What is the difference between graduation and commencement?
Some students confuse graduation with the University’s Commencement ceremony, and it is an easy mistake to make. Graduation refers to successfully completing all requirements of your degree program and having your degree conferred. Commencement is the voluntary celebration for students to share their academic accomplishments with family and friends. You will not receive a diploma at the commencement ceremony, but you will receive a diploma cover. Confirmation of degree completion will take place once all official grades are posted.
Do I have to apply to graduate?
Yes. The graduation application serves as the only notification of intent to complete degree requirements; therefore, degrees are awarded only to those students who have submitted an application and are eligible for graduation.
When do students apply to graduate?
Students will complete a graduation application the fall or spring semester prior to their graduation term. Fall graduates must apply to graduate the preceding spring semester. Spring and Summer graduates must apply to graduate the preceding fall semester.
What if I plan to graduate in summer?
Students who complete degree requirements in summer participate in the spring commencement ceremony.
When is the deadline to apply to graduate?
The deadline to apply to graduate for the fall semester is on or around March 1 (during the prior spring semester). The deadline to apply to graduate for spring or summer is on or around October 1 (during the prior fall semester)
I missed the deadline to Apply to Graduate. What should I do?
Contact the department of your major immediately; they will give you instructions on how to apply.
When I log in, I see the wrong term.
There are two places during the application in which you are required to select a term. The first one is the Curriculum Selection, which instructs you to select your most recent registration term, not your graduation term (see the example below). This is used to verify that any majors/minors are correct. The next page will ask for the graduation term.
I keep receiving emails about graduation, but I am not ready to graduate, what should I do?
The emails are just a courtesy reminder. The Registrar’s Office is not able to determine when students plan to graduate. There are a wide variety of program lengths offered, and students take a range of course loads (full-time vs part-time). We don’t want anyone to miss the deadline, so we notify any student who could conceivably reach the required earned hours by the end of summer. If you do not plan to graduate, disregard the email reminders; no further action is needed.
When I applied to graduate, I indicated that I would attend the commencement ceremony. Is this all I need to do?
The “Attend Ceremony” question on the Apply to Graduate form is simply an initial indication of your intent, and it is not a final commitment. Students will need to submit a commencement RSVP at a later time. When it’s time to make a reservation, students will receive an email with a student-specific link used to RSVP to attend the ceremony.
After I applied to graduate, I got married/divorced. Will the name on my diploma automatically be updated?
To update your name in the USI database (including transcripts), you must complete a Change of Name form and submit a copy of your Social Security card bearing the new name. To update your name on your diploma, contact the Registrar’s Office or the department of your major for instructions on how to submit a request to revise your diploma name.
When and how will I receive my diploma?
The graduation checkout process is started after grades are official at the end of the term and continues for multiple weeks before all degrees are officially awarded. Diplomas are typically available about two months after the end of the term in which degree requirements are completed. When it becomes available, your diploma will automatically be mailed to the address you provided when you applied to graduate.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
To apply to graduate, you need to follow the steps below:
Log into myUSI
If you are unable to login to myUSI, you will want to contact the IT Help Desk at 812-465-1080. You can also view the Apply to Graduate tutorial for further assistance with submitting your application.
I applied to graduate; now how do I change the information I entered?
You may view the information you entered by following the steps below: