Preparing to Graduate
What's the difference between graduation and commencement? Graduation is the act of receiving a degree in your program of choice. Commencement is the celebration for students who are graduating.
Preparing for Graduation
- Degree Audit: Run a degree audit each term before registration.
- Transcripts: Be sure to submit all transcripts. Review the Application Checklist for more info!
- Apply for Graduation: If you meet all graduation requirements for your declared major, the Registrar's Office will notify you by email the first week of the term in which
you will complete your degree requirements. Submit the application to the District-Wide
Registrar's office by the priority deadline:
- Summer Graduation - June 20
- Fall Graduation - Oct. 7
- Spring Graduation - March 1
- Degree Conferral: Degrees will be conferred and reflected on transcripts within two weeks of the official degree conferral date. Candidates who complete final degree requirements in the Winter Online Intersession will be eligible for Spring conferral.
Note: Applications received after the priority deadline will be processed. However, it is possible that your name will not be printed in the graduation program.
Ready for the Graduation Commencement Ceremony?
There is one ceremony per year, and it includes the current spring graduation candidates, as well as the prior fall and summer grads. For students who are graduating during the current summer term, you may request to participate in the ceremony so long as you have six hours or fewer to complete. The deadline to RSVP is March 1, 2024.
When Will I Receive My Diploma(s)?
If you are participating in the yearly commencement ceremony, you will receive a diploma cover at that time. Diplomas are issued about four weeks after the official graduation date, provided all graduation requirements are met and all holds are cleared.
Term of Graduation | Estimated Diploma Delivery Date |
Spring |
Late-July |
Summer | Late-September |
Fall |
Mid-February |
Replacing Your Diploma
Diploma re-orders are processed with our end-of-term graduates. Therefore, re-orders
will be placed three times per year: December, May and August. If you have more than
one credential, please complete a separate Duplicate Diploma Request form for each one.