Graduation Information

Step 1: Apply for Graduation

1. Apply for graduation by the deadline date advertised in the Academic Calendar.
2. Visit the Registrar’s Graduation page for detailed instructions on how to submit your application.
   • If you do not have the link to apply for graduation, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 850.644.1050 or email graduation@fsu.edu.
3. Undergraduates must at minimum be on track to have 120 earned, unduplicated credit hours at the end of the semester.
4. Undergraduate dual degree students must at minimum be on track to have 150 earned, unduplicated credit hours at the end of the semester including all major and required minor requirements for both degrees.
5. By the end of the semester for which they applied, all students must satisfactorily complete all applicable graduation requirements for their program and degree with minimum required grades and credit hours including but not limited to university requirements, general education, major, and minor (if required).
6. Check your FSU email regularly throughout the semester to ensure you don’t miss any communication about your graduation status and/or your participation in the ceremony.

Late Applying to Graduation

*applying to graduate after the two (2) week online graduation application window has closed

1. Meet with a DCH academic advisor to ensure that you are on track to graduate at the end of the semester
2. Email Renee Dyehouse at rdyehouse@fsu.edu to initiate the request to late apply for graduation with the registrar’s office

Important Note:

• Commencement is not graduation. Commencement occurs before final grades post.
• Late application approval does not guarantee participation or listing in a commencement program.
• Participation in the commencement ceremony is overseen by the University Registrar’s office. Questions about potentially participating in the commencement ceremony should be sent to graduation@fsu.edu.

Step 2: Check Before Graduation

Verify Final Degree Requirements:

Unsatisfied requirements show as a red “Unsatisfied” in the ARR.

• Review your Academic Requirements Report (ARR) to ensure that all university, major, and minor (if required) requirements are met, including total graduation hours earned. If you are not confident that you are meeting all requirements, please schedule an appointment with a DCH academic advisor.
• Verify you have satisfied all university requirements (upper division writing, scholarship in practice/formative experience, natural science lab, diversity courses, summer hours, a 2.0 FSU GPA, etc.).

If you drop a course or withdraw from all courses during your final term, it may impact your graduation status.

Verify Grades:

• All incomplete “I”, and non-reported “NG” grades must be resolved before you are able to graduate. Inform your professors that this is your graduating semester so all of your grades are submitted on time. Check your GPA and grades in Student Central.
• Transient Courses: transient courses must be posted to your academic record well in advance of the deadline for degrees to post. All transient coursework must be approved in advance of taking the courses. More information can be found here.
  • If required for your degree, degree approvals may be delayed.
  • If not required, degrees may post to your transcript without record of the transient courses.
• Incomplete or non-reported grades in your final semester will prevent you from graduating. This includes “I” grades, pending exchange program courses, and transient courses.

Get Ready for Your Future:

• Visit your Career Liaison or Career Services for a review of your resume, cover letter, personal statement, or other career-related documents.
• Reach out to Alishia Piotrowski to schedule a meeting to learn about various career opportunities in hospitality.
• Explore the Graduate School to begin researching graduate school options, if considering attending graduate school.
  • The Dedman College of Hospitality encourages students to especially consider the MSE, Hospitality Entrepreneurship as an option!

Step 3: Participation in the Commencement Ceremony

• The commencement ceremony occurs before final grades post each semester. Final graduation status reviews begin after grades post the week following the end of the semester. Participation in commencement ceremonies is not the same as graduating and does not guarantee approval of graduation or earning your degree.
• Additional information – including Commencement ceremony details, important dates, and cap and gown details – can be found on the Registrar’s website.

Step 4: Confirmation of Graduation and Earning Your Degree

• Students participating in Commencement ceremonies do so prior to the semester’s grades posting.
• The timeline for final graduation review begins once grades are posted the week following the end of the semester.
• Final graduation reviews may take 2-4 weeks.
• All potential graduates are subject to final graduation review and either approval or denial.
• Approved graduates will not receive any notification of approval from the Office of Academic Affairs. They will see their degree posted to their FSU transcript on the day listed by the Registrar’s Office.
• If your degree is approved, your diploma will be mailed to you by the Registrar’s Office approximately four (4) – six (6) weeks after Commencement.

What Happens if You are Denied Graduation:

• Graduation denial notifications (along with other University communications) will be sent via email. You are responsible for checking your FSU email after the semester ends and being aware if you received a notification of denial.
• Denial notifications will be sent both by the University Registrar’s office and by the Dedman College’s Office of Academic Affairs. Notification from the College may include specific details about your denial or may instruct you to contact our office.
• If you are denied graduation, your application for graduation will automatically roll-over to the next semester.

Potential reasons for graduation application denial may include:

1. Not satisfactorily completing courses with required grades
2. Repeating a course for which you have already earned a D- or better grade (duplicate credit)
3. Not meeting minimum GPA requirements
   • FSU GPA is calculated based on a student’s cumulative GPA of all courses attempted at FSU in their current degree
   • FSU requires a 2.0 FSU GPA and a 2.0 GPA across each general education courses, major courses, or minor courses (if a minor is required for your major)
4. Waiting for transcripts from other institutions (transient coursework)
5. Dropped a course needed to complete any requirement or withdrawing from the whole semester
6. Not completing 9 hours of state-mandated summer residency coursework
   • Transient courses taken at a Florida community college, private college and university in Florida, or out-of-state institutions do not satisfy the 9-hour requirement.
   • Courses taken at an SUS institution will count toward the 9-hour summer residency requirement. o Students may petition for a waiver of this requirement, but any waiver must be approved prior to degree approval.