Apply for Graduation

All students must apply to graduate. Your application will signal your college office and the Office of Registration and Records to review your academic information to determine if you met all degree requirements.

We recommend that you apply as soon as the application window opens.

Graduation application instructions and deadlines

Undergraduate students Graduate students

Want to invite someone who lives outside of the U.S. to your graduation?

If a student wants to invite friends or family from outside the United States to attend their Commencement ceremony, those visitors will need a visa to enter the country. To apply, they must schedule a visa interview, which often requires a letter of invitation from the student. To support the application, the student should:

Write a letter inviting their friends and family to the United States and explain the purpose of the visit.
Provide a copy of the Enrollment Verification from the MyBGSU Student Center to confirm current enrollment.
If the invitation is for Commencement, include the graduation application email confirmation with the invitation letter.

More info

Sample graduation invitation letter

Note: This is a personal letter from the student living in the United States to their family and friends. It is not from the University and should not be on BGSU letterhead. It also does not need a stamp or signature from anyone at the University.

Recipient name
Title
Company
Recipient street address
Recipient city, state, zip code

To whom it may concern:

My name is (name) and I am an F-1 (graduate/undergraduate) student in valid immigration status. My major is (name of major) at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. My passport number is (passport number) and was issued by (country of origin).

I am writing to inform you that I have invited my (parents, friend, etc.,) (full name of guest(s)) to visit me in the United States from (start date of visit) to (end date of visit). The sole purpose of their trip is to visit me, and they have no intention of remaining in the United States. Their travel expenses including food, lodging and other expenses will be paid by (name).

The full name, passport number and country of passport issuance for my guest(s) is/are as follows:

(state full name, passport number and country that issued passport for each guest)

Thank you for your consideration of their request for a visa. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further service in this matter.

Sincerely,

Your name
Address
City, State, Zip code
Phone number
Email address

Consult with your college office before applying to graduate to ensure you are eligible to graduate.

Deadline to apply to graduate

Term	Application opens	Application closes
Spring	Oct. 15	At midnight on Sunday of the second week of the term
Summer	March 15	At midnight on Sunday of the first week of the term
Fall	July 15	At midnight on Sunday of the second week of the term

If you miss the deadline to apply for graduation, contact your college office to determine next steps.

Degree requirements

For all terms, students have until the end of the day on Friday four weeks after the end of the term to complete all degree requirements and have all items submitted to their college office.

It is the student’s responsibility to make sure ALL degree requirements are met by the deadline for the term in which they intend to graduate. If requirements are not met by the deadline, the student will need to reapply for the next graduation term in which all degree requirements will be met.

Meet with your academic advisor or program coordinator if you have questions about meeting degree requirements by the end of the application term.

Degree audit

You can review your degree audit through MyBGSU to determine if you have met your degree requirements. Your degree audit also will show that you have applied for graduation once your application has been processed.

How to run a degree audit

How to apply to graduate

MyBGSU → Student Center → Degree Progress → Apply for Graduation
Select your Academic Program.
Select the term in which you plan to graduate from the drop down menu.
Select Continue then Submit.
Print the displayed page as proof that you applied and for information regarding your diploma name and other important information.

Graduation fee: $35

The graduation fee is charged to your account. It is a one-time, nonrefundable fee.

You will receive an email from graduation@bgsu.edu within a week after you apply. The email will include:

The name that will appear on your diploma
The address to which your diploma will be mailed

If either is incorrect, update the information through MyBGSU.

Requirements to graduate with academic honors

Withdraw from graduation

If you are unable to graduate for the term in which you have applied, email graduation@bgsu.edu from your BGSU email account and notify your college office. Include your name, BGSU ID, the degree and your intent to withdraw from graduation.

Diplomas

Diplomas are printed with the specific degree you earned. Major and minor information will be printed on your transcript.

Diploma name

Your diploma will have your legal name as listed in MyBGSU unless you submit a different diploma name through your Student Center by the end of the term in which you plan to graduate.

MyBGSU → Student Center → Profile → Personal Details
Select the + symbol and choose Diploma as the name type to add.
Enter your name as you wish it to print on your diploma.
Select Save.

Name changes should be submitted immediately after submitting your application to graduate if you want the diploma name to be used for the printed Commencement program and in the Commencement ceremony. There is no guarantee that name changes processed after the 6th week of the semester will be included in the program or announced at Commencement.

Diploma mailing

Diplomas will be available after verification of degree completion and confirmation of any type of academic honor. Parchment (the company who processes diplomas) will notify you through your BGSU email when you can access your digital diploma. At that time, they will also mail your printed diploma. It may take 4-8 weeks after commencement to receive diplomas.

Printed diplomas will be mailed to your home address as listed in MyBGSU. To update your address:

MyBGSU → Student Center → Profile → Addresses
Select the home address type and make any necessary changes.
Select Save.

The address needs to be updated by the end of the term in which you plan to graduate.

NOTE: Your diploma will not be released until outstanding financial obligations have been paid in full.

Duplicate diplomas

Duplicate diplomas may be ordered only by the student who earned the diploma.

Order a duplicate/replacement diploma

Updated: 05/15/2026 12:34PM