Students at the University of Minnesota must apply for graduation. You may apply for graduation during the semester in which you anticipate graduating.

Go to the One Stop's graduation site, and fill out the Application for Degree online.  Make an appointment with your advisor to review your APAS report. As you review your APAS you should make sure any remaining planned coursework, substitutions or waivers have been approved.

Deadlines 

To best facilitate a smooth graduation clearance process, good planning is essential. Be sure to review your APAS report each semester, and provide the College office with information to update your APAS report as needed. Don't wait until you apply to graduate to inform us of changes.

Final deadlines for the 2008-2009 academic year are as follows: 

• Fall 2008:  Applications are due September 16, 2008
• Spring 2009: February 3, 2009
• May 2009: March 26, 2009
• Summer 2009: June 9, 2009
  
  

Graduation Clearance 

Clearances are done once each semester, after final grades are posted. The College Student Services office will review your application. If all requirements have been satisfied, the information will be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar and your degree will be posted on your transcript. If course requirements remain, you will receive a lack letter reminding you to check your records and reapply for graduation by the semester deadline in which you plan to graduate.

Your semester of graduation 

Your semester of graduation is always dependent on when you completed your final requirements. If you applied to graduate in the fall, but it takes until spring semester to satisfy an incomplete, your term of graduation will be spring semester. For example, if you apply for graduation for the fall of 2008, but don't satisfy your last requirement until the spring of 2009, your graduation date is spring 2009.  Remember you must reapply online if you do not clear in the semester you originally apply.

Diplomas 

Once your degree has been cleared, the information is put on your transcript as soon as possible. You can use that information to confirm your degree with employers, graduate schools or other interested parties. 

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for distributing diplomas. Diplomas are created after your degree has been cleared.  Normal processing time is several months. If you have questions about your diploma, you can contact the Office of the Registrar at 624-3731. Make sure that you keep your address current so the diploma gets to you.