Graduation

One semester prior to the semester in which a student anticipates graduating, the student should:

• confer with their program office staff;
• consult the Graduate College’s website for deadlines, instructions on submitting their electronic thesis;
• visit the Graduate College’s website to determine if they are defined as a thesis or non-thesis student, or consult with their program; and
• talk to advisor about whether an embargo is needed.

Students must: (1) complete academic requirements and (2) complete the official online Application to Graduate by the deadline for the semester in which they expect to graduate. 

NOTE: for all graduate students, the application for graduation is started at the Graduation page, and not within Catalyst. 

If you are planning to graduate, submit your graduation application early. Applications typically open 2–3 months before the start of each term. Be sure to check the Registrar’s page and the Graduate College Graduation page for official application deadlines.  Deadlines posted on the Graduation Deadlines page are firm and failure to meet them will delay students’ graduation until the following semester, when they must then submit a new application for their revised graduation date. A student graduating from a dual degree program must make a formal application for graduation for each program (see details in next section).

Students enrolled in master’s programs must pay a graduation application fee. The Registrar’s Office will email a payment receipt upon completion. If you do not receive one, contact registrar@ucmail.uc.edu. To confirm submission, check Catalyst; your application status should display “Received.” 

The Graduate College will only move graduation applications to the upcoming term upon program deletion request through Certify Online, provided the program requests the deletion before the term’s ETD deadline at 5:00 p.m. Each application may be moved only once per program.

Students who will not graduate as planned must be removed from the graduation list before applying for a future term.

Some PhD programs incorporate a master’s degree. Students should contact their program for help in adding this additional degree. 

The graduation deadline is firm, and exceptions are only considered for extenuating circumstances.

If you need to graduate this term due to an extenuating circumstance and want to apply after the graduation deadline, please follow these steps:

1. Apply for the upcoming term through your checklist.
2. Log in to GradTracker
3. Click 'Submit Forms' and complete the Late Graduation Request Form.

This is only a request to earn your degree and not a different way to apply for graduation. Your program and/or the Graduate College will review your request. Approval is not guaranteed. If approved, your application will be updated within one week. No confirmation email will be sent. Requests will be automatically denied during the graduation month.

The online Application to Graduate will allow a student to apply for graduation from both degree programs in an official dual degree program.

Each of the two programs must follow and complete the certification processes and procedures necessary to facilitate a student’s graduation from their own program.

In dual degree programs, students must be registered for at least one graduate credit that contributes to degree requirements in one of the two programs (as determined by the program) during the academic year in which they graduate with their dual degrees.