Current Students: Graduation Application and Deadline Information

Summer 2018 Degree Application Deadlines

Fall 2018 Degree Application Deadlines

Summer 2019 Degree Applications Deadlines

Fall 2019 Degree Application Deadlines

Spring 2020 Degree Application Deadlines

Most students can apply for graduation online through RU Access, but there are exceptions. For exceptions, please see the section below, "Who cannot apply online?" If you do not complete all requirements by the end of the term, we will roll your application to the next term.

Steps to apply for graduation through RU Access

• Log in to RU Access
• Click on Registration and Other Student Services.
• Click on Student Records.
• Click on Graduation Application.
• First screen will be the Curriculum Selection. Before you can proceed to the Graduation Application, you must select the term that displays your current degree program. This is to make sure your application reflects the correct degree and major information. For most this is the most recent term listed at the top of the drop down menu, and may not necessarily be the term of your graduation.
  Once you select the term, click submit and you will be guided through the rest of the Graduation Application.
• Read the directions carefully and view your degree and address information. If all is correct, checkAccept Application button.
  • Please note: The application does not currently allow for the addition of a middle name if not previously provided. You can request to add one via graduation@roosevelt.edu.
• Click Submit.

To view your existing application

• Log in to RUAccess
• Click on Registration and Other Student Services.
• Click on Student Records.
• Click on Graduation Application.
• Select the latest curriculum term: For most this is the most recent term listed in the drop down menu, and is not necessarily the term in which you will be graduating.
• You will get an error message: "No curricula available for graduation application". Under the blue line between your options to "View Transcripts" and "Student Information" is the link to "View Graduation Applications".
• Click the "View Graduation Applications" and review your application. If anything needs to be changed contact Graduation Services at 312-341-3591 or at graduation@roosevelt.edu.

Exceptions: Who cannot apply online?

• Students applying for multiple degrees for the same graduation date should download an application and submit it to the Registrar's Office at either campus in person, by mail or fax.
  • Application for Graduation for Second Degree
• Students applying for a credential should download an application and submit it to the Registrar's Office at either campus by mail, fax, or in person.
• Students in the PsyD or PhD programs applying for a non-terminal Masters Degrees. Please contact your department to complete your application by deadline.

Applying for late graduation

• Fill out the Late Graduation Application.
• All late applications must be completed via electronic form for department approval.
• You will be instructed via email to pay the fee once your application has been approved. If you will not complete degree requirements a fee will not be charged. Your application will be moved to the next term.
• A $100 late application fee applies.

When can I apply for graduation? 

You will not automatically be signed up for graduation once you near completion of your degree requirements. You must fill out a degree application. You should speak with your advisor when you are nearing completion to better determine your term of graduation.

Have questions about the process? See the Graduation Checklist below.

What if I miss the RU Access application deadline?

If you miss the RU Access degree application deadline you can apply via late application. All late applications received after the RU Access deadline will be charged a $100.00 late fee. No Exceptions. Late applications can be completed online and are sent to Graduation Services for processing. You will receive an email confirmation when the application is received, accepted, and when your department issues a graduation status. Applications must be submitted to Graduation Services by the posted late application deadline.

Do I need to complete an application if I am not participating in the commencement ceremony?

Yes. The degree application is primarily for the processing and posting of your degree. You can indicate on the electronic application if you do/do not wish to participate in the ceremony.

If you selected "no", "undecided", or "no response" and have since changed your mind, you can attend one of the Salute to Graduates events to check in for the ceremony or contact Graduation Services via graduation@roosevelt.edu.

Where do I complete the Career Development Graduation Survey?

Your feedback is requested on the survey and is important for the university to keep abreast of employment trends among Roosevelt University graduates and to summarize data about the educational experience at the university. Your personal, individual information will NEVER be released. Federal privacy laws prohibit Roosevelt University from releasing personally identifiable data. Please complete this survey as part of your graduation application process. For accuracy, please only complete the application in the term of your graduation. The link will be sent to your Roosevelt email address and is updated for every graduation term.

Where do I complete my exit counseling for financial aid?

Find information on exit counseling.

What is the difference between Commencement and Graduation?

Commencement is the ceremony and Graduation is the official posting and reporting of your degree. Participation in the ceremony does not mean you have graduated. You have officially graduated once your degree has posted to your transcript.

What happens if I owe a balance at the end of the term?

According to the Graduation Fiscal Policy, in order to receive your diploma or official transcripts, all balances must be paid in full.  Your degree will still be posted and verified.  Once the balance is paid in full, please contact Graduation Services at 312-341-3591 to have your diploma released. Once the hold is released you will be able to order transcripts online.

Congratulations on making it to your last semester!  

The final term can be a whirlwind of experiences and it is easy to be so focused on coursework that you miss some important processing steps.  Graduation Services is the last office to review your record and we process your application when your final grades and GPA have posted to your record.  Below are some helpful tips to make sure your degree processing runs smoothly.

Step 1: Meet with your advisor

Meeting with your advisor prior to applying for graduation is a good idea to make sure there are no surprises in your last semester. Below are some things to consider:

1. Will you meet the required hours for the degree at the end of the term?
   • Undergraduates need to have a minimum of 120 hours by the end of their graduating term. Graduates and Doctoral students require 30-60 hours.  Hours will vary depending on degree program, please review the catalog for your specific degree requirements. 
2. Will you meet the minimum GPA requirement?
   • Undergraduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.0 by the end of their graduating term.
   • Graduate and Doctoral students are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and no more than two C grades are allowed on your record.  Grade requirements may vary in your degree program, please refer to your catalog for more specific requirements.
3. Did you or will you transfer credit?
   • Did you have the official transcripts sent to Roosevelt University?
   • Were the hours completed in your last 30 hours at Roosevelt? If no, did you complete a 30 Hour Exception form?
4. Does your record reflect the correct major, minor, and/or concentration*?
   • Did you complete a change of program form?  You cannot add/declare minors, majors, or concentrations after the degree has been posted.  Once a degree is awarded and reported to the National Student Clearinghouse the record is final.

Step 2: Did you complete a Degree Check?

If you are an undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Business, please read further.  If you are not, the degree check is completed within your department, please move to Step 3.

Undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business are required to complete a degree check with their graduation application.  Your department reviews your major requirements, but the Assistant Registrar of Credit Evaluation makes sure you have met or will meet degree requirements at the end of your graduation term.

You may complete the degree check prior to submitting your graduation application or after, but  both are required to ensure the processing and posting of your degree. 

Step 3: Complete the Graduation Application Process via RU Access

In order to have your degree posted to your transcript you must first apply for graduation by the appropriate deadline.  Once the online RU Access application closes, you will receive an e-mail from Graduation Services providing more detailed information about commencement and purchasing graduation materials.

Participation in the ceremony is optional, but a graduation application is required in order to process and post your degree.

A $100 late fee will be applied to applications accepted after the listed application deadline.

Step 4: Complete the Career Development Graduation Survey

Your feedback is requested on the Graduation Survey and is important for the university to keep abreast of employment trends among Roosevelt University graduates and to summarize data about the educational experience at the university. Your personal, individual information will NEVER be released. Federal privacy laws prohibit Roosevelt University from releasing personally identifiable data.  For accuracy, please complete this survey as part of your graduation application process.  A new survey will be released for each graduation term. Take the survey now.

Step 5: Frequently check your Roosevelt email

Roosevelt email is the primary source for communication and we do not want you missing out on important events or deadlines.  Per the Roosevelt University Student Email Policy, Graduation Services will only send correspondence to the Roosevelt University email.  If you do not check this regularly, please be sure to have this email forwarded to the email address you use the most.  Not all messages are automatically forwarded, so you need to check your Roosevelt email.  

Graduation Services will send updates regarding:

• Your graduation status.  Once your department reviews your record an email is generated and sent to your Roosevelt email.
• Important deadline information
• Cap and gown purchasing information
• Commencement details
• Diploma mailing information

Step 6: Familiarize yourself and bookmark important graduation sites

Graduation Services is always updating information on our web sites.  It is important to stay in the loop.  The following pages are always at your fingertips should you, your family members, or guest have any questions:

• Commencement Ceremony Information - Here you will find details about the event for you, your family, or your guests.
• Cap and Gown Purchasing Days - Here you will find out when to purchase, how much, and where to get what you need.
• Tassels - Confused about what to wear?  Find details here.

More importantly, Graduation Services is here to help!  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us:

Graduation Services
Visit Us: 425 S. Wabash Room 1M14
Phone: 312-341-3591
Email: graduation@roosvelt.edu

Information Printed on Diplomas

Diplomas only display the your requested name, and degree earned. Majors, minors, and concentrations appear only on the official transcript.  Undergraduates receiving honors will have the notation, "With Honors" listed below the degree information.

Diploma Mailing
Diplomas are ordered once the degree posting date has passed. Each posting date is listed along with the application deadline information and can be found on the Graduation Services page. All diplomas are mailed and take approximately 3-4 weeks for processing and delivery.

Graduates will receive an email from Graduation Services requesting any updates to their diploma names and/or address information prior to mailing. An email will also be sent from the vendor once the diploma has shipped.

It is important you keep your address current and make changes as needed prior to the mailing of your diploma. If you do not update your address by the requested date, you will have to wait for the diploma to be returned to campus or pay to have another re-ordered.  There is a $50.00 replacement fee for lost diplomas.

Requesting a Duplicate Diploma or Paralegal Certificate

Graduates needing a duplicate diploma can complete the Duplicate Diploma Request form. There is a $50.00 fee for domestic shipping and a $100.00 fee international shipping. Payment for this service may be done online.

Graduates of the Paralegal Certificate Program must contact Rebecca Dreyfuss at rdreyfus@roosevelt.edu for a copy of their certificate. There is a $25.00 fee for a duplicate paralegal certificate. Payment for this service should be submitted online.

Ordering an Official Transcript

A transcript is the official academic record of a student’s enrollment at Roosevelt University, including all undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral coursework. All transcript requests are $10.00 per copy, plus shipping and/or handling charges. Exact pricing for filling orders will depend on the ordering options selected. Visit Transcript Request Procedures for more information.

Obtaining  a Notarized Copy a Diploma or Transcript (Apostille Services)
Graduates needing to have a diploma or transcripts certified by Roosevelt and the State of Illinois would need to complete a request for an Apostille. There is a $30.00 processing fee in addition to fees related to any documents needing to be notarized. Completed forms are to be submitted to Graduation Services or the Office of the Registrar. Payment for this service may be done online.

Effective Fall 2018, graduation with honors at Roosevelt University is calculated on the basis of credit attempted at Roosevelt University only. Undergraduate transfer students must complete a minimum of 60 institutional graded credits (excluding pass/no pass hours) to be eligible for graduation with an honors status.

Although preliminary determination is based on a graduate’s institutional GPA at the start of their final term, the honors notation on the transcript and diploma will be computed on the basis of all course work attempted at Roosevelt, including the final term.  Students who have been readmitted to Roosevelt University under the Forgiveness Policy will be considered for graduation with honors based solely on the grade point average achieved after this readmission.

Departmental Honors

Departmental Honors is awarded at the Undergraduate level and is based on the GPA within your major program of study.

Franklin Honors Society

The Franklin Honor Society was founded in 1956, on the 250th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s birth. In the words of its charter, the objective of the Society “is to emphasize scholarship, character, and ideals of the students of Roosevelt University, and by recognition of students through election to membership, to stimulate the open-minded search for truth, the appreciation of intellectual excellence, and to foster the democratic spirit which were outstanding qualities of Benjamin Franklin.”

All Roosevelt University undergraduate students graduating with a 3.75 GPA or higher will receive a Franklin Honors notation on their transcript.

Latin Honors

• A student who earns a cumulative Roosevelt University grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.850 will be graduated summa cum laude and noted on transcripts.
• A student who earns a cumulative Roosevelt University GPA of at least 3.700 but no higher than 3.849 will be graduated magna cum laude and noted on transcripts.
• A student who earns a cumulative Roosevelt GPA of at least 3.500 grade but no higher than 3.699 will be graduated cum laude and noted on transcripts.

The Honors Program

For more information about the Honors Program, visit Roosevelt Honors Program.