Graduation
The application for graduation for Fall Semester 2020-21 is CLOSED. The deadline to apply for FALL graduation was 5:00 PM, Monday, September 28, 2020, for all degrees. The Official degree conferral date and commencement is December 12, 2020. Students who want to graduate fall semester, but failed to apply for graduation by September 28, 2020, must pay a $100 fine to have their graduation application processed.
The application for graduation for Spring Semester 2020-21 will be available Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
Graduation General Information
CeDiplomas/CeCertificates
Register/download your CeDiploma (Spring 2016 graduates or after)
Registrar/download your CeCertificate (Fall 2019 graduate or after)
Degree, Diploma Availability and Diploma Name Change and Address Change
Commencement Ceremonies
Graduation Application Fees and Deadlines
The Graduation Process
Correctional Education Students
International Students
Degree-Bearing Transcript
Diploma
Graduation Honors
Cap and Gown
Graduation Announcements
Graduation Reception
Graduation FAQs
Replacement Diploma
GRADUATION OVERVIEW
The graduation division of the Office of the University Registrar works closely with the college offices to coordinate the conferral and denial of degrees. In addition, the division prepares the student information used when printing the commencement program and handles new and replacement diplomas.
Graduation is not automatic. To graduate, all students (undergraduate, graduate, and medical) must apply no later than the graduation application deadline for the term in which graduation is planned (see below).
Students that have requested confidentiality of their educational records must release the confidentiality hold in order to be included in the commencement program.
If you need assistance, contact Registrar Services, first floor, Chubb Hall, or your regional campus student services office.
Degree, Diploma Availability and Diploma Name Change* and Address Change**
*Please see Change of Name procedure
** Change of Address must be emailed to graduation@ohio.edu from your OHIO email.
| Fall Semester 2020-21 | Spring Semester 2020-21 | Summer Semester 2020-21 | |
| Last Day to Change Diploma Name and Address | January 11, 2021 | May 25, 2021 | September 3, 2021 |
| Degree Verification and Transcripts | January 19, 2021 | June 1, 2021 | September 13, 2021 |
| Diplomas Mailed | February 5, 2021 | June 14, 2021 | September 27, 2021 |
Commencement Ceremonies
Ohio University holds several commencement ceremonies:
The 2020 Spring Commencement Ceremonies have been postponed. When a new date is chosen, the information will posted on the Commencement website.
The University will be refunding those that have purchased cap and gown packages, individual items, and faculty/staff rentals. Fees charged to your student account will be reversed and orders placed through CashNet will be refunded to payment cards. Graduates will receive new instructions for purchasing cap and gowns when a new Commencement date has been set.
Spring Semester 2019-20
| Student Level | Commencement Ceremony Date |
|---|---|
| Graduate | POSTPONED |
| Undergraduate | POSTPONED |
| Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine | POSTPONED |
*There are two undergraduate commencement ceremonies held
For more information visit commencement ceremonies.
Fall Semester 2020-21
| Student Level | Commencement Ceremony Date |
|---|---|
| Graduate | Saturday, December 12, 2020 |
| Undergraduate | Saturday, December 12, 2020 |
GRADUATION APPLICATION FEE*
For all degrees... $50.00**
Standalone Certificates...$25.00
Reapplication - any degree... $5.00
Late Graduation Application Processing Fine - $100.00
*fees are subject to change
**not applicable for associate and baccalaureate students in The OHIO Guarantee
***Degrees will be posted to student records four weeks after the degree granting date posted below
| Application Deadlines (apply by) | Degree Granting Dates (wish to receive your degree) |
|---|---|
| July 13, 2020 | Summer Semester 2019-20, August 15, 2020*** |
| September 28, 2020 | Fall Semester 2020-21, December 12, 2020*** |
| February 15, 2021 | Spring Semester 2020-21, April 30, 2021*** (Graduate Commencement) Spring Semester 2020-21, May 1, 2021*** (Undergraduate Commencements) Spring Semester 2020-21, May 8, 2021 (Annual Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Commencement) |
| July 12, 2021 | Summer Semester 2020-21, August 14, 2021*** |
THE GRADUATION PROCESS
- Graduation Application
GRADUATION IS NOT AUTOMATIC. To graduate, apply no later than the published graduation deadline. The graduation application, for all degrees, is available beginning on the first day of the term, in your My Ohio Student Center.
The name that appears in University records will be printed on the diploma. When applying, the student must indicate the major(s), minor(s), and certificate(s) that he/she intends to complete. If you need assistance, contact Registrar Services or your regional campus student services.
How To Apply:
- Sign in to My OHIO Student Center
- Click on "other academic..."
- Choose "Apply for Graduation OHIO."
- You will be taken to the graduation application.
- Respond to the questions and complete the fields in the application. Click "Save and continue" to progress through the application. Your application is not complete until you have clicked "Complete Application" on the page that summarizes all of your application details. This will finalize your application and you will not be able to make any changes after this step.
- Within the application you may optionally "Save" your application prior to completing it. For example, if you don’t have time to complete it at once or need to gather information prior to finalizing you can log out after you have clicked one of the "Save and continue" buttons. Your application will be saved and you will be able to log on before the deadline to complete the other items and finalize your application by clicking "Complete Application." If you have initiated but not completed the application process, you will receive an email a few days before the application deadline reminding you to finalize your application. If you don’t finalize your application by clicking "Complete Application," you will not be considered for graduation, your name will not appear in the commencement program, and your account will not be assessed a graduation application fee.
- You will receive an email with a confirmation number for your application for graduation. If you do not have a confirmation number then your graduation application has not been submitted. Once you complete the application, any changes must be made by sending an email to graduation@ohio.edu or by calling 740.593.4196.
- Application Review
After the application deadline, a list of candidates is sent to each college. Colleges review and verify the candidate information provided, including college, degree, major(s), minor(s), and certificate(s).
- Graduation Requirement Verification
Colleges receive a degree audit report (DARS) for the candidates and verify the completion of degree requirements within the college. Academic departments may also be involved in the verification process. Degree requirement questions from candidates should be directed to the appropriate college office representative. Colleges notify candidates of any degree requirement issues that may result in the denial of their degree for that particular semester.
- Final Graduation Approval/Denial
Two weeks after the close of the term, a candidate list and updated DARS reports are sent to the college for a final review of degree requirements. The colleges confer or deny each degree and notify the Office of the University Registrar. Students who are denied graduation must re-apply by the posted deadline for the term in which they will complete their requirements.
CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
Correctional Education students can request a paper graduation application form from their academic advisor.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
International students should visit the Office of International Student and Faculty Services (Walter International Education Center) to complete a departure notification form. Take a copy of your graduation application email confirmation with you.
DEGREE-BEARING TRANSCRIPT
Degree-bearing transcripts will not be available until four to six weeks after graduation. A copy of your transcript will not be mailed with your diploma, but transcripts may be ordered online, in person, by fax, or through the mail. If you wish your transcript(s) to indicate your recently conferred degree, you must specifically indicate this on your request. Please note, same day transcripts process immediately and may not include grades or degrees. Transcripts will not be mailed for students with financial or other obligations to the University. If you have questions concerning your transcript, please contact the Office of the University Registrar, 740.593.4200 or transcripts@ohio.edu.
DIPLOMA
Your diploma will be mailed to you approximately eight weeks after graduation to the address supplied on your graduation application. The Office of the University Registrar receives the graduation conferral/denial lists from the college offices indicating the graduation status of each candidate. Diplomas are mailed First Class. Diplomas will not be mailed for students with financial or other obligations to the University until the holds are released. Diplomas are issued by Ohio University in the following sizes: Associate's Degree 11W x 8.5H, Bachelor's and Master's Degree 14W x 11H; Doctoral and Medical 15W x 12H.
If your diploma mailing address changes or you have questions concerning your diploma, please contact the Graduation Department, 740.593.4196 or graduation@ohio.edu.
GRADUATION HONORS
To be eligible for honors, you must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours (48 quarter hours for those students that graduated under the quarter system) of bachelor's degree coursework with letter grades that affect your GPA in residence at Ohio University. The honors printed in the commencement program are tentative, based on the most recent GPA prior to the final semester. Final honors will be determined after grades are processed.
If you receive a bachelor's degree and you graduate with an accumulative grade point average (GPA), you will earn
| Accumulative GPA | Latin Honors |
|---|---|
| 3.500 to 3.749 | Cum Laude |
| 3.750 to 3.899 | Magna Cum Laude |
| 3.900 to 4.000 | Summa Cum Laude |
COMMENCEMENT - CAP AND GOWN INFORMATION
Ohio University Event Services emails commencement ceremony information to all graduation applicants to announce which ceremony to attend, based on the student's college. Students who apply for graduation are listed as "Candidates for Degrees" in the commencement program since final approval of the degree is completed after the close of the semester. Students that have requested confidentiality of their educational records must release the confidentiality hold in order to be included in the commencement program.
Information about the commencement ceremony and cap and gown sales is available at the commencement website. For questions, contact commencement@ohio.edu or call the office of Event Services at 740.593.4020.
GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
Graduation announcements are available through Ohio University Printing Services.
The local bookstores also have graduation announcements and diploma frames available for purchase.
GRADUATION RECEPTION
Receptions are held by each college for those students participating in the annual commencement. The locations and dates of the receptions are determined by each college. Please contact your college for details.
CONTACT
Graduation Department
Office of the University Registrar
Chubb Hall 118
1 Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
740.593.4196
graduation@ohio.edu.