS-affiliated student organizations, and an in-person TGS Resource Fair at Norris University Center on the Evanston campus on Thursday, September 17 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. All aspects of The Graduate School's orientation are suggested, not required.

Wildcard ID

New students can obtain a Wildcard/student ID card. All students are required to submit their ID photo online. Please review the guidelines and upload your photo on the Wildcard Photo Submission page. To obtain your Wildcard, appointments are recommended, but not required. You must present a government-issued photo ID (e.g., your driver’s license, state photo ID, or current passport) to claim your card.

Official Transcript Deadline

Deadline for official transcripts to be received, reviewed, and verified by The Graduate School.

Graduate International Student Orientation

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services’ (OISS) Graduate International Student Orientation (G-ISO)

Resource Fair and Foreign Nationals

• TGS Resource Fair from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM in Norris University Center on the Evanston campus.

• Foreign nationals that have been within the U.S. for 31 days or more in 2026 must complete the Foreign National Information System.

Class Registration

TGS students can begin to register for classes at 9:00 AM. Registration instructions can be found here.

Fall Classes Begin

Fall Quarter classes begin.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Success New Student Welcome Reception

TGS Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Success (GPS) New Student Welcome Reception from 4:00–6:00 PM in Guild Lounge at Scott Hall on the Evanston campus.

Last Day to Add a Class or Change a Section

Last day to add a class or change a section. (No reductions are made to bills for dropped or swapped classes after this date. Last day for full tuition refund.)

Last Day to Drop a Full-Term Class

Last day to drop a full-term class for Fall in CAESAR. Any requests after this date result in a “W” on the transcript and must go through the course withdrawal process.