Student Academic Services

How should I advise students about applying to graduate?

The University Registrar's Office sends automated messages to students who have earned 85 hours or more and may be within a semester or two of graduation. Regardless of when a student chooses to apply, he or she should be advised to select the graduation term during which he will actually complete all coursework necessary for the degree. For example, if a student wishes to “walk” with his class during the May ceremony but won't actually finish with coursework until the summer, he should be advised to apply for August graduation.

Students can graduate in August but because there is no August graduation ceremony, students may elect to participate in either the May or the December ceremony. Participating in a ceremony does not equal graduation; no degree will be awarded until all requirements have been successfully completed. The names of August degree recipients are printed in the December commencement program.

All undergraduate students are required to file an application for graduation with the University Registrar's Office at the beginning of the semester in which they plan to graduate. The online degree application is available via UNCGenie.

Students who do not graduate in the semester for which they file a graduation application must refile for the next term in which they expect to complete their degrees.

Students cannot walk in the December ceremony without having met all degree requirements.

Any questions about graduation clearance should be directed to the University Registrar's Office.