Students who have completed 60 semester hours or more are eligible to apply for graduation on-line. It is strongly recommended that eligible students apply for graduation at least one full year before they intend to graduate. See information about deadlines below.
To initiate this process, a student must sign on to their PAWS account, click on "Student," then "Apply for Graduation." Once a student is on the Applications and Degrees page, click "New Application" listed under Graduation Term and follow instructions given on that page.
Make sure that the correct major is listed as well as any concentrations and minors. If not, you will need to contact Janet Fopay in the Dean's Office before completing the application. Any minors that are not officially declared will not appear on your transcript following graduation. Be sure to click "Submit Application" when finished.
Students will need to know certain information when filling out the Application for Graduation. A worksheet is available to help prepare students for the online application. Once the application is submitted on-line, the student can expect to receive an official Degree Audit to their EIU e-mail address approximately 1-2 weeks after submission of the application.
The Degree Audit will indicate graduation requirements completed as well as those still remaining. Students can access their Degree Audit on-line through PAWS. However, the on-line audit is not official until after the student has applied for graduation and their records are reviewed by the certification officer.
Your student account will be automatically billed a $40 application fee. There is no fee for any reapplications.
Students who have applied for graduation, but need to change their date of graduation or diploma information, must reapply for graduation on-line (see published deadline dates). No additional fees are charged for reapplying. Students only wanting to change their major, minor, concentration, option, or catalog year must notify Janet Fopay in the Dean’s Office to make that change. There is no need to reapply for graduation.
This is done through the same process as the initial Application for Graduation detailed above. However, when on the "Applications and Degrees" page, click on the previous application submitted which is listed by graduation term.
Students must apply or reapply for graduation prior to the deadlines established for any given semester. Those deadlines are:
Questions should be directed to Janet Fopay in the Dean’s Office, 2118 Old Main, (217) 581-5822.
Requests for participation in a commencement ceremony by exceptionality, may be granted according to the following guidelines:
Those who qualify for participation in a commencement ceremony by exceptionality must complete a request form available from Janet Fopay, 2118 Old Main, prior to the following deadlines:
The Commencement Office will mail a postcard to the home address of students whose names appear on the official graduation list and also to those approved to participate by exceptionality. The postcard will indicate the date of the ceremony and will refer students to the Commencement link on EIU's homepage for further information regarding graduation times, tickets, cap/gown ordering information, etc. Questions concerning the commencement ceremony should be directed to the Commencement Office at (217) 581-6892.
It is the student's responsibility to notify the Office of the Registrar and the College of Sciences certification officer at (217) 581-5822 of any courses being taken at other institutions which will complete the requirements for graduation.
Official transcripts documenting the completion of those courses must be in the Office of the Registrar (Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920 ) no later than the following dates:
The diploma will not be given to the student and the conferral of the degree will not be recorded on the student's permanent record until all such documents have been received. If the student does not complete all graduation requirements at the end of the grading period, he/she must reapply for graduation online for a later semester/term.
At the end of each semester, or summer term, and once all graduation requirements have been verified by the college certification officer, the student's name is forwarded to the Office of the Registrar as having completed all graduation requirements. The degree/major/option/ concentration/minor information is then entered on the student's transcript in the Office of the Registrar.
An official transcript can be requested by the student through the Office of the Registrar when verification of graduation is needed.
Regardless of participation in a commencement ceremony, no student will be certified for graduation and awarded a degree and diploma until the college certification officer has provided the Office of the Registrar with official verification of the completion of all degree requirements.
After all graduation requirements have been verified by the college certification officer, the student's official diploma is mailed to the student, at the address indicated on the Application/ Reapplication for Graduation, approximately 6-8 weeks after the semester ends. Inquires concerning diplomas should be directed to the Office of the Registrar at (217) 581-3511.
Additional information can be found online at www.eiu.edu/registra/graduation.php or in the Academic Handbook.
Old Main 2118 Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
217-581-3328
cos@eiu.edu