Graduation Application

sea of graduates at ceremony

Graduation Application

Spring 2024 Graduation Application

A graduation application is required to be submitted within the semester that all degree requirements are being completed in order to receive a diploma. This process is separate from participation in the annual graduation ceremony. In order to participate in the Moody College or University-wide Commencement ceremonies, you must RSVP appropriately. Students should review all email messaging for further information on accessing the RSVP system. 

Degree certification occurs three times in an academic year: December, May and August. Commencement ceremonies happen once a year, in May. 

Individuals pursuing a masters or doctorate degree in Moody College should only apply to graduate with the Graduate College.

Instructions for Applying to Graduate

If you are currently enrolled in residence at UT Austin and will be completing your final degree requirements during this semester, follow the instructions below to apply for graduation.

  1. Review the Degree Audit to ensure all requirements are completed or in progress. 
    1.  Students concurrently enrolled at another institution will be required to provide verification of enrollment. Please see below under "additional graduation information" for requirements.
      1. Note: UT Extension (UEX) courses are not considered in residence courses. Students enrolled in self-paced UEX courses who are not also enrolled in UT Austin courses must register in absentia. 
  2. Complete the Graduation Application

    (Students who are completing degree requirements in Summer 2024 should NOT submit an application. Please see more information under the ceremony section below). 

  3. RSVP through MarchingOrder for the May ceremony. 

Please allow at least two weeks for the application to be reviewed. 

If you are not enrolled in residence at UT Austin during the semester you anticipate graduating, you must complete and return the in absentia registration form. Once the form is completed, a graduation application is submitted on your behalf. 

Students who completed degree requirements in Fall 2023, have been awarded their degree, and are seeking to particiapte in the Spring 2024 graduation should NOT fill out this form. Please email moodycollegegraduation@austin.utexas.edu if you have questions. 

Note: UT Extension (UEX) courses are not considered in residence courses. Students enrolled in self-paced UEX courses who are not also enrolled in UT Austin courses must register in absentia. 

Follow the steps below to apply to graduate in absentia: 

  1. Make sure all degree requirements are completed or in progress. 
  2. Clear any outstanding holds.
  3. Submit an in absentia request. 
  4. RSVP through MarchingOrder for the May ceremony.

Please allow at least two weeks for the application to be reviewed. 

If you have questions or concerns regarding your degree audit or degree requirements, please connect with a Moody College academic advisor.

Participating in the Spring 2024 Graduation Ceremony

Students who wish to participate in the Spring 2024 Graduation Ceremony at the Moody Center will be required to RSVP through MarchingOrder

MarchingOrder is a platform that allows graduates to share their intent to participate, claim tickets for guests, record the pronunciation of their name, and receive communication from the Moody Graduation Team through email and text message.

Students are added to MarchingOrder on a rolling basis and therefore there will be a delay in gaining access to RSVP. Please check your email for an invitation to create an account. 

  • Fall 2023 graduates will be given access to the system automatically as long as a graduate application was submitted and approved for Fall 2023.
  • Spring 2024 graduates will receive information on how to RSVP after your application is approved.
  • Summer 2024 graduates are required to meet with a Moody academic advisor to determine eligibility to participate. 

Students who have already participated in a graduation ceremony may not be eligible to participate again. Questions about your status can be directed to moodycollegegraduation@austin.utexas.edu.

If you have additional questions such as changing diploma names, your name at the ceremony, or other related items, please visit our FAQs

Important Dates and Deadlines

  1. Graduation application open: February 1 - March 26
  2. In absentia application: January 16 - April 29
  3. RSVP for Graduation Ceremony: February 26 - April 12 
  4. Transcripts from External Institutions: May 9
  5. Moody College Graduation Ceremony: May 10
  6. Official graduation date: May 11
  7.  Credit-by-Exam due: May 12
  8. UEX due: April 29

Learn more about diploma dates through Texas One Stop.

 

Additional Graduation Information

Already applied? Check your status.

  1. Degrees will be certified after the semester ends and can be verified here
  2. Diplomas will be mailed to the permanent address on file two to three months after degree certification; please confirm your address is correct here.
  3. Due to different semester ending dates between UT Austin and other Texas schools, degrees for students who are concurrently enrolled may be delayed by a month. Students unable to meet the transcript deadline because of the different ending dates are encouraged to submit the transcript as soon as it is available.

Graduating with honors, high honors, or highest honors is based on your in-residence GPA upon completing degree requirements (see details below).  Graduating "with Honors" is different from the Honors Day designation, which is where the University designates outstanding students as College Scholars and Distinguished College Scholars.

Spring 2023 Graduation Honors were as follows:

Highest Honors:  3.9873 - 4.000
High Honors:  3.9515 - 3.9872
Honors:  3.8986 - 3.9514

To qualify to graduate with University Honors you must have completed at least 60 hours at The University of Texas at Austin and be in the top 20 percent of your Moody Communication graduating class.

Official honors will be calculated and posted to the transcript and diploma upon certification of all degree candidates.

The GPA required to graduate with University Honors is recomputed each May based on the top 20% of the May graduation class in the College following regulations listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. This same GPA applies to the following August and December graduation classes. The required minimum GPA may be higher than that listed in the catalog. For further information, please contact your academic advisor or consult the Graduation with University Honors section of the General Information Catalog.

You may be eligible for a tuition rebate of up to $1,000 if, at graduation, 1) you earned your degree within four years, 2) you are (and have been) a Texas resident, 3) you attempted no more than three semester hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for the degree, and 4) you paid tuition* out-of-pocket. There are many stipulations to this rule, so check with your advisor about the requirements and regulations that govern this rebate. For more information about the rules and requirements, visit the Tuition Rebate page.

If you believe you qualify for this tuition rebate, please download the tuition rebate application, complete it, sign it (signature may be typed if submitting by email), and drop it off at the Student Advising Office (DMC 2.600), or email it using your official utexas email address to the Student Advising Office (commstudentadvising@austin.utexas.edu) by the deadline, which is the official graduation date for the semester in which you will graduate. Processing of your tuition rebate application cannot begin until your degree has been conferred by the University and may take up to 2.5 months to complete.

*If you received tuition waivers or exemptions and did not pay tuition out-of-pocket, this will make you ineligible for the tuition rebate. Your academic advisor will not know whether you paid tuition or received waivers/exemptions. If you have questions regarding your tuition rebate eligibility related to tuition waivers or exemptions, you should contact the Tuition Billing Department/Student Accounts Receivable Office at (512) 475-7771.

Tuition Rebate Deadlines

  1. Summer 2023 graduates - August 14, 2023 
  2. Fall 2023 graduates - December 16, 2023 
  3. Spring 2024 graduates - May 11, 2024

Processing of your tuition rebate application cannot begin until your degree has been conferred by the University and may take up to 2.5 months to complete.

Those enrolled at an external institution, taking a Credit-by-Exam, or in a self-paced UEX course are required to submit proof of intent to complete degree requirements. 

Take screenshots of a Canvas, Blackboard, an unofficial transcript, or grade report. 

The screenshot must include your name, course number (DEPT ####), the semester of the course, the name of the institution, and if applicable, a final grade. Additionally, an end date for the course or exam must be included in the email. Be sure to include your EID and ensure the screenshot can clearly be read.

The screenshot should be ATTACHED to the email in a readable format. Do not embedded the screenshot into the body of the email. 

Information that does not abide by the above outline will be denied. 

Send the screenshot to moodycollegegraduation@austin.utexas.edu