Graduation and Commencement

graduation ceremony

Dean Cari Moorhead snaps a selfie with the grads at the May 2022 commencement ceremony.

Grad Student Spring Intent to Graduate Deadline: Monday, March 31

Spring Degree Conferral Date: May 17th 

 

 

Graduation and Commencement

Filing an intent to graduate and the commencement ceremony are independent activities. The Graduate School Dean's Office and Registrar's Office process the intent to graduate and certify completion of degree requirements at the end of each graduation term (Fall, Spring, Summer).

The annual commencement ceremony is organized by University Ceremonies and Events each May to celebrate all students who earned their degree during the academic year.

Please see our calendar page or the UNH Academic Calendar for important deadlines. For specific information about Durham Commencement activities, including ordering caps and gowns, dates and deadlines, etc., please see the UNH Commencement page.  For information specific to UNH Manchester, please see the UNH Manchester Commencement page.

Are You Ready To Graduate?

All students nearing the completion of their degree or certificate program, either as a primary or secondary program, need to file an Intent to Graduate by the deadline published on the graduate school calendar.  Filing an intent is signals to the Graduate School that you are nearing the completion of your degree. The intent to graduate should be filed for the semester that you are expected to complete the degree requirements, which may or may not be the semester in which you wish to attend the graduation ceremony.   

 

Note: All degree requirements and coursework must be fully completed prior to the intended degree conferral date. Graduate students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to graduate.

Intent to Graduate

Filing an Intent to Graduate signals to the Graduate School that you are finishing with your degree requirements and are ready to be awarded the degree. The Intent to Graduate should be filed for the semester that you are officially completing your degree requirements.

An intent to graduate is required to earn all degrees, including PhD, DNP, Master's, post-master's certificates, and post-bac certificates. 

Students who do not file an Intent to Graduate will not have their degree awarded.

How to File the intent

 
  1. Log in to Webcat
  2. Select Student Records > Graduation >Apply to Graduate
  3. Curriculum Term Selection: Select the most current term on the list.  This will pull your eligible curriculum records.
  4. Curriculum Selection: Your programs eligible for graduation will be displayed.
    • Select the Current Program option that corresponds with your intended degree. If you are graduating from multiple degrees you will need to file separate intents for each one.
    • Secondary certificate programs: If you are enrolled in a certificate in addition to your primary degree the certificate will be under the second 'Current Program'.  This field may appear blank, but the certificate degree information will populate once you continue through the process.
  5. Graduation Date Selection: Select the date that you will complete your degree requirements.
    • Important: The intent to graduate corresponds to when  you are completing the degree requirements, not to ceremony attendance. This may or may not be the same semester as the May commencement ceremony. Do NOT select May simply because you wish to walk in the May commencement.  Choose the completion date that accurately corresponds to your degree completion. 
      • December (Fall): Select only if you will complete your degree requirements at the end of the fall semester.  December graduates will be invited to walk in the ceremony the following May.
      • May (Spring): Select only if you will complete your degree requirements at the end of the spring semester. (You will be asked if you plan to attend the ceremony.  This is informational only.  It is NOT ceremony registration.)
      • September (Summer):Select only if you will complete your degree requirements at the end of the summer semester.  Master's students finishing in the summer are eligible to attend the ceremony in May.  
    • If your desired graduation term is not available, you may have missed the deadline to file.  Please contact grad.studentrecords@unh.edu for assistance.
  6. Diploma Name Selection/ Diploma Mailing Address: Please review or make edits as necessary.
  7. Graduation Application Summary: Review all information and submit request.  Be sure that you have selected the correct date for your graduation request.
  8. Graduation Application Signature Page: This is the confirmation screen for your intent.

May Commencement Ceremony

  • Students who wish to attend the May commencement ceremony will need to register to attend through the UNH Commencement Website.  Filing an intent to graduate does NOT register you to attend the commencement ceremony.

Note: If you are unable to file your intent online, please contact the Graduate School at grad.studentrecords@unh.edu so we can review your records and provide assistance.

 

How to verify or view a previously filed application:

  • Log in to Webcat
  • Select Student Records > Graduation > View Application to Graduate

Filed intents will always show as Active.  This does NOT update when the degree has been awarded.  For confirmation of your degree, please request an official transcript through Webcat with the "hold for degree" option selected. 

 

Changing your Intent to Graduate

If you need to change your Intent to Graduate date, please email our office at grad.studentrecords@unh.edu with the subject line "Change Intent to Graduate".  Be sure to include the following information in your email:

  • Full name
  • UNH ID number (to help verify your identity)
  • Degree program
  • The new graduation date you are requesting

The intent to graduate corresponds to when  you are completing the degree requirements, not to ceremony attendance. This may or may not be the same semester as the May commencement ceremony. Do NOT select May simply because you wish to walk in the May commencement.  Choose the completion date that accurately corresponds to your degree completion. 

Your intent to graduate should be filed at the start of the semester in which you are completing your final degree requirement, if not sooner. Please see the  Graduate School calendar for filing deadlines.

All coursework and degree requirements must be complete by the graduation date for which applied in order to be eligible to earn the degree. 

Graduation Dates 

  • Fall: December 31st degree conferral date
  • Spring: May (date varies/3rd Saturday) degree conferral date
  • Summer: September 1st degree conferral date

 

Degree Confirmation

Approximately four weeks after the date of graduation, students should check their Academic Transcript on Webcat. Look at "Degrees Awarded", when the “Degree Date” displays the date of graduation, this confirms graduation.

Students can also request an official transcript through webcat making sure to check the 'hold for degree' option.  The Registrar's Office will then mail an official transcript as soon as the degree has been awarded.

Diplomas

Diplomas are mailed 8-10 weeks after the graduation date.

Name
The name on the diploma will appear exactly as in the student information system.  For changes, complete a Name Change form.

If special characters are not reflected, contact unh.diploma@unh.edu for inclusion.

Mailing Address
Diplomas are mailed to the address provided when applying to graduate. You can verify your mailing address in WEBCAT (select Personal Information).  

International Address
Diplomas may be delayed. Contact unh.diploma@unh.edu for more information.

Holds

Students with Financial Aid Exit Counseling holds or with unpaid account balances will not have a diploma ordered until the holds have been cleared.

To view holds, log in to WEBCAT (Select: Registration>View Holds).

UNH-Durham Commencement

UNH holds an annual Graduate School commencement ceremony each May.  All graduate students who meet the participation eligibility requirements should register to attend the ceremony through the UNH Durham Commencement website if they wish to attend.  

Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

Doctoral students who meet the eligibility requirements and attend Commencement will participte in an official hooding ceremony as part of the larger ceremony.

UNH-Manchester Graduate School Commencement

If you are in a graduate program taught at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, please visit the UNH-Manchester Commencement website

UNH-Law Commencement

If you are in a graduate program taught through UNH-Law, please visit the UNH-Law Commencement website.

Eligibility to Participate in the May Ceremony

Master's and Certificate Graduates

Master's/Ed.S. and certificate students who will complete their degree requirements in May or earned their degrees the previous September or December are invited to participate in the May ceremony. In addition, Master’s/Ed.S. and certificate students who expect to complete their degree the following September are also eligible to participate in the May Commencement Ceremony as long as they have an intent to graduate on file for September.  

Doctoral Candidates 

Doctoral students are only eligible to attend commencement if they're receiving their degree in May or received their degree during the previous two semesters. Doctoral students who expect to graduate in May must have completed all requirements for the degree by the published deadlines in order to participate in commencement ceremonies.

*Only those candidates who have completed their degree requirements  will be included in the program. 

Commencement Program

Students who file their Intent-to-Graduate form by March 28 will be listed in the digital Commencement program.

Regalia

Caps and Gowns (regalia) are required for all faculty and graduates participating in the Commencement ceremonies.   Students are advised to order their regalia well in advance of the May ceremony (shipping can take a minimum of 6-8 weeks).  The deadline for regalia orders is usually in late March and will be posted on the UNH Commencement Website once available: https://www.unh.edu/university-ceremonies-and-events/commencement/caps-gowns