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Undergraduate Degree Candidate Information
for December 2008, May 2009

and Summer 2009.

 

Remember, the University does not confer a degree without receiving your complete Application for Degree.

Application deadlines are listed below.

 

Fee Notice:  There is a $60 processing fee billed to your University account at the time your application is processed. The degree application fee will be assessed each time you apply to graduate.  

Frequently Asked Questions:

I am planning to graduate next semester. What should I do?

It is your responsibility to file an Application for Degree. Ideally, you should submit the application one session prior to the semester in which you expect to graduate! You can submit the application via ISIS or by completing a quick, one-page paper application form at The Registrar Service Center, 17 Calvin Hall.

Your name will appear on your diploma as it does on your Univeristy records (ISIS).  If your name is not correct on ISIS, please complete this Name Change Form along with the required documentation as stated on the form, and return to The Registrar Service Center, 17 Calvin Hall. 

*Legal documentation is required for all name changes.

The established deadlines are:
 

December 2008-October 14, 2008

Spring 2009-March 6, 2009

*Summer 2009 - June 11, 2009

*Summer degrees are awarded, but no Summer graduation ceremonies are held.

What happens next?

First, you will receive a general letter saying that your Application for Degree was received. This includes a review of important deadlines that may or may not apply to you. Degree applications are accepted for the current session and the next future session. If you apply for a future session, you will not receive confirmation until after the session begins. If you apply for the current session, expect to receive confirmation within one month. If you do not receive confirmation, call Graduation Analysis at 335-0228 to be sure that you are an official degree candidate.

Next, if you are a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, or Nursing, a Final Degree Audit of graduation status will be prepared and mailed to you. If you applied earlier, the final evaluation should be received within the first few weeks of the semester. If you applied after your final session began, you should allow 3-4 weeks to receive this academic audit.

What other deadlines are there?

December 2008 Graduation:

Grades, Transcripts and Waivers - December 24, 2008

  May 2009 Graduation:

Grades, Transcripts and Waivers - May 20, 2009

   Summer 2009 Graduation:

Grades, Transcripts and Waivers - August 5, 2009

 

If you will miss a deadline, contact The Registrar Service Center as soon as possible at 17 Calvin Hall or phone 319-335-0228. If information is received after the deadline, you may have to apply for graduation in the subsequent semester.

Must I order my transcripts from other schools?

An official transcript of all work from other universities that is not yet on your UI record must be in the Registrar's Office by the deadline. Official transcripts usually include the registrar's signature and an embossed seal, and are sent from one institution to another. A certificate of enrollment or a letter from the instructor is not acceptable as a substitute. Inquire at the Registrar's Office of the institutions from which you will transfer credit to assure that your transcript will be sent in time to reach Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Iowa before the deadline. Call Graduation Analysis at 319-335-0228 if you know there will be a delay; depending on the circumstances, an extension might be possible.

My current course is Off-Cycle...does it matter?

If you are enrolled in a required course that extends beyond the regular session, you may be required to graduate in a later session. Brief extensions may be allowed if arrangements are made in advance. Contact Graduation Analysis for more information.

What if I graduate but still owe money to the University?

Your University account must be cleared in order to receive your transcript. If your current registration is restricted for financial delinquency or if you have prior indebtedness to the University, your account must be cleared by the date on which final semester grades are due.

When is my graduation ceremony? How do I get a cap and gown?

Frequently Asked Question information containing specific details about commencement ceremonies, caps and gowns, and receiving your diploma will be mailed to you about a month prior to commencement. Participation is optional. Since the detailed information is sent to your residing address, you should promptly file any address changes with the Registrar's Office.   Information concerning commencement ceremonies can also be found here.

You will receive information about commencement announcements (for mailing to your family and friends), class rings and other commemorative items from outside vendors and the Alumni Association approximately two months before the ceremony.

If my name is read at commencement, I've really graduated - right?

Sorry, but not necessarily. While we hope that all applicants for degree will receive a diploma, experience has shown that this is not true. All candidates for degree are invited to participate in the commencement ceremony. Since this ceremony occurs several days before final grades are due, it is not possible to know for sure that all requirements have, indeed, been met.

So, when is my graduation official?

You become an alumnus about two weeks after commencement when all grades have been recorded and the degree notation is placed on your academic record. However, the official date of conferral is always the final Friday of the session.

How will I receive my diploma?

Approximately one month after the commencement ceremony, your diploma will be mailed to your current residing address as shown on ISIS (University records).

What if my address changes?

To assure continuing services from the University, you should inform the Registrar's Office each time you move. All departments of the University use the address lists maintained by the Registrar's Office. Whenever your address changes, update it on ISIS or notify the Registrar Service Center, 17 Calvin Hall or call 1-800-553-4692 (ext 0238).

What if I don't graduate as expected?

If you do not complete all degree requirements as planned, you must submit another application before the deadline date of the future session in which you intend to graduate.

NOTE: If you complete degree requirements after a session's stated deadlines and must officially graduate later, an official letter embossed with The University of Iowa seal can be prepared for you once all your requirements are met. It serves the purpose of verifying the completion of degree requirements until the official degree notation is entered (about two weeks after the next commencement). Call Graduation Analysis (319-335-0228) for information about this service.