Graduation means that you have completed all degree requirements and have been awarded the degree. Earning a degree is not the same as attending the Commencement ceremony. If you apply to graduate in spring or summer, you are a degree “candidate” who may not yet have completed all degree requirements.
The Office of Undergraduate Degree Services evaluates your academic record to determine whether or not you are meeting all bachelor’s degree requirements and assist you with completing them.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To participate in the Commencement ceremony and have your name published in the program, you must apply to graduate before the deadline published in the Graduation Calendar.
The Commencement ceremonies are held once a year at the end of the spring semester to honor students who have already been awarded degrees in the preceding fall semester as well as degree candidates who have applied for graduation in the spring or summer. Example: Only students who graduated in Fall 2024 and candidates for Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 graduation are eligible to participate in Commencement 2025.
The Office of Student Involvement and Transitional Programs coordinates the Commencement ceremony and GradFest. Visit the Commencement website and select the "Graduates" drop-down menu in the top red global navigation bar for details and resources.
