Graduation does not occur until the completion of your degree requirements is certified by your college’s certification officer. Only after that happens will the Office of the Registrar post your degree completion to your transcript or begin the process of creating your diploma. Commencement is the ceremony held at the end of the spring and fall term prior to the issuance of final grades for that semester. Participation in commencement does not guarantee that you will graduate.
Students must apply for graduation through PAWS. The application link is found under your Student tab in PAWS. You will select the term of your graduation, provide the address for your diploma and tell us exactly how you would like your name to appear. There will be a one-time charge of $40 per degree.
Students may reapply for graduation through PAWS. No additional fee is charged for reapplication. Reapplication should be done if you need to change your graduation term, the degree or major you are pursuing or want to alter the way your name appears or the address your diploma will be sent. Don’t reapply just because you want an updated degree checklist, contact your certifying dean's office for that. Reapplying will not generate another checklist.
Exceptionality allows students to walk at commencement early in certain circumstances. Students can now apply online by selecting the appropriate college link:
College of Education - https://www.eiu.edu/coe/machform/view.php?id=56801
College of Health and Human Services - https://www.eiu.edu/chhs/forms/Exceptionality-Form.pdf
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - https://www.eiu.edu/ahcolleg/machform/view.php?id=16629
Lumpkin College of Business and Technology - https://www.eiu.edu/lumpkin/machform/view.php?id=6770
Graduate School - https://www.eiu.edu/graduate/exceptionality.php
Eligible students who have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.90 to 4.00 earn summa cum laude honors; those with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.80 through 3.89 earn magna cum laude honors; and those with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.65 through 3.79 earn cum laude honors. Honors are calculated after final grades are in and the degree is certified, but students who otherwise qualify* and who have GPAs that qualify for degrees with distinction at the start of their final semester may wear an appropriate medal as part of their academic attire at commencement and their names will appear in the commencement program as being awarded Degrees with Distinction. Honors appear on your diploma and transcript.
Participation in the commencement ceremony does not mean you have completed degree requirements and graduated. Your graduation is not official until your certifying dean's office has sent notification of completion of all degree requirements to the Registrar's Office and the degree has been posted to your record. If you are sending a transcript to finish your degree please notice this deadline. Students must have documentary evidence of completion of degree requirements (such as transcripts, EWP completions or completed grade changes) received by the Office of the Registrar by the following Academic Calendar deadlines:
If a student does not complete graduation requirements at the end of the grading period, a reapplication for graduation must be submitted through PAWS. No additional fees are charged for reapplying.
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