Graduation

UWG Campus featuring white sign with the UWG shield prominently displayed.

Graduation InformationWhat You Need to Know

Apply for Graduation (Degree & Stand-Alone Certificate Completion)

Degree Candidates: Degree candidates must apply for graduation for degree awarding and are eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremony for the term in which they anticipate completing all requirements. Summer candidates will participate in either the Spring or Fall commencement ceremony based on remaining hours in their degree program. (Doctoral students who complete all degree requirements, including ProQuest, in the Summer will default to Fall Commencement Ceremony.) If you feel that you have extenuating circumstances and would like to request to participate in a ceremony other than the one you've been assigned, please complete the Marching Exception Request Form.

Stand-Alone Certificate Candidates: Certificate candidates must apply for graduation for certificate awarding, but are not eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremony.

All students intending to graduate must apply for graduation and pay the required fee regardless of whether they intend to participate in the commencement ceremony. The Graduation Application and fee is valid for one year from the student's intended term of graduation. Students who do not apply for graduation will not have their degree or stand-alone certificate awarded and will not receive their diploma. Students must apply by the Graduation Application deadlines listed below. The Graduation Application fee is $40 per degree and $20 per stand-alone certificate.

What if I miss the application deadline? Late applications may be accepted without an additional fee. Once you notice you missed the deadline, please complete the application in your Self-Service Banner account. Students who apply late will have their degree audit reviewed after those students who applied prior to the deadline. Please note, students who apply late for graduation risk not having their name included in the Commencement Program.

Graduation Application Dates

*Summer Candidates will participate in either the Spring or Fall commencement ceremony based on remaining hours in their degree program.
Semester of Graduation	Application Opens	Application Deadline
Fall	February 1st	August 1st
Spring	April 1st	October 1st
Summer*	September 1st	March 1st

How to Apply for Graduation

To access the Online Graduation Application and Fee Payment, logon to Student Self-Service, select the "Apply for Graduation" link. Follow the instructions listed on the Graduation Application to complete your application, pay the application fee, and submit for processing. After submitting your payment, click “Finish”. Please note until payment is made, your application will not be received by the Office of the Registrar for processing. Please Note: The first question on the graduation application is asking for your last term of enrollment, not the term in which you wish to graduate. If you are currently enrolled in classes, you will list the current semester.

Undergraduate students are required to have at least 85 overall earned hours prior to applying for graduation. Earned hours does not include in-progress or future registration courses. There is no minimum hour requirement for graduate students. Students who have not attended UWG for three consecutive semesters must readmit into their degree or certificate program prior to applying for graduation. Contact the Undergraduate or Graduate Office of Admissions for assistance.
During the Graduation Application process, students will be asked to indicate their Commencement Ceremony attendance preference (degree candidates only), to verify the name to be printed on their diploma and/or certificate, and to provide the address where their diploma and/or certificate will be mailed after degrees & certificates are conferred.
Students who are graduating with dual degrees (ex. Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Science or Master of Business Administration & Master of Professional Accounting) must apply for graduation twice and pay two fees. Dual degree students will receive two diplomas. Students who are pursuing a double major for the same degree (ex. Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology) will only apply once and pay one fee. Double major students will receive one diploma with both majors listed.
Students who intend to earn a stand-alone certificate will apply to graduate through the online Graduation Application. Students earning a stand-alone certificate and a degree must apply and pay the fee for each degree and stand-alone certificate. Embedded certificates are awarded by academic departments; students must apply for that certificate through the academic department that sponsors the embedded certificate program. There is no fee for embedded certificates.

Once you have submitted your application for graduation and paid your application fee you are now on the list of degree candidates. Students should consult their academic advisor or program director for guidance on any remaining requirements that need to be fulfilled for graduation. Additionally, students should pay close attention to their West Georgia email account for important information about missing degree requirements, the Commencement Ceremony and diplomas.

View Your Graduation Application

Students may view their completed Graduation Application in Self-Service Banner. To view your Graduation Application logon to Student Self-Service and select the "View My Graduation Application" link. By viewing your Graduation Application you can verify your intended term of graduation, your ceremony attendance preference, the name to be printed on your diploma and your diploma mailing address. You may request to update the information listed on your Graduation Application by completing the Graduation Information Update Form.

Graduation Information Update Form

Connect with the Alumni Association

Connect with the UWG Alumni Association by completing the Alumni & Friends Graduation Information Form.

Alumni & Friends Graduation Information Form

The Graduation Team in the Registrar's Office is responsible for auditing degree records for degree completion and awarding degrees after graduation. Each student will have their degree audited three times prior to graduation to ensure all requirements are met. Students who are missing degree requirements will be notified via their UWG email account. Students can view their degree audit in Wolf Watch (Degree Works). Wolf Watch is the official university degree auditing system.

Audit Review	Review Process
Initial Review	The Initial Review process begins after students register for their intended term of graduation. Students who applied prior to the Graduation Application Deadline will have their degree audit reviewed and will be notified of the results no later than the first day of classes of their intended graduation term. It is likely that all students who have applied for graduation will receive audit results prior to the end of the first week of classes of their intended graduation term. However, students who applied prior to the deadline will receive priority in the review process.
Comprehensive Review	The Comprehensive Review process begins after the add/drop period for full-term courses in the intended graduation term. Students who are not meeting requirements will be notified via their UWG email account. If requirements are not met by midterm of the intended graduation term, students will be administratively deferred to the next term (if their application has not expired) and notified by a Degree Auditor.
Final Review & Degree Awarding	The Final Review process begins the week after graduation when final grades are posted. Students who are meeting all degree requirements will have their degree formally awarded 5-7 business days after graduation. Students who are not meeting requirements will be deferred to the next term (if their application has not expired) and will be notified by a Degree Auditor.

Audit Review

Review Process

Initial Review

The Initial Review process begins after students register for their intended term of graduation. Students who applied prior to the Graduation Application Deadline will have their degree audit reviewed and will be notified of the results no later than the first day of classes of their intended graduation term.

It is likely that all students who have applied for graduation will receive audit results prior to the end of the first week of classes of their intended graduation term. However, students who applied prior to the deadline will receive priority in the review process.

Comprehensive Review

The Comprehensive Review process begins after the add/drop period for full-term courses in the intended graduation term. Students who are not meeting requirements will be notified via their UWG email account. If requirements are not met by midterm of the intended graduation term, students will be administratively deferred to the next term (if their application has not expired) and notified by a Degree Auditor.

Final Review & Degree Awarding

The Final Review process begins the week after graduation when final grades are posted. Students who are meeting all degree requirements will have their degree formally awarded 5-7 business days after graduation. Students who are not meeting requirements will be deferred to the next term (if their application has not expired) and will be notified by a Degree Auditor.

Updating your Graduation Term, Ceremony Attendance Preference, or Diploma Mailing Address

Students who know they will not graduate in the term in which they applied or students who want to update their ceremony attendance or diploma mailing address should complete the Graduation Information Update Form for assistance. Once the requested changes are confirmed, students will be able to view the changes in Self-Service Banner when they view their Graduation Application.

Students may update their graduation term for up to one year from their original intended term of graduation. Students who need to update their graduation application past one year of their intended term will need to submit a new graduation application and pay an additional fee.
Students who update their ceremony attendance from not attending to attending must do so at least 4 weeks prior to the ceremony to have their name printed in the commencement program.
Students who update their diploma mailing address must contact the Graduation Team at least one week prior to graduation. Updating your permanent or mailing address in Self-Service Banner will not update your diploma mailing address.

Graduation Information Update Form

The University of West Georgia awards baccalaureate degrees with honors to those undergraduates who have earned a minimum of a 3.50 grade point average at UWG (institutional GPA). Those candidates who have transferred from other institutions will qualify for honors if they meet UWG’s minimum residency requirements and attain the minimum GPA based on the higher of the following calculations: institutional GPA or all UWG and transfer courses. Course repeats are calculated into the institutional & overall GPAs as stated in the Repeat Policy. Baccalaureate degrees are awarded with honors based on the following grade point average range for all courses attempted:

3.50 - 3.79 GPA - honors (cum laude)
3.80 - 3.89 GPA - high honors (magna cum laude)
3.90 - 4.00 GPA - highest honors (summa cum laude)

Because grades are not official until after the commencement ceremony, the initial honors designation is based on the student’s honors GPA at the end of the semester prior to the graduating semester. Students who have not met the GPA requirements to be designated as an honors recipient at the time of commencement will not be allowed to walk as an honors recipient or to purchase honors cords from the University Bookstore. Official honors designation will be determined after the commencement ceremony when term grades are official and the honors GPA is recalculated. GPAs are truncated to the second decimal place and will not be rounded (example, a 3.49 will not be rounded to a 3.50). Students who graduate with honors will have their honors status (cum laude, etc.) notated on their official academic transcript and their diploma.

This policy is effective beginning in the fall 2023 semester.

Graduation policies support the academic integrity of the university while promoting student success. All students applying for graduation should review and understand the various policies governing degree conferral.

Graduation Application Policies (Undergraduate, Graduate)
Undergraduate Honors Policy
History & Constitution Proficiency Requirement (GA Law O.C.G.A. § 20-3-68)
Limitation on Specific Course Hours which can be used to Meet Graduation Requirements
Requirements for a Double Major within the Same Degree awarded during the Same Semester
Requirements for Two Different Baccalaureate Degrees Awarded during the Same Semester
Requirements for a Second Baccalaureate Degree Awarded in a Different Semester than the First Degree

International Letters of Invitation

Candidates for graduation wishing to invite international guests may need a Letter of Invitation for each international guest to support the visa application. Please contact us at graduation@westga.edu to request Letters of Invitation.

Please include the following in your email:

Student Name & 917#
Embassy Name & Address
Full name of each international guest

Graduation At a Glance

graduating student at the graduation ceremony

Commencement Ceremonies

University of West Georgia hosts a commencement ceremony each Spring and Fall semester. Students who complete their degree requirements in the Summer semester will have the opportunity to participate in the Spring or Fall commencement ceremony. A student with 6 credit hours or less for degree completion in the Summer semester may participate in the Spring ceremony immediately preceding. A student with more than 6 credit hours for degree completion in the Summer semester may participate in the Fall ceremony immediately following. Doctoral students who complete all degree requirements, including ProQuest, in the Summer will default to the Fall Commencement Ceremony. Students who submit a graduation application for Summer will automatically be designated to their respective ceremony based on degree or Summer hours required for degree completion. Students who feel that they would need an exception to this ceremony designation may contact graduation@westga.edu.

Diploma Information

Information about your UWG diploma and stand-alone certificate including sizes, mailing procedures, Apostille/Great Seal services, and replacement diplomas.