Apply at least six to eight months prior to when you expect to graduate. This allows ample time for you to address anything needed to complete your graduation requirements and ensures that you are on track to graduate. Work with your advisor on any questions you have.
Students are responsible for understanding their degree requirements and having their degree audit up to date so the graduation coordinator can confer the degree.
If you are taking a Maymester course to graduate, you should apply for the summer term.
Yes, if you follow the graduation steps by April 1, you will be included.
Make sure to apply for the summer term for graduation by April 1 through Buff Portal. This will ensure you get your degree and will include you in the University Commencement Ceremony in May, before you graduate in August.
You should also fill out this form to be included in CMCI’s individual May 6 ceremony.
Typically, December graduates are automatically included in spring ceremony programs following their graduation. For example, if you graduated in December 2021, you will appear in the spring 2022 ceremony for both CU Boulder and CMCI.
However, if you are graduating in December and wish to participate in the May 2022 recognition ceremonies, you should apply for the summer 2022 graduation term via Buff Portal by April 1. If you do so, you will be treated as a May graduate for purposes of the program and ceremony. You should also fill out this form by April 1 to be included in CMCI’s individual May 6 ceremony.
If you are graduating in December and do not want to be in the spring 2022 ceremony, apply for the winter 2022 graduation term via Buff Portal. Winter 2022 graduates will be included in the spring 2023 ceremony. Participation in the ceremony is optional, but you must apply to graduate via Buff Portal regardless if you plan to participate in any ceremony.
You will not see a certificate on your record when you apply to graduate. You should be in touch with your certificate program coordinator to be sure you have completed requirements. Certificates are posted and mailed one week after diplomas.
You should see your minor when you apply to graduate. If you do not, contact your advisor.
If you are graduating with two degrees (not two majors) from two different colleges at CU Boulder, you must apply twice on Buff Portal, once for each degree. Dual degrees must be conferred at the same time.
If you are graduating from CMCI from two programs—and one is a bachelor of science and one a bachelor of arts—this is not considered a dual degree. This is a double major, and the primary major determines the degree.
You cannot graduate with an “I” or “incomplete” on your record. If you are taking a self-paced course that isn’t concluded with a grade posted, or have not completed work for a previously granted incomplete, you will not have the degree conferred.
Contact the instructor from the course you received an “I” in and ask what work you must complete and by what date. If you have questions, ask your advisor.
Your diploma is mailed approximately eight weeks after your official degree conferral date.
You can order a transcript showing your degree about four weeks after your official date. It is not possible to speed up the printing and mailing of diplomas, but graduate programs and other entities accept transcripts with posted degrees.
If you need a certification of graduation in the four weeks between the official degree conferral date and the posting of degrees, you should contact your advisor, who will work to get a letter confirming your graduation.
Tom Costello to Deliver University Commencement