Applying for Graduation
This Student Guide for Graduation outlines the Office the Registrar’s oversight for graduation, the University’s clearance process and actions that must be completed by a student to be awarded a conferred degree.
- Graduation - The Office of the Registrar oversees graduation. Graduation is the academic conferral of a degree after the student completes a program AND all requirements are verified as having been met by the Office of the Registrar.
- Commencement - The Office of the Provost oversees Commencement. Commencement is the ceremony to celebrate a student’s completion or anticipated completion of a degree.
NOTE: It is important to note that a student’s participation in commencement doesn’t equate to meeting all requirements to graduate --i.e., achieving academic conferral of an awarded degree.
Students should apply for graduation by the official deadline for the term in which they intend to graduate. You should apply for graduation by the official deadline even if you do not plan to participate in commencement.
Complete the checklist below to determine what you need to know about graduation.
Graduation Checklist
✔ STEP 1: Review Official Application Deadlines
✔ STEP 3: Apply for Graduation
✔ STEP 4: Review Academic Record for Accuracy
✔ STEP 5: Read the University Clearance Process AND Check Graduation Status
STEP 1. Review Official Application Deadlines
You should apply for graduation by the appropriate deadline:
- Fall 2025: Friday, October 3, 2025
- Spring 2026: Friday, February 20, 2026
- Summer 2026: Monday, July 6, 2026
Application Process
Undergraduate and graduate students should apply for graduation by the official deadline to initiate the official review of your records. This is a two-step process, whereby the student must pay the graduation application fee AND apply for graduation.
STEP 2: Pay Graduation Fee
When you apply for graduation, you will need to pay a one-time fee based on whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student. That fee is automatically applied to future applications, if needed.
- Undergraduate Students: $75
- Graduate Students: $100
Pay Online
If you are paying online, use your student ID number as the receipt number (also needed for Step 3 below).
Allow the next business day when applying for graduation.
Pay In Person
Pay at the Cashier’s Office between the hours of 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Please use the receipt number provided to you by the cashier when applying.
STEP 3. Apply for Graduation
Apply (or re-apply) using Bulldog Connection and selecting Academic Advising and Graduation > Apply for Graduation > Select the Academic Program > Select Expected Graduation Term. Enter the receipt number for your graduation fee (if you paid in-person) or student ID number (if you paid online) when completing the application.
Having trouble? Contact the BSU Help Desk at 301-860-HELP and/or email Registrar@bowiestate.edu
STEP 4. Review Academic Record for Accuracy
The student must complete the actions below after submitting the graduation application.
Student Review
Check your records in Bulldog Connection to ensure all information is complete and correct.
- Review your academic record for all courses taken at BSU and all other institutions.
- Make sure your personal information is up to date to ensure that your diploma is printed correctly, and important communications reach you. Review your name, address, email address, and major.
- Need to make corrections? Download the General Forms you need and submit them to the Registrar’s Office.
- Changes to your personal data? Use the Data Correction Form and submit the required documentation,
- Changes to your major? Use the Declaration/Change of Major Form
STEP 5. Read the University Clearance Process AND Check Graduation Status
University Clearance Process
- Your academic department will review all courses taken and course substitutions to confirm completion of all requirements for the major.
- The Registrar’s Office will review all courses taken to confirm completion of all university requirements for graduation.
- The Student Accounts Office will review student financial records to confirm that all charges have been paid.
Check Your Graduation Status
Notification of graduation review status will be posted to your Bulldog Connection account.
- After logging into your Bulldog Connection account, click on Self-Service > Degree Progress/Graduation. Statuses will show as Approved, Pending, Review, or Denied based on review.
- Pending meaning you are on-track to graduating and finishing up remaining requirements/waiting on final grades
- Approved meaning you are officially cleared for graduation: all grades are posted and all academic requirements are completed.
- In Review meaning our office is waiting on more information from you your department – communication will be sent to you if there is information that we need from you
- Denied meaning degree requirements have not been met. Communication outlining next steps will be sent to you if you have a denied status.
- Statuses will not show as Approved until final grades are posted
- Students will not receive their diplomas until all Academic and Financial obligations have been met.
- Information regarding diploma distribution and final transcripts will be sent out in the weeks following commencement. For summer graduates, this information will be sent out shortly after the summer term ends.
- Summer graduates who have not previously participated in commencement will be invited to participate in the fall ceremony. In the fall, email communication will be sent to the personal email addresses that we have on-record.
Students who miss the Official Application Deadline (listed in Section II: Applying for Graduation, above) will be allowed to apply for graduation for a fee during a 3-week window after the official deadline passes, as identified below.
- The graduation application fee will double for all late applicants.
- Fees must be paid in full.
- After the 3-week extension, late applications will not be accepted, and students will have to apply for graduation in the next eligible semester.
Application Windows
- Fall 2025: 10/6/25 through 10/24/25
- Spring 2026: 2/23/26 through 3/13/26
How to Apply
Students Who Have Not Previously Applied/Paid for Graduation
- Pay the graduation application and late fee online:
- Undergraduate application: $150 ($75 graduation application fee + $75 late fee)
- Graduate application: $200 ($100 graduation application fee + $100 late fee)
- Email payment confirmation receipt to Registrar@bowiestate.edu to have graduation application manually added to begin the graduation review process.
NOTE: There is no late application window for Summer Graduation Applicants.
Students Who Have Previously Applied/Paid for Graduation
- Students who paid/applied in a prior term will be required to pay the late fee only:
- Undergraduate:$75 late fee
- Graduate: $100 late fee
- Student must contact registar@bowiestate.edu to coordinate the late payment arrangement with Student Accounts. Paying the late fee online is not an option.
NOTE: There is no late application window for Summer Graduation Applicants.
For guaranteed approval to participate in commencement, you must have a Pending or Approved graduation status.
If your status is Denied, you can request permission through Academic Affairs to participate in commencement if you meet the following criteria:
- You have successfully applied for graduation in the term that ceremony participation is being requested
- No more than two outstanding courses are needed (typically 6 credits) for degree completion
- Outstanding courses must be completed within one academic year following the graduation ceremony
Requests must be reviewed and approved through Academic Affairs. If you believe that you are eligible, reach out to your faculty advisor/department immediately after being notified of your denied status, to discuss this option and next steps. Please note that Monday, December 1, 2025 is the last day that commencement participation requests will be accepted/reviewed for the Fall 2025 commencement ceremony. If you are approved to participate in the commencement ceremony but have not fulfilled all of your academic requirements, you must reapply for graduation in the next eligible term. You will not have to pay the graduation application fee again.
Because final grades are processed after Commencement, Latin Honors listed in the Commencement Ceremony Program and Cumulative GPAs are tentative, pending the submission of final grades of that semester.