diff --git a/src/apps/api/serializers/competitions.py b/src/apps/api/serializers/competitions.py
index 0314d831d..69d352c67 100644
--- a/src/apps/api/serializers/competitions.py
+++ b/src/apps/api/serializers/competitions.py
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@
 from tasks.models import Task
 
 from api.serializers.queues import QueueSerializer
+from datetime import datetime
 
 
 class PhaseSerializer(WritableNestedModelSerializer):
     tasks = serializers.SlugRelatedField(queryset=Task.objects.all(), required=True, allow_null=False, slug_field='key',
                                          many=True)
+    status = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
 
     class Meta:
         model = Phase
@@ -42,6 +44,42 @@ class Meta:
             'is_final_phase',
         )
 
+    def get_status(self, obj):
+
+        now = datetime.now().replace(tzinfo=None)
+        start = obj.start.replace(tzinfo=None)
+        end = obj.end.replace(tzinfo=None) if obj.end else obj.end
+        phase_ended = False
+        phase_started = False
+
+        # check if phase has started
+        if start > now:
+            # start date is in the future, phase started = NO
+            phase_started = False
+        else:
+            # start date is not in the future, phase started = YES
+            phase_started = True
+
+        if phase_started:
+            # check if end date exists for this phase
+            if end:
+                if end < now:
+                    # Phase cannote accept submissions if end date is in the past
+                    phase_ended = True
+                else:
+                    # Phase can accept submissions if end date is in the future
+                    phase_ended = False
+            else:
+                # Phase can accept submissions if end date is not given
+                phase_ended = False
+
+        if phase_started and phase_ended:
+            return Phase.PREVIOUS
+        elif phase_started and (not phase_ended):
+            return Phase.CURRENT
+        elif not phase_started:
+            return Phase.NEXT
+
     def validate_leaderboard(self, value):
         if not value:
             raise ValidationError("Phases require a leaderboard")
@@ -50,6 +88,7 @@ def validate_leaderboard(self, value):
 
 class PhaseDetailSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
     tasks = PhaseTaskInstanceSerializer(source='task_instances', many=True)
+    status = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
 
     class Meta:
         model = Phase
@@ -71,6 +110,42 @@ class Meta:
             'is_final_phase',
         )
 
+    def get_status(self, obj):
+
+        now = datetime.now().replace(tzinfo=None)
+        start = obj.start.replace(tzinfo=None)
+        end = obj.end.replace(tzinfo=None) if obj.end else obj.end
+        phase_ended = False
+        phase_started = False
+
+        # check if phase has started
+        if start > now:
+            # start date is in the future, phase started = NO
+            phase_started = False
+        else:
+            # start date is not in the future, phase started = YES
+            phase_started = True
+
+        if phase_started:
+            # check if end date exists for this phase
+            if end:
+                if end < now:
+                    # Phase cannote accept submissions if end date is in the past
+                    phase_ended = True
+                else:
+                    # Phase can accept submissions if end date is in the future
+                    phase_ended = False
+            else:
+                # Phase can accept submissions if end date is not given
+                phase_ended = False
+
+        if phase_started and phase_ended:
+            return Phase.PREVIOUS
+        elif phase_started and (not phase_ended):
+            return Phase.CURRENT
+        elif not phase_started:
+            return Phase.NEXT
+
 
 class PhaseUpdateSerializer(PhaseSerializer):
     tasks = PhaseTaskInstanceSerializer(source='task_instances', many=True)
diff --git a/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/_tabs.tag b/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/_tabs.tag
index 3ef4279b3..6102bf2cf 100644
--- a/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/_tabs.tag
+++ b/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/_tabs.tag
@@ -289,40 +289,6 @@
                 })
             })
 
-            // loop over competition phases to mark if phase has started or ended
-            self.competition.phases.forEach(function (phase, index) {
-                
-                phase_ended = false 
-                phase_started = false
-
-                // check if phase has started
-                if((Date.parse(phase["start"]) - Date.parse(new Date())) > 0){
-                    // start date is in the future, phase started = NO
-                    phase_started = false
-                }else{
-                    // start date is not in the future, phase started = YES
-                    phase_started = true
-                }
-
-                if(phase_started){
-                    // check if end data exists for this phase
-                    if(phase["end"]){
-                        if((Date.parse(phase["end"]) - Date.parse(new Date())) < 0){
-                            // Phase cannote accept submissions if end date is in the past
-                            phase_ended = true
-                        }else{
-                            // Phase can accept submissions if end date is in the future
-                            phase_ended = false
-                        }
-                    }else{
-                        // Phase can accept submissions if end date is not given
-                        phase_ended = false
-                    }
-                }
-                self.competition.phases[index]["phase_ended"] = phase_ended
-                self.competition.phases[index]["phase_started"] = phase_started
-            })
-
             self.competition.is_admin = CODALAB.state.user.has_competition_admin_privileges(competition)
             self.selected_phase_index = _.get(_.find(self.competition.phases, {'status': 'Current'}), 'id')
             if (self.selected_phase_index == null) {
diff --git a/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/submission_upload.tag b/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/submission_upload.tag
index 76728a5ee..792842582 100644
--- a/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/submission_upload.tag
+++ b/src/static/riot/competitions/detail/submission_upload.tag
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 <submission-upload>
-    <div class="ui sixteen wide column submission-container"
-         show="{_.get(selected_phase, 'status') === 'Current' || opts.is_admin}">
+    <div class="ui sixteen wide column submission-container">
 
         <div class="submission-form">
             <h1>Submission upload</h1>
-            <div if="{_.get(selected_phase, 'phase_ended')}" class="ui red message">This phase has ended and no longer accepts submissions!</div>
-            <div if="{!_.get(selected_phase, 'phase_started')}" class="ui yellow message">This phase hasn't started yet!</div>
+            <div if="{_.get(selected_phase, 'status') === 'Previous'}" class="ui red message">This phase has ended and no longer accepts submissions!</div>
+            <div if="{_.get(selected_phase, 'status') === 'Next'}" class="ui yellow message">This phase hasn't started yet!</div>
             <form class="ui form coda-animated {error: errors}" ref="form" enctype="multipart/form-data">
                 <div class="submission-form" ref="fact_sheet_form" if="{ opts.fact_sheet !== null}">
                     <h2>Metadata or Fact Sheet</h2>
@@ -353,7 +352,7 @@
         self.check_can_upload = function () {
             
             // Check if selected phase accepts submissions (within the deadline of the phase)
-            if(self.selected_phase.phase_started && !self.selected_phase.phase_ended){
+            if(self.selected_phase.status === "Current"){
 
                 CODALAB.api.can_make_submissions(self.selected_phase.id)
                     .done(function (data) {
@@ -368,13 +367,12 @@
                     })
             }else{
                 // Error when phase is not accepting submissions
-                if(!self.selected_phase.phase_started){
+                if(self.selected_phase.status === "Next"){
                     toastr.error('This phase has not started yet. Please check the phase start date!')
                    
-                }else {
-                    if(self.selected_phase.phase_ended){
-                        toastr.error('This phase has ended and no longer accepts submissions!')
-                    }
+                }
+                if(self.selected_phase.status === "Previous"){
+                    toastr.error('This phase has ended and no longer accepts submissions!')
                 }
                 self.clear_form()
             }