Applying for Graduation
Application for Graduation/Degree Completion
All students must formally apply for graduation, whether or not you plan to participate in the graduation ceremony. To be considered for graduation/degree completion, you must submit a Graduation Application Form (available in the Registrar’s Office) according to the schedule of deadlines below. This is your first step in the process to be eligible for graduation. It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of the application process and deadlines. The University does not assume to know your intended graduation date and will not automatically complete your degree without a Graduation Application Form from you.
Undergraduate Students – Application for Graduation/Degree Completion
- Undergraduate students must apply for graduation a full year in advance of your intended completion date.
- May and August candidates – must apply for graduation by April 1 of the junior year.
- December candidates – must apply for graduation by December 1 of the junior year.
- Accelerated Second Degree students must apply for graduation at the end of the semester prior to your intended completion (December 1 for May graduates and August 1 for December graduates).
Once an undergraduate student has submitted a Graduation Application Form, you will be added to the graduation list of the semester for which you applied, however you will not be considered an “official” candidate for that semester until a formal “Degree Audit” has been completed by the Registrar’s Office.
It is the goal of the Registrar’s Office to provide candidates with an official “Degree Audit” in a timely manner. For May candidates this will be over the summer prior to the senior year. For December and August candidates this will be two semesters prior to graduation. Your degree audit will be sent to your Bellarmine University email account and will either inform you that you are on track and have been officially added to the graduation list, or that you are not on track for that semester and request you to take follow up action.
Graduate and Doctoral Level Students
Graduate and Doctoral students must apply for graduation one semester prior to your intended completion date. You will apply for graduation in consultation with your degree program advisor or director. Your program advisor or director must approve your Graduation Application Form prior to submitting it to the Registrar’s Office. Your degree progress is tracked by your graduate program so you will not receive a formal “Degree Audit” from the Registrar’s Office. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that you are on track with your course requirements. Contact your degree program advisor or director for assistance with advising and to determine the status of your degree progress and graduation eligibility.
Summer Graduates
Students completing a degree in the summer are invited to participate in the subsequent December Commencement Ceremony.
Graduation Fee
All Bellarmine students must pay the graduation fee before commencement regardless of whether or not they participate in commencement exercises. The graduation fee is: $75 for undergraduate students; $80 for masters degree students; and $95 for doctoral students. This fee covers the cost of the student’s academic apparel, diploma and other related expenses. Once the student has applied for graduation, the fee will be placed on his/her tuition statement during the semester in which he/she plans to graduate. If the student does not graduate as planned, the fee will be refunded.