Graduation Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure completion of all the necessary tasks required for graduation.

Step One: Contact Your Advisor

The semester before you plan to graduate, contact your academic advisor to discuss the completion of your degree requirements or refer to your degree progress report.

Step Two: Apply for Graduation

Apply for graduation before the appropriate deadline. Log into MyUMUC and select My Academics > Graduation > Apply for Diploma/Certificate.

Deadline for students in undergraduate programs and most graduate degree and certificate programs:

  • December graduation: October 1
  • May graduation: February 15
  • August graduation: June 15

Deadline for students in the standard two-year MBA program and the CIO certificate program:

  • December graduation: October 15
  • March graduation: February 15
  • June graduation: April 1
  • September graduation: July 15

Step Three: Pay the Application Fee

After you have applied, pay the application fee of $50 per degree program within 10 days. Please note that every program (for example, certificate or bachelor's degree) requires a separate application and fee.

Step Four: Confirm Your Graduation Status

The Graduation Services Office will review your academic record and send you a graduation candidate checklist. Your graduation checklist will include your status for graduation, such as cleared, cleared pending or denied.

Please make sure your permanent address is correct in MyUMUC because all information regarding graduation will be mailed to this address.

Step Five: UMUC Confers Your Degree

After you are cleared for graduation, either with no remaining requirements or courses in progress, your degree will be conferred at the end of that semester, and a diploma/certificate will be mailed six to eight weeks after the conferral date.

Conferral dates for students in undergraduate programs and most graduate degree and certificate programs:

  • December graduation: December 30
  • May graduation: May 30
  • August graduation: August 30

Conferral dates for students in the standard two-year MBA program and the CIO certificate program:

  • December graduation: December 30
  • March graduation: March 30
  • June graduation: June 30
  • September graduation: September 30

Step Six: Participate in Commencement

Congratulations on your accomplishment! August and December graduates from the previous year, as well as May graduates from the current year, will be invited to participate in the May commencement ceremony. Please note that you must have applied for graduation to participate in the ceremony, which is for bachelor's, master's and doctoral candidates. Please refer to the commencement Web site for further details about participating in the commencement ceremony.