Apply to Graduate

Undergraduate students must have at least 90 total semester hours to apply for graduation. You should first meet with your advisor to determine that you're on track for graduation and are registering for the correct courses for your final semesters. You and your advisor must be certain that your file in Registration and Records is complete and accurate with all documents (transcripts, grade changes, substitutions, adviser approval letters) and information necessary for graduation. Please carefully review your Academic Advising Report for accuracy. It's your responsibility to contact your advisor with any questions regarding discrepancies that appear on this report. You may view your Academic Advising Report through MyNIU.

Apply

Login to MyNIU.
Click on the Academic Records tile.
Select "application for graduation" from the left-hand menu.
Follow the steps to verify and/or update your information.
Click Submit on the last step and confirm by clicking "yes" on the confirmation box.

There is a one-time graduation fee per degree. After completing the graduation application process in MyNIU, this fee will automatically be charged to your student account. The fee is $40 for undergraduate students and $55 for graduate students.

Undergraduate Graduation Application Deadlines

You may only apply for graduation during the dates listed below. Absolutely no late applications will be accepted.

Graduation Application Deadlines
Graduation Term	Application Opens	Application Deadline
Fall (December conferral)	March 1 of graduation year	September 15 of graduation year
Spring (May conferral)	August 1 of prior year	February 15 of graduation year
Summer (August conferral)	August 1 of prior year	June 15 of graduation year

Note: NIU does not hold a commencement ceremony in August. If you are an August graduate, you will automatically be invited to attend the December commencement ceremony. August candidates who wish to participate in the May commencement ceremony must apply for August graduation by February 15 (undergraduate students only). December graduates are only invited to the December ceremony, and May graduates are only invited to the May ceremony.

Graduate School Graduation Application Deadlines

Please visit The Graduate School’s deadlines for more information.

Change of Graduation Term

Undergraduate Students: If you wish to change your graduation date, you may do so in-person at Williston Hall, room 220, or contact regrec@niu.edu.

Graduate Students: Please fill out the change graduation term  request, available at Student Forms and Resources.

There is no additional charge to change your graduation date. If in doubt, apply early and change the date later if necessary.

Questions? Contact one of the following offices:

Undergraduate students: regrec@niu.edu
Graduate students: gradsch@niu.edu

If you have chosen to restrict the release of your name in your privacy settings (FERPA) in MyNIU, your name will not be published or appear in the commencement program. The deadline to make changes to your privacy settings is the same as the graduation application deadline each semester.

Further correspondence regarding your eligibility towards graduation may come to your ZID email account from your department, college office or Registration and Records. If you are not going to complete all of your requirements during the term for which you have applied, you must change your date by the deadlines listed above.

The final graduation check determines if you have met the requirements for your degree and if you are eligible for a degree with distinction. This process begins as soon as grades are processed and is generally completed within 14 days after the official graduation date. During those 14 days, your file must be completed with all documents required to complete your degree.

Undergraduate Students: If you are unable to fulfill all degree requirements in the semester for which you applied to graduate, your graduation term will automatically be advanced (one time) to the nextt term after the final graduation check has been completed. Students will have their graduation term auautomatically advanced only once. If you are still unable to fulfill all graduation requirements after the subsequent term, it is your responsibility to notify Registration and Records in writing of your next intended graduation date by the deadlines listed abovee for any future semester.

Upon such notification, Registration and Records and your college office will review your academic record again at that time. An additional fee is not required.

Diplomas will be sent to the address selected when you applied for graduation. If you need to change your address, please go to MyNIU. If you're not currently enrolled at NIU, contact Registration and Records at 815-753-0681 or regrec@niu.edu to change your address. Diplomas will be sent four to six weeks after the end of the term. You may verify the date your diploma was mailed through the Michael Sutter website.

For more information about the commencement ceremony, please visit the commencement website.

Read FAQ About Graduation.