Graduation & Diplomas

Graduation Procedures

As students approach the end of their academic careers, they must make sure that they are eligible for, and can participate in, graduation ceremonies.

In the junior year of an undergraduate program, or when 80 semester hours have been completed, students should begin an ongoing graduation check with their academic advisors in order to determine that they are meeting the university, college, departmental, and program requirements for their degree and for graduation.

Early in the semester in which graduation requirements will be completed, students complete an Application for Graduation and pay the University Graduation Fee. Students in some schools or colleges must apply and pay the fee in the term prior graduation. For the current fee, see Tuition and Fees in the Financial Information section of the Bulletin.

Confirmation of the fee payment is expected to complete the Application for Graduation. Questions about this process or graduation status should be directed to the student's Advising Office.

Application Deadlines

• February 16 for May graduation

• June 1 for August graduation

• October 15 for January graduation

Earlier deadlines may be in effect in some academic units.

The Application for Graduation must be properly completed, particularly the areas relating to the resolution of incompletes and diploma instructions. Information concerning commencement activities (such as time, place, invitations, rental of academic regalia) is available to students once they have submitted their completed Application for Graduation. Students will not have their degree awarded or diploma or transcript released until all university tuition and fees have been paid.

Diplomas

Approximately six to eight weeks after the date of degree conferral, diplomas are mailed to the permanent address listed in the Student Information System (OWLnet). Addresses may be viewed and changed online through OWLnet. Also, please check in the Graduation Application system to verify that your name appears in Diploma Name correctly. Students are responsible for ensuring that their names and addresses are listed correctly. There is a charge to reprint a diploma. Any changes should be directed to your school/college prior to graduation.

Students must clear any financial obligation with the university before they may receive their transcript and diploma.

Students inquiring about the status of a diploma eight weeks after the date of degree conferral or have cleared up a hold preventing the release of a diploma should contact diploma@temple.edu

Requests for a duplicate diploma (original/replacement is in your possession) or a replacement diploma (original/replacement was lost or damaged) are made by completing the Duplicate Replacement Diploma Request form.  There is a $20 fee for duplicate/replacement diplomas.  Please allow up to four weeks for receipt. 

Latin Honors for Graduation

This distinction is bestowed upon those candidates for baccalaureate degrees who have completed at Temple University at least 60 hours toward their degree. Such students will be awarded their degrees "with praise" according to the following criteria:

• Summa Cum Laude: the top 2% of each college's distribution of cumulative GPAs for the graduating cohort;
• Magna Cum Laude: the next 5% of each college's distribution of cumulative GPAs for the graduating cohort;
• Cum Laude: the next 9% of each college's distribution of cumulative GPAs for the graduating cohort;

Calibration of these grade distributions will be based on the previous five years' cycles of August, January, and May graduations.