Graduation

Getting ready to graduate

Congratulations, graduate, below is a list of steps to help you with the process of preparing to graduate and answer any questions you might have.

If you have questions related to University Commencement of participating in graduation ceremonies, please contact University Ceremonies at commence@asu.edu.

If you have questions about receiving your diploma, please contact the graduation office at graduation@asu.edu.

Confirm that you are ready to graduate

Undergraduate Students
Review your degree audit (DARS) to ensure that you will be meeting degree requirements by your conferral date. You may request a degree audit via MyASU. Any issues or concerns should be directed to your academic advisor or department (the graduation office cannot make changes to your audit).

Graduate Students
Review your iPOS via My ASU and contact your committee chair or department if you have questions about your eligibility to graduate.

Verify your name

Your name will appear on your diploma and in the commencement book as it is recorded in ASU’s Student System. Any name changes must be made through the Outgoing Transcripts Section of University Registrar Services. This includes lower/upper case corrections. Special characters may be noted on the Diploma Name form.

Check your address

Diplomas are mailed to the address on file with the university. If this address is incorrect, your diploma may not find you. It is your responsibility to keep your address updated. The posting of degrees begins shortly after the conferral date and generally diplomas arrive 4-6 weeks after the conferral date.

Get your graduation regalia

You will receive your diploma case at your college convocation, but here is what you need to get:

Academic Regalia (Cap and Gown). Visit the Sun Devil Campus Stores for information about purchasing regalia for commencement activities.
Undergraduate Honor Cords. Undergraduate students who have completed at 56 semester hours of resident credit at ASU qualify for graduation with academic recognition based on the GPA requirements below:
- Cum Laude (3.40 - 3.59 GPA)
- Magna Cum Laude (3.60 - 3.79 GPA)
- Summa Cum Laude (3.80 - 4.00 GPA)

Cords are for ceremonial purposes only and are awarded based on your current GPA at the time of your request. Honors designated on your diploma will reflect your final cumulative ASU GPA. Pick up honor cords at any University Registrar Services location.

ASU Online students who’ve earned honor cords will receive them via mail. They’ll be mailed automatically to eligible students.

Celebrate your achievement

Visit graduation.asu.edu for a complete schedule of commencement activities and further information about various college and cultural convocations.

Graduation FAQs

Are tickets required for graduation ceremonies?

Ceremonies held at Grady Gammage Auditorium will require a ticket. Ceremonies held at Wells Fargo Arena or other venues currently do not require tickets. Please check with the dean’s office of your college for details.

Can I come pick up my diploma?

No. Diplomas are printed and mailed by an outside vendor to the diploma address listed on your profile page on My ASU.

How do I RSVP?

Students will RSVP from a link on their My ASU page - go to My Programs and select the Graduation tab. You must apply to graduate and pay the application fee first. You will receive a confirmation via email after successfully submitting your response.

How long does it take for my degree to be posted to my transcript?

The majority of degrees are posted within 10-14 days of the degree conferral date.

What does conferral date mean?

This is the date recorded on your transcript signifying when your degree was officially recognized. All requirements must be met by this date. Dates are published in the University's Academic Calendar.

What if I graduate in summer?

There is a summer conferral date, but no ceremonies are held in the summer. Summer graduates will be recognized in the Fall commencement book and can choose to participate in either spring or fall ceremonies. Contact your college convocation coordinator for further information.

What is the difference between “walking” and graduating?

A graduating student is someone who has met all graduation requirements, whereas “walking” means a student who is participating in ceremonies but is not graduating yet. Diplomas are mailed and not given to students at either commencement or convocation. Students typically participate in the ceremonies that correspond to their graduation semester and students wishing to "walk" in a different ceremony should contact their college convocation coordinator for additional information.

When will I get my diploma?

Generally, diplomas arrive 6-8 weeks after the degree conferral date. You will get an email notification when your diploma has been mailed; for most, diplomas arrive about 2 weeks from this date. More information regarding diplomas can be found on our diploma page

Where can I find information about graduation ceremonies?

ASU hosts a number of graduation ceremonies each fall and spring semester. See University Ceremonies for details.

Why do I have to apply to graduate?

The graduation application notifies our office that it is time to evaluate your record to see if we can award your degree.

Why is my degree not posted to my transcript yet?

This could be a different answer for every person that asks, but each semester there is a considerable amount of end-of-term processing that must occur before degrees can be posted. To ensure that your degree gets posted as soon as possible, please review your DARS or iPOS and work with your advisor to make sure all requirements are marked as complete. The majority of degrees are posted within 10-14 days of the degree conferral date.

Why is there a fee to graduate?

It's common for universities to have a fee associated with graduation. The graduation fee pays for items such as the diploma, diploma case, honor cords, postage, mailers, etc.