Undergraduate Graduation To-Do List

The semester before graduation:

  1. Meet with your adviser to verify what degree requirements still need to be met.
  2. File all necessary course substitutions.
  3. Transfer any credits you have already completed at another institution.
  4. Declare any minors.
  5. File all requests for grade forgiveness in LionPATH.
  6. Verify your name is correctly spelled in LionPATH as you would like it to appear on your diploma and in the commencement program. Request any changes through the Registrar.

The first month of the semester you will graduate:

  1. File your intent—dates can be found on the Academic Calendar.
  2. Meet with your adviser for a final review of your degree requirements.
  3. Alert your department staff assistant to any final credits you are in the process of completing at another institution. You will need to provide:1
    1. The full name of the institution
    2. The course you are taking
    3. The Penn State course it will be applied to
    4. The number of credits
    5. Proof that you are enrolled in the course
    6. File and get approval for any course sub tied to this course
  4. Alert your department staff assistant to any final test credits that you are in the process of completing. You will need to provide:1
    1. The name of the test
    2. The Penn State course it will be applied to
    3. Proof that you are registered to take the test

Immediately as each grade posts:

  1. File any grade forgiveness request for courses taken in your final semester. File each request as soon as the grade is available. Do NOT wait to file them all at once.2

Other information you need to know:

  1. Spring commencement is ticketed. If you are removed from the graduation list, you will not receive tickets.
  2. Walkers are only allowed at fall and summer commencement ceremonies.
  3. We do NOT retroactively confer degrees for transfer or test credits that do not arrive in time. Please check at the beginning of the semester to find out when your final transcript will be available and how long it will take once the request is placed to send it to Penn State so you can have appropriate expectations. Often transcripts do not arrive in time for students who take final requirements at an alternate institution during their last semester.
  4. We do NOT allow you on the graduation list based on verbal notification that you have a plan to meet degree requirements.
  5. An initial audit is performed each semester to remove students from the graduation list who are not set to meet requirements by the end of that semester. Filing intent does NOT guarantee you will remain on the list.
  6. All students removed from the graduation list will need to refile their intent to graduate. It does NOT carry over from one semester to another.

1Failure to provide the necessary documentation will result in you being removed from the graduation list.

2Grade Forgiveness filed the semester of graduation is not guaranteed. It must be approved and processed before the final degree approval deadline.