You're on the finish line. Time to wrap it up. These resources will help.
Questions? Check your Graduate Student Handbook.
Graduate students can graduate with a degree or to complete a graduate certificate each semester — fall, spring, and summer. Review the deadlines for your intended graduation term and plan accordingly to meet each applicable deadline. The completion deadlines will keep you on track to graduate in the desired term but can be modified in conversation with your chair/advisor or graduate director. Deadlines in bold are strictly enforced.
For drop and withdrawal dates, please check the E -Services course schedule for each class.
Fall Graduation |
Spring Graduation |
Summer Graduation |
Work to be Completed |
Sept. 15 |
Feb. 15 |
June 15 |
Last day to apply for graduation. |
Sept. 15 |
Feb. 15 |
June 15 |
Communicate your intention to your chair/advisor to complete a Final Defense/Final Oral/Comprehensive Exam. |
Nov. 14 |
Mar. 24 |
July 7 |
Last day to complete Final Defense/Final Oral/Comprehensive Exam. |
Nov. 28 |
Apr. 14 |
July 21 |
Master's students: Last day to submit Comprehensive Exam results or committee approval form from Final Defense/Final Oral. |
Nov. 28 |
Apr. 14 |
July 21 |
Doctoral students: Last day to submit committee approval form from Final Defense/Final Oral. |
Nov. 28 |
Apr. 14 |
July 21 |
Master's students: Last day to submit Culminating Project to the Institutional Repository to initiate format review.
|
Nov. 28 |
Apr. 14 |
NA |
Doctoral students seeking to receive the diploma at the commencement ceremony must submit the approved, formatted dissertation to the Repository by this date. |
Dec. 5 |
Apr. 24 |
Aug. 4 |
Last day for doctoral students to receive final formatting approval of the submitted Culminating project to receive the diploma at Commencement. Final grades must be submitted. |
Dec. 16 |
May 5 |
Aug. 4 |
Master's students: Last day to receive final formatting approval of the submitted Culminating project |
Dec. 21 |
May 10 |
Aug. 9 |
Last day for clearance of any incomplete grades. |
Dec. 16 |
May 5 |
Aug. 4 |
Official graduation date. |
Dec. 16 |
May 5 |
n/a |
Commencement. |
Dec. 21 |
May 10 |
Aug. 9 |
Last day for reporting grades. |
The School of Graduate Studies must certify that all requirements for graduation have been satisfied before your degree can be officially awarded.
It is your responsibility to determine that all requirements for the degree have been met. Please review this list to determine that the requirements pertaining to your program have been fulfilled.
Deadlines are key. You and your advisor should develop and implement a completion timeline.
Complete the application for graduation online.
It must be completed by the deadline listed for the semester in which you plan to graduate and submitted to Records and Registration (Administrative Services 118) with the $30 application fee for master-level students and $35 for doctoral students.
Applicants not meeting the deadline, will need to apply for the next available graduation date.
If you do not graduate during the application term, you must contact the office of Records and Registration to request a new term. No additional fee will be required.
Students must be registered for at least one credit in the term in which they graduate.
Intended Graduation | Application Deadline | Graduation Date |
Summer 2022 | June 23, 2022 | Aug. 4, 2022 |
Fall 2022 | Sept. 15, 2022 | Dec. 16, 2022 |
Spring 2023 | Feb. 15, 2023 | May 5, 2023 |
Summer 2023 | May 15, 2023 | Aug. 4, 2023 |
You can find information online for Commencement.
We encourage students to honor the centuries-old history of academic regalia by wearing the regalia appropriate to their degree and academic discipline.
The American Council on Education provides guidance on appropriate academic regalia and its history.
Caps, master's gowns and hoods can can be requested for purchase through the St. Cloud State Store at Josten's. Questions can be directed to the Husky Bookstore in Centennial Hall or at 320-308-1489.
The anticipated cost for the Masters Package (Gown, Cap, Tassel, Hood) is $55.95.
Doctoral gowns, hoods and tams can can be requested for purchase through the St. Cloud State Store at Josten's. Questions can be directed to the Husky Bookstore in Centennial Hall or at 320-308-1489.
When ordering online from Josten's please select the "doctoral gown, hood and tam" and list the Major Curriculum as "Education." This will ensure that your hood has the correct Light Blue trim. It can take 5 or more weeks for the regalia to be delivered.
The anticipated cost for the Doctoral Package (Gown, Tam, Tassel, Hood) is $95.75.
If you are Ordering a gown for purchase (select Fine Regalia), you will also want to select a package with a gown, hood and tam and indicate you are receiving a Doctor of Education to ensure the correct light blue trim for the hood. The trim on the gown can be light blue or black velvet in accordance with the discipline. It can take up to 10 weeks for a custom order.
Each College or School hosts a hooding ceremony, where the student's advisor or program faculty member places the hood on the graduating student. Typically these ceremonies occur in advance of the commencement ceremony Fall and Spring.
Dean's offices will send information 3-5 weeks in advance. Contact information for the hooding ceremonies can be found online
Graduating students will receive their diploma in the mail about eight weeks after the end of the semester.
All diplomas are mailed to the diploma address you provide through the Online Service center.
If you experience difficulty in entering your diploma address, contact 320-308-2111.
Students admitted to and completing a graduate certificate program can receive a certificate and have the certificate completion listed on their transcript.
Submit the "Customize My Program of Study" to School of Graduate Studies.
Complete All Course Work on the Program.
Submit Certificate Completion Application.
Receive Certificate
Certificate students are not eligible to participate in Commencement.
I missed the deadline to apply for graduation. Application for graduation deadlines are firm. Please apply for the next available term. Completion letters can be provided by emailing graduatestudies@stcloudstate.edu
I will not be able to hold my final defense/final oral by the deadline listed. You and your chair/advisor can set a date for your final defense/final oral. This does not change the final deadline to submit any written project to the Repository for format review or the deadline to submit a final passing grade and missing those deadlines may delay your graduation to the next term.
Why is the deadline to complete the final defense/final oral so early? The date is set by policy requiring that the final defense/final oral be completed 6 weeks prior to the graduation date. This date provides you with sufficient time to make any changes to your culminating project required by your committee, format and submit a written project to the Repository for format review, and graduate in the desired semester.
I will be submitting my paper for format review on the last date to submit. Papers are reviewed in the order in which they are submitted and initial format review can take 2-3 weeks. We have approximately 3-4 weeks following the listed graduation date to ensure all degree requirements are completed and award the degree. If your formatting is completed during this time frame, we will request to have the degree awarded. If your formatting is not completed, your graduation will be moved to the next available graduation date.
As a doctoral student, if I miss the deadline to submit my dissertation for format review or I am unable to meet the formatting approval deadline, can I still participate in Commencement? Yes, if you have completed your final defense and the committee has approved the final version of your dissertation, you may participate in Commencement. Your degree will not be awarded until the final format approval is received and the diploma will not be provided at commencement.
If my graduation is moved to the next term, will I need to register for 1 graduate credit? Maybe. If you will be using University resources (faculty time for final defense or review of changes, Graduate Studies time for format review, Library resources, etc) you will need to register for the graduation term. If your work is 100% complete in the term in which your registered and your graduation is delayed due to missed deadline(s) and you will not require any University resources beyond those for awarding the degree, you may not need to register. Some programs require registration in the final semester regardless of completion status, please review your program handbook/D2L site.