How to Assign Due Dates in Canvas

Adding Assignment Due Dates

Assignments in Canvas are graded activities where instructors can collect student submissions, assess performance, and provide feedback using various submission types such as text entry, file upload, or external tools. They integrate seamlessly with the Gradebook, calendar, and modules, allowing instructors to set due dates, availability windows, and customize access for individual students or groups.

Adding Quiz Due Dates

Quizzes in Canvas are assessment tools that allow instructors to create graded or ungraded evaluations using multiple question types, including multiple choice, short answer, and essay. They can be timed, randomized, and set with specific availability and due dates, integrating directly with the Gradebook for streamlined grading and feedback.

1. Click on the quiz you want to assign a due date.
   
   
2. Scroll down in the Edit Quiz settings to the Assign Access area (1), locate the Due Date box (2) and enter the appropriate due date for the quiz. Optional: You can also specify Available from (3) and Until (4) dates for the quiz. 

   • Due Date specifies the deadline by which students should complete the quiz, and it appears on the course calendar, and student to-do lists. 

   • Available from determines when students can begin accessing the quiz, controlling its visibility and availability for submission.

   • Until date in a Canvas assignment sets the final cutoff point after which students can no longer access or submit the quiz, regardless of the due date.
     
     
     
     

3. Make sure to click Save when finished.
   

Adding Discussion Due Dates

Discussions in Canvas provide a collaborative space for students and instructors to engage in course-related conversations, either graded or ungraded. Graded discussions support due dates and rubrics, allowing for structured participation and integration with the Gradebook.

1. Navigate to the discussion you want to edit. Click the three vertical dots (1) located in the top right of the page, and click Edit (2) from the dropdown menu. 
   
   
   
   
2. Scroll down to the Assignment Settings area (1), locate the Due Date box (2) and enter the appropriate due date for the quiz. Optional: You can also specify Available from (3) and Until (4) dates for the quiz. 

   • Due Date specifies the deadline by which students should complete the quiz, and it appears on the course calendar, and student to-do lists. 

   • Available from determines when students can begin accessing the quiz, controlling its visibility and availability for submission.

   • Until date in a Canvas assignment sets the final cutoff point after which students can no longer access or submit the quiz, regardless of the due date.
     
     

3. Make sure to click Save when finished.
   
   
   

Batch Editing Due Dates

Batch editing in Canvas allows instructors to efficiently update multiple assignment, quiz, and discussion due dates at once using the Edit Assignment Dates tool. This feature lets you adjust individual dates or shift all dates forward or backward in bulk, saving time when revising a course schedule or copying content between terms.

1. In your course navigation, select Assignments (1), click the three vertical dots icon located in the top right of the page (2), and then select Edit Assignment Dates (3). 
   
   
   
   
2. In the Edit Assignment Dates screen, the Title column (1) is a list of all the graded items in your course (assignments, discussions, quizzes, etc). The Due At column (2) lists each item's due date. Click inside the Due At column to update the due dates. Click Save (3) to save when finished. 
   
   
   

Using Assign To

The Assign To section in a Canvas assignment, quiz, or discussion allows instructors to set different due dates, availability windows, and access for specific students, sections, or groups. This feature supports differentiated instruction by enabling tailored deadlines and accommodations within a single assignment. It also allows instructors to give students extensions. For more information, see How to realease an assignment to specific students.