
GRADUATION
Degree candidates will be invited to apply for graduation once the Office of Graduation Review, in conjunction with the candidates’ college, school or institute have deemed them eligible. Eligibility is based on program completion percentage, earned hours within the program and institutional grade point average. These eligibility requirements vary based on each program. Students who are deemed eligible to apply will receive an email requesting they apply by the following deadlines:
Deadline Dates to Apply for Graduation
Semester of Expected Graduation | Deadline to Submit Application |
---|---|
Spring 2022 for All Degree Candidates | December 12, 2021 |
Summer 2022 for All Degree Candidates | April 3, 2022 |
Fall 2022 for Bachelor's Degree Candidates | July 10, 2022 |
Fall 2022 for Associate, Graduate and Law Degree Candidates | July 24, 2022 |
Note: GPA requirements for degree conferral are based on program requirements and University minimums of 2.0 for undergraduate students, 3.0 for graduate students and 2.2 for Law students.
Students who meet eligibility requirements complete the online application and pay the non-refundable graduation fee by logging into PAWS. Once the Apply to Graduate button on the student dashboard is selected, step-by-step instructions will be provided regarding the application process.
The non-refundable graduation application fee is $25 for Associate degrees and $50 for Bachelor and Graduate degrees. Students must apply for each degree/major earned and pay a separate fee. The fee covers the cost of printing, packaging and mailing your diploma.
Undergraduate graduation applicants will be contacted by their college’s Office of Academic Assistance (OAA) 4-8 weeks after applying.
Graduate and Law candidates should continue to work with their specific advisors. The advisor will work with you to ensure you are on track to meet graduation requirements. The advisor will also inform you of any remaining requirements. Additionally, the Graduation Office will conduct an audit during the graduation term listed on your application.
Note: Graduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences are strongly advised to consult the website for their area as procedures differ.
Students who know they will not graduate the semester for which they have applied, but will graduate a subsequent semester, or students who want to change whether they are attending the actual commencement ceremony must complete the Change of Graduation Date form.
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions asked of the graduation and commencement offices. Please review before you make a call. The answer you seek may be here.
Graduation FAQs
The fee is $20. Please complete the Replacement/Duplicate Diploma Request with payment by check or money order, and either mail it to or drop it off at the Office of Graduation and Diploma Services, Citizens Trust Building, 75 Piedmont Avenue, Suite 1150, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Graduates who require their diploma be shipped to an international address now have the option to request expedited shipping through University Express Mail Service. There is an extra cost for this shipping based on how quickly it needs to be shipped and the country in which it is being mailed.
The name printed on the diploma must be your legal name on record here at the university. The only time we will change a name is due to a legal name change — a marriage, for example. Go to the Enrollment Services Center with documents in hand to change your name. Your legal name on record with the university is the name that will appear on your diploma.
No. Commencement regalia, graduation announcements, etc., are available from the Georgia State Bookstore. Details about ordering commencement items are available at https://commencement.gsu.edu or by contacting commencement@gsu.edu.
The non-refundable fee is required when you submit the online graduation application.
Only Georgia State coursework counts toward honors.
You may visit the Office of Graduation and Diploma Services at 75 Piedmont Avenue in Suite 1150, you may email us at graduation@gsu.edu, or you may call 404-413-2248. The commencement staff can be reached at 404-413-2743 or by email at or commencement@gsu.edu.
Contact your Office of Academic Assistance, or, if you are a graduate student, your faculty advisor.
You should make a reduced-size copy of your diploma and bring it to the Office of Graduation and Diploma Services. We will also certify the original diploma but most third parties will accept a copy. There is no fee.
Degree candidates attending the university-wide ceremonies should contact the commencement staff/University Events Management office at commencement@gsu.edu or 404-413-2743 for ticket inquiries and guest limits. Doctoral candidates attending the Ph.D. ceremony at the Rialto will be notified after midterm of the semester of graduation the number of tickets available to them and how they will be distributed.
The non-refundable application fee is $25 for associate degrees and $50 for bachelor's, graduate and law degrees.
Students must pay a separate fee for each degree/major earned. The fee covers the cost of preparing, printing and delivering your diploma.
It is very important to stay in contact with your academic advisor (for undergraduates, in your college, school or institute's Office of Academic Assistance) to ensure you meet requirements. The graduation and commencement offices only send information out to candidates during the term in which they applied and are eligible. Information from the graduation and commencement offices will be communicated to you during your final term through the student e-mail system and on our websites.
First, contact your academic advisor to ensure you have met all eligibility requirements to apply. If there are issues, your advisor will be able to identify them and can work to make necessary adjustments. If you continue to have issues, contact the Graduation Office by calling 404-413-2248 or emailing graduation@gsu.edu. Students who applied for graduation and anticipate they will not complete final requirements that term must complete a Graduation Change Form.
No. Once your application fee is paid you do not need to re-apply or pay an additional application fee for your degree program. However, if you expect to graduate in an additional program (for example, double major), you will need to submit an additional application and pay the corresponding fee.
Expedited shipping is only available for international shipments.
Semester of Expected Graduation |
Deadline to Submit Application
|
---|---|
Spring 2022 All Degree Candidates | December 12, 2021 |
Summer 2022 All Degree Candidates | April 3, 2022 |
Fall 2022 Bachelor's Degree Canidates | July 10, 2022 |
Fall 2022 Associate, Graduate and Law Degree Candidates | July 24, 2022 |
Note: GPA requirements for degree conferral are based on program requirements and university minimums of 2.0 for undergraduate students, 3.0 for graduate students and 2.2 for Law students.
Students apply for graduation online and pay by credit/debit card.
Undergraduate graduation applicants will be contacted by their college, school or institute's Office of Academic Assistance 4-8 weeks after applying.
Graduate and Law candidates should continue to work with their specific advisors. The advisor will work with you to ensure you are on track to meet graduation requirements. The advisor will also inform you of remaining requirements. The Graduation Office will conduct an audit during the graduation term listed on your application.
Note: Graduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences are strongly advised to consult the website for their area because procedures differ.
Graduation and commencement are two separate activities.
Graduation occurs when your degree is officially conferred. It is the date in which the degree(s) are awarded and will appear on official records, such as your transcript. The university’s official conferral date for each semester appears on academic calendar posted on the Georgia State website. Upcoming conferral dates are:
Spring 2022 | May 13, 2022 |
Summer 2022 | August 9, 2022 |
Fall 2022 | January 6, 2023 |
Note: These dates will differ for College of Law during the Spring and Fall semesters. Please refer to the College of Law website regarding Law conferral.
Commencement is the event that celebrates your graduation. All activities related to Commencement are managed by University Events Management's Commencement Office. Please refer to https://commencement.gsu.edu/ for details during the semester in which you expect to graduate. Information about ordering regalia, invitations, photos and ceremony participation will be sent to you from the Commencement Office.
Eligibility to apply for graduation is based on program completion percentage, earned hours within the program and institutional grade point average. You will be notified by the Registrar’s Office/Office of Graduation Review with an invitation to apply once you become eligible.
Diplomas are mailed to the graduate’s mailing address within 6-8 weeks of degree conferral.
While students may complete degree requirements within a specified time, this may differ depending on the degree program(s) a student is pursuing and their individual schedules in which they complete coursework. Therefore, students must notify us of their intent to graduate. That way we can work with students and their college to confirm they are on track toward degree completion.
Diplomas are not distributed during the ceremonies. Diplomas are mailed to your diploma or mailing address on record within 6-8 weeks of degree conferral. Please log into your PAWS account to confirm the correct diploma or mailing address is on record to ensure proper deliver of your diploma.
Your primary major will be reflected on the diploma for bachelor’s, graduate and law degree programs. If you have more than one major, you must apply for graduation and pay the $50 graduation fee for the second major. If you have additional questions about this process, please contact the Graduation Office at 404-413-2248 or graduation@gsu.edu.
Contact the Graduation Office
Graduation Office
Office Address
75 Piedmont Avenue
Suite 1150
Atlanta, GA 30303