Graduation Procedures

Applying for Graduation

Graduate Academic Affairs
Campus is Currently Closed. For assistance please email:
Amanda.Wong@ucr.edu (Last Names A-L) or click here to make a Zoom appointment.
Trina.Elerts@ucr.edu (Last Names M-Z) or click here to make a Zoom appointment
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View temporary regulations about the submission of the FINAL DEFENSE confirmation and SIGNATURE APPROVAL PAGE for a dissertation or thesis.

Master's Degree

Step 1: Degree Audit

Review your degree audit via R'Web (see Degree Audit icon under your authorized applications menu). Confirm all requirements have been or will be completed by the end of the quarter you wish to graduate. Discuss any discrepancies with the Graduate Program Coordinator in your department.
Step 2: Application for Candidacy

Fill out the Master's Application for Candidacy in R'Grad appropriate for the master's plan you are completing (Plan I vs Plan II). If you are completing a Thesis (Plan I), you must nominate your Thesis committee as part of the advancement process. The application for candidacy is due by the first day of instruction of the quarter you plan on graduating. See Application/Submission Deadlines button below.
Step 3: Apply to Graduate

Apply to graduate via R'Web. The application will be available once registration begins for the quarter you wish to graduate. The deadline to apply is the Monday of week 4. See the Application/Submission Deadlines button below.
Step 4: Capstone Requirement (comprehensive exam, thesis, manuscript, etc.)

Complete your capstone requirement (comprehensive exam, manuscript, project, etc.) and confirm the report of completion of the capstone was submitted by your department to Graduate Academic Affairs. Creative Writing students completing a manuscript must follow the manuscript submission instructions received via email with the Advancement to Candidacy confirmation. Any student completing a Thesis (Plan I) as the capstone requirement must review the Thesis Filing page for detailed instructions regarding submission of the Thesis for format review and finalizing the document.
Step 5: Update your Permanent Address in R'Web

Your diploma will be directly mailed at no cost (starting Spring 2018 and later). Your diploma will be mailed to your permanent address on R’Web. Make sure your address is up-to-date! You can change your permanent address by clicking on the “Personal Information” icon in R’Web. For more information about diplomas, please visit https://registrar.ucr.edu/graduation-guide/diplomas.

PhD Degree

Step 1: Degree Audit

Review your degree audit via R'Web (see Degree Audit icon under your authorized applications menu) and review the Advancement to Candidacy letter you received from Graduate Academic Affairs at the time of advancement. Confirm all requirements have been (or will be) completed by the end of the quarter you wish to graduate. Discuss any discrepancies with the graduate program coordinator in your department.
Step 2: Apply to Graduate

Apply to graduate via R'Web. The application will be available once registration begins for the quarter you wish to graduate. The deadline to apply is the Monday of week 4. See the Application/Submission Deadlines button below.
Step 3: Final Defense and Dissertation Submission

Review the Dissertation Filing page for detailed instructions regarding submission of the Dissertation for format review and finalizing the manuscript.
Step 4: Update your Permanent Address in R'Web

Your diploma will be directly mailed at no cost (starting Spring 2018 and later). Your diploma will be mailed to your permanent address on R’Web. Make sure your address is up-to-date! You can change your permanent address by clicking on the “Personal Information” icon in R’Web. For more information about diplomas, please visit https://registrar.ucr.edu/graduation-guide/diplomas.

FAQs about Graduation Application

What if I apply to graduate, but don't complete my requirements by the deadline?

Communicate with the graduate program coordinator in your academic department. They can adjust your exit term and notify the Graduate Division that you will adjust your graduation term. Review the Application/Submission Deadlines button below and apply again for the quarter you plan to graduate.
What is the difference between filing a graduation application and submitting an advancement to candidacy application?

The graduation application tells the Registrar's Office and Graduate Academic Affairs that you plan to complete the degree by the end of the quarter. It also gives you an opportunity to check your official name status for your diploma. The Advancement to Candidacy application is for master's students only and triggers your department and Graduate Academic Affairs to review and confirm that all requirements have been completed or will be completed by the end of the quarter.
I tried to complete the graduation application in R'Web, but I received an error message.  What should I do?

You may already have completed the graduation application. Go to your Student Profile in R'Web and click on "View Application to Graduate". This will tell you if you have an active graduation application and will give you information about next steps.
What is the difference between graduation and commencement?

When we use the term graduation, we are talking about finishing degree requirements and earning the degree. When we use the term commencement, we are talking about the ceremony that is held at the end of the academic year. The commencement ceremony is voluntary.  You can still graduate even if you don't participate in commencement.
When will I get my diploma?

Your diploma is managed by the Registrar's Office and will be mailed to your permanent address approximately 2 months after the conferral date of your degree. Please be sure to keep your permanent address updated in R'Web. More information can be found on the Registrar's web site.

Application/Submission Deadlines

Type of Petition/Application	Spring 2021	Summer 2021	Fall 2021	Winter 2022	Spring 2022
Filing Fee Status	03/01/21	06/01/21	09/01/21	12/01/21	03/01/22
Application for Candidacy for Master's Degree (via R'Grad)	03/29/21	06/21/21 (please apply by 4/9/21 if you wish to be recognized in the commencement ceremony.)	09/23/21	01/03/22	03/28/22
Graduation Application (via R'Web) - Master's and PhD Students	04/09/21	07/19/21 (please apply by 4/9/21 if you wish to be recognized in the commencement ceremony.)	10/18/21	01/24/22	04/18/22
Rough draft of dissertation/thesis	05/28/21	08/27/21	11/29/21	03/04/22	05/27/22
Last day to complete all degree requirements (Noon PST).	06/11/21	09/10/21	12/10/21	03/18/22	06/10/22
Conferral Date of Degree	06/11/21	09/11/21	12/10/21	03/18/22	06/10/22
Between Quarter Deadline Information*
Last day to complete all degree requirements and avoid fees for the next quarter--no later than Noon PST.  Graduation date will reflect the next quarter. See detailed explanation below.	06/18/21 ('21 Summer grad date) Format Review Deadline: 06/04/21	09/17/21 ('21 Fall grad date) Format Review Deadline: 09/03/21	12/22/21 ('22 Winter grad date) Format Review Deadline: 12/08/21	03/22/22 ('22 Spring grad date) Format Review Deadline: 03/08/22	06/17/22 ('22 Summer grad date) Format Review Deadline: 06/03/22

*After a quarter ends and before the next quarter begins, there is typically some "in between" time. This amount of time varies depending on the quarter. For example, if the Summer quarter ends September 11, all students wishing to receive a Summer graduation date must complete the requirements on or before that date. However, Fall quarter doesn't begin until September 23rd, so students have until the date listed in the above table, which is the last business day before the next quarter begins, to complete the requirements and avoid fees for the next quarter. The conferral date for the degree would be for the next quarter (Fall in this example).

Commencement Ceremonies

The virtual ceremonies for all colleges and graduates (except for MD degree recipients) will take place on Friday, June 11, 2021 at 6pm.

The in-person graduate recognition and name-reading events are scheduled based on College, Degree and Major.

Please visit commencement.ucr.edu for information.

The Commencement Ceremonies are held once a year, usually at the end of Spring quarter. There are ceremonies, so it is important for students to confirm which ceremony they will be participating in. The UCR Commencement Website is a great place to find details about tickets, times, location, and other general information. The Graduate Division Commencement page contains information specific to graduate students and the eligibility requirements for participating in commencement.

Commencement Ceremony Deadlines

There are several different events this year to honor and celebrate our degree recipients. Please visit commencement.ucr.edu for information.

These deadlines are for students graduating in Spring 2021 or Summer 2021. Students who graduated in Fall 2020 or Winter 2021 are automatically eligible to participate in commencement and do not need to submit the following items.

R’Web graduation application: April 9, 2021
Master's Application for Advancement to Candidacy (Master's students only): April 9, 2021

Diplomas and Transcripts

Your diploma will be directly mailed at no cost (Spring 2018 graduates and later) approximately two months after your conferral date. Contact the Registrar's Office for more information.

The official transcript showing the degree has been awarded will be available about 1 month after the conferral date. If you would like an official transcript, you can order it through R'Web or contact the Registrar's Office.

An unofficial transcript is available for you to print from your R'Web student profile. Log in to R'Web, click on the Student Profile icon and then click on "unofficial transcript" from the left menu.

Letter of Completion

The Graduate Division understands that you may need to prove your degree completion to outside entities for employment or other reasons prior to the transcript and diploma being available. You may request this letter HERE.  It is signed by the Dean of the Graduate Division and is watermarked with the seal of the University. It will list the date you completed the degree requirements in addition to your conferral date. 

If you need a University certified copy of the letter, you may print it in color and bring it to the Registrar's Office. For a small fee, they will put the University of California seal on the document that you provide and place it in a sealed envelope.

The Graduate Division provides this letter only when all requirements are complete and all grades have been posted. Any communication regarding a degree yet to be conferred should be requested from the student's academic program. The only official documents regarding a student's graduation are the transcript (ordered through the Registrar's Office) and the Diploma (mailed to the student - spring 2018 graduates and later). Please see Diplomas and Transcripts above for details.

Graduate Division