Graduate Commencement

Graduate Commencement

Navigate the Graduation Process

UCF Commencement Details

Preparing for Graduation

There are many important deadlines and milestones that students should be aware of as they progress through their academic careers. This webpage is designed to provide graduate students with this important information to keep them on track with their plans for earning their graduate degree and help them navigate the graduation process.

Students should check with their program adviser for information on the important milestones associated with their Plan of study and degree requirements. Please refer to the Graduate Catalog and your Program Handbook for this program-specific information.

Steps to Graduation for Doctoral Students

1. Complete your Plan of Study (including all needed petitions, course substitutions, and transfer work) and submit them to the College of Graduate Studies for review and approval by the end of the third major term of enrollment (based on full-time enrollment). This form must be on file prior to the change to candidacy status.
2. Complete required and elective coursework.
3. Pass the candidacy exam.
4. Form your dissertation advisory committee. Complete the Doctoral Committee/Candidacy Status Form and submit it to the College of Graduate Studies for review and approval.
5. Enroll in required dissertation hours by the semester deadline.
6. File your online intent to graduate at myUCF.  Please ensure that your Diploma Mailing Address is correct.
7. Students completing a dissertation should reference the Thesis and Dissertation page.
8. Schedule your dissertation defense with your committee and announce the defense through your program.
9. Submit the Thesis and Dissertation Release Option form with your dissertation title, defense date, and dissemination option at myUCF Student Center > Graduate Students > Choose Graduate Student forms.
10. Submit your dissertation PDF to the College of Graduate Studies Thesis and Dissertation office via the Thesis and Dissertation Services site for initial format review by the format review deadline.
11. Have your committee chair complete the Review for Original Work (through iThenticate.com).
12. Review the Defense Approval Form page on the Thesis and Dissertation Services site, ensure your Release Option information appears on the form and all other information appears correctly, then print the form for your defense.
13. Successfully complete defense of your dissertation.
14. Pass format review by the College of Graduate Studies Thesis and Dissertation office in order to receive permission to upload your final document by the final deadline. Most students require 2-3 submissions for format review before their dissertation PDF passes the format review requirements.
15. Upload your final approved dissertation to the Thesis and Dissertation Services site.
16. Submit your Defense Approval Form to the College of Graduate Studies.
17. Graduate!

Steps to Graduation for Master’s Students

1. Complete your Plan of Study (including all needed petitions, course substitutions, and transfer work) and submit to the College of Graduate Studies for review and approval.
2. Complete required and elective coursework
3. Form your thesis advisory committee. Complete the Thesis Advisory Committee Form and submit it to the College of Graduate Studies for review and approval.
4. Enroll in required thesis hours by the semester deadline.
5. File your online intent to graduate at myUCF.  Please ensure that your Diploma Mailing Address is correct.
6. Students completing a thesis should reference the Thesis and Dissertation page.
7. Schedule your thesis defense with your committee and announce the defense through your program.
8. Submit the Thesis and Dissertation Release Option form with your thesis title, defense date, and dissemination option at myUCF Student Center > Graduate Students > Choose Graduate Student forms.
9. Submit your thesis PDF to the College of Graduate Studies Thesis and Dissertation office via the Thesis and Dissertation Services site for initial format review by the format review deadline.
10. Have your committee chair complete the Review for Original Work (through iThenticate.com).
11. Review the Defense Approval Form page on the Thesis and Dissertation Services site, ensure your Release Option information appears on the form and all other information appears correctly, then print the form for your defense.
12. Successfully complete the defense of your thesis.
13. Pass format review by the College of Graduate Studies Thesis and Dissertation office in order to receive permission to upload your final document by the final deadline. Most students require 2-3 submissions for format review before their dissertation PDF passes the format review requirements.
14. Upload your final approved thesis to the Thesis and Dissertation Services site.
15. Submit your Defense Approval Form to the College of Graduate Studies.
16. Graduate!

Filing Your Intent to Graduate

The ability to file online opens at the mid-term of the semester prior to the semester of graduation. Intents to graduate should be filed online no later than the last day of registration for the semester of graduation.

Below are the steps for indicating your intent to graduate.

• Students who intend to graduate must complete the online Intent to Graduate Form by logging into myUCF and navigating to the Student Self Service – Other Academics > Intent to Graduate: Apply.
  • Once the online form is completed, students will receive e-mail communications from the College of Graduate Studies at various stages of the review process. Students can also log in to myUCF and check the status of their Intent to Graduate at any time by navigating to the  Student Self Service– Other Academics > Intent to Graduate: Status
  • Intent status will be moved to the pending status once it is reviewed in a precertification process by the academic college and the College of Graduate Studies. It will stay in pending status until after grades are officially posted, all requirements have been satisfied and final degree certification has been completed.
  • An approved status indicates the degree has been awarded. Degrees are typically awarded within 45 days of Commencement Ceremonies, while diplomas can take approximately 6-10 weeks to be mailed.
  • Official transcripts will reflect the conferred degree in approximately 24 hrs after being awarded. Transcripts must be ordered online through the MyUCF portal.  registrar.ucf.edu/transcript-request/.
  • Please refer to the Student Help Guide for assistance in completing the online form. If you still have questions or concerns please feel free to email us at graddegr@ucf.edu.
• If your record is placed on hold, please refer to Record Holds in the Student Handbook for information on how to satisfy the hold requirements.
• Please refer to the Academic Calendar for dates to apply for graduation.
  Note:  Names of students who are approved for a late intent to graduate may not appear in the printed Commencement Program (or Virtual Ceremonies), and the ability to participate in the commencement ceremony, or obtain tickets to in-person ceremonies is NOT guaranteed.
• If you are unable to graduate in that semester, a new online form must be filed at the beginning of the semester of anticipated completion.

Intent to Graduate for Master’s, Specialist, and Doctoral Students

Graduate students writing a thesis or dissertation and who are graduating within the next three semesters should visit the Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) section of this website for an overview of the requirements.

Intent to Graduate for Graduate Certificate Students

• Students who are completing a graduate certificate program must obtain formal acceptance into the graduate certificate program. NOTE: All students must file a new application to be admitted into the certificate program.
• Admission to the certificate program must be prior to the end of add/drop in the semester that you are registering for the final course in the certificate program.
• Certificate programs are not conferred as official degrees and therefore graduate students who are earning a stand-alone certificate (not earning a degree in addition to the certificate) do not participate in the commencement ceremonies.