Degrees, Diplomas and Graduation

• Apply for Graduation: A Must Do, and Degree Checkout Status

  Undergraduate Students: You must apply for graduation in your HUB Student Center (via MyUB).

  You will only be able to select the Graduation Terms that are available to apply for, and you will not be able to apply for your degree more than one year in advance. You cannot be in an "Intended" plan and must be officially accepted into a major before you can apply for your degree.

  Students who will be receiving two degrees (BA & BS, BFA & BA) and students in a combined degree program must apply for both degrees at the same time.

  New Information: Your Degree Conferral Date (the date your degree is awarded) is now in the HUB as a "Graduation Term"; the final term (semester) before your conferral. Please be careful when choosing these dates as they can affect your ability to register and possibly your financial aid eligibility. See below:

  Degree Checkout Status

  Degree Checkout Status	What Does it Mean?	Student Action Required
  Applied for Graduation	You have successfully applied for graduation, indicating to UB that you are ready to graduate.	No action required.
  Approved	Closed AAR, NO in-progress coursework, your degree will be awarded.	No action required.
  Awarded	Your degree has been conferred, congratulations!	No action required.
  Candidacy Approved	The Graduate School has reviewed and has formally approved your candidacy for the specified expected conferral term.	No action required.
  Denied	Your degree requirements have not been met and you will not graduate in the current conferral term.	You should contact your department/advisor to understand what you will need to do in order to graduate in a future term.
  Double Degree Eligible	Manual review complete for DD requirements, degree will be awarded pending completion of in-progress coursework.	No action required.
  Double Degree Manual Review	Placeholder to identify double degree candidates requiring manual review.	No action required.
  Double Degree Pending	Manual review has determined action is required to meet DD requirements.	Contact advisor/department.
  Eligible for Graduation	Closed AAR, including in-progress course work. Degree will be conferred pending completion of IP work.	No action required.
  Future Subsequent	Placeholder to identify students whose first degree requires manual review.	No action required.
  In Review	Your degree requirements are currently being evaluated by your department, the Office of the Registrar and/or Graduate School.	No action required.
  Not Satisfied	You have not met the degree requirements necessary to graduate.	You should contact your advisor (if you are an UGRD student) or your department (if you are a GRAD student) to understand what you will need to do in order to graduate.
  Needs to Finish Pending Work	You have an incomplete or blank grade on your record.	Complete your coursework by the end of this term and have your professor submit a grade change.
  Transfer Transcripts Pending	The Office of the Registrar and/or Graduate School is awaiting further documentation, such as transcripts from previous institutions or study abroad work to process your conferral.	You must provide the necessary documentation.

  Deadlines (Effective spring 2014)

  Graduation Term	Application Deadline	Conferral Date
  Fall	October 15	February 1
  Spring	February 22	June 1
  Summer	July 15	August 31

  Winter Session: We are not currently conferring students in the winter session. Students who are up for degree conferral, but who are ineligible for fall conferral because they are missing university or major requirements, and who register for a winter session course to complete those missing requirements, should submit the Graduation Information Change Form to the Office of the Registrar requesting to be conferred in the fall semester. Upon completion of your coursework in the Winter Session, our office will review your record for fall conferral. For questions regarding this, please contact Degree Conferral at reg-degreeaudit@buffalo.edu or 716-645-5722.

  UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: APPLYING FOR YOUR DEGREE (GRADUATION TERM) IS NOT THE SAME AS APPLYING FOR THE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY. YOU MUST CONSULT THE COMMENCEMENT WEBSITE FOR A "COUNTDOWN TO COMMENCEMENT" CHECKLIST.

  New Graduate student application process!

  Law students (JD and LLML candidates) must complete an application for degree to be able to graduate. As the Law School has different deadlines and forms than the Graduate School, please contact the Law School Records Office at 716-645-2060 for more information. For more Law School commencement information, visit the Law School website.

  DDS students should contact the School of Dental Medicine Office of Academic and Student Affairs for Degree Conferral Information. The office is located in 315 Squire Hall, and may be contacted by telephone 716-829-2839.

  Completing this process will establish you as a degree candidate and signal a review of your records for graduation. Graduate students may apply for graduation five academic years in advance of their graduation date, but no later than the posted deadline date. Undergraduate students may apply for graduation one academic year in advance of their graduation date, but no later than the posted deadline date.

  Additional forms may be required for your program.

  For more information review the Undergraduate and Graduate sections.

• Double Degree Candidates (i.e. BS and BA, two degrees awarded at one time)

  If you are receiving a double degree, you should:

  • Complete the Double Degree Checklist
  • Apply for graduation in both majors
• Follow Up With Advisement
  • Check in with your academic advisor. You should know all of your remaining requirements. There should be no surprises or delays as to your expected date of graduation. Prepare questions for your advisor.
    • Library Skills is a requirement that must be completed before your conferral date.
    • Independent Study and tutorial-type coursework—no more than 18 credits can count toward credits required for graduation.
  • Review your Academic Advisement Report to familiarize yourself with your degree status. If your Academic Advisement Report states that you have an outstanding University requirement, it must be completed by the conferral date or you will not graduate.
  • If you believe there is an error in your your Academic Advisement Report, contact your advisor immediately to review your situation and take appropriate steps toward correcting this.
• Review Your Transcript(s)

  If you have any transfer work, it should already be listed on your Academic Advisement Report. If not, make sure official final transcripts arrive on campus before your conferral date.

• Confirm Your Grades

  All grades must be finalized before your conferral date. This includes Independent Study, Study Abroad, Incomplete and blank grades. Incomplete grades will change to the default grade on the conferral date if no prior action is taken.

• Pay Outstanding Bills

  Transcripts and diplomas can only be sent out if you have no financial obligations to UB. Check it out yourself in your HUB Student Center (via MyUB) under “Holds.”

  The Office of the Registrar will hold diplomas for students with outstanding financial obligations for one year after the degree conferral date. After that, the diploma will be destroyed and the student will need to order and pay for a replacement diploma.

• Verify Your Name and Address

  Make sure your name and permanent address are up-to-date in your HUB Student Center (via MyUB). The name on your diploma will match what is on record in HUB at the time of conferral, and will be mailed to your permanent address on file at the time of conferral. Accent marks or upper and lower case letters in your name may be sent to Degree Audit at reg-degreeaudit@buffalo.edu. Name changes require documentation. Your diploma will be mailed approximately six (6) to eight (8) weeks after the conferral of your degree.

  The Office of the Registrar will hold diplomas for students whose diploma was returned due to an incorrect address for one year after the degree conferral date. After that, the diploma will be destroyed and the student will need to order and pay for a replacement diploma.

• Sign Up For Your Commencement Ceremony

  UB holds its Commencement ceremonies once a year in May.

  • For online registration, cap & gown order, and other information visit UB’s Countdown to Commencement website.
  • Invite your family and friends! Make hotel and restaurant arrangements early.
• Check-in with the Career Design Center & Take the Undergraduate Senior Exit Survey

  Stop by the Career Design Center for help with preparing resumes, job searches, graduate school applications, interview techniques and more.

  Before you graduate, give us a piece of your mind. Complete the Undergraduate Senior Exit Survey today! Reflect on your undergraduate experience and help shape UB’s future. This is your opportunity to tell us what you think and impact the future of undergraduate education at UB. Your responses will remain anonymous.