Graduation Checklist

1. Submit your graduation application after you complete at least 90 credit hours. Click here for a video on how to apply for graduations through your myUCA.
2. The Graduation Success Team will begin your Graduation Audit and will provide the results to your UCA email.
3. Review your emailed results and, if any deficiencies are indicated, discuss them with your advisor.
4. To help you stay on track over the course of your academic journey, the Graduation Success Team will provide additional audits for each term until your final term of graduation.
5. Three (3) weeks into your final semester, you will receive an updated audit. If your degree status is Pending (PN), you are on track to complete all degree requirements by the end of the term.
6. Pay your graduation application fee via CashNet (please contact the Office of Student Accounts with any questions).
7. Graduation ceremony and ticket information will be sent out mid-semester. As the ceremony approaches, an informational email will be sent out on a weekly basis.
8. Buy a cap and gown set via the UCA Bookstore.
9. Celebrate your achievement with us by walking on graduation day!
10. The week after the graduation ceremony, final grades are posted, and the Graduation Success Team will process final degree audits. The final degree audit is when degrees will be officially awarded (if all degree requirements are met). The degree award progress takes around 4 to 21 business days to complete.
11. Once awarded, you will receive a digital copy of your diploma via email, and you will also receive a physical copy in the mail. Awarded diplomas are contingent upon 100% completion of degree requirements.

General Information

Ticket Information: All guests must have a ticket to attend the graduation ceremony. When tickets are available, students will be notified by email with the ceremony specific link to obtain their tickets. Only graduates will be able to acquire tickets for their graduation ceremony (parents or guests will not be able to acquire tickets). Undergraduate students will be allowed 10 guest tickets and graduate students will be allowed 15 guest tickets. Children under the age of 10 will not require a ticket for entry. If additional tickets are needed, graduates will need to ask their classmates if they will use all their tickets.

Check-in: Undergraduate students are required to arrive an hour before commencement to check in and receive their name cards. A UCA Photo ID is required to receive the name card for the ceremony (mobile is sufficient). The name card will instruct the student where their placement is in the graduation lineup. UCA faculty/staff will be there to direct students to their appropriate location.

Regalia: All students will need a black cap and gown or military service uniform for the ceremony. You can order all graduation regalia at the UCA Bookstore or online at theucabookstore.com. Please make sure to order the cap and gown designated for a Bachelor’s Degree. The UCA Bookstore will also have a table set up at the check-in location for last minute cap, gown, and tassel purchases the day of the ceremony, with limited supply.

Dress Code: The university does not have a dress code for graduation; however, we do ask you to be respectful in your attire. You are welcome to wear RSO cords, medallions, and stoles. You may also decorate your graduation cap. We encourage you to be creative and have fun; please be mindful to keep your decorations respectful. If not, we reserve the right to ask you to remove your hat and purchase a blank one from the UCA Bookstore.

Disability Parking: A portion of the Estes Stadium parking lot (Parking Lot 302) will be designated for disabled parking. The disabled parking entrance will be at the intersection of Bruce/Augusta and require disability parking credentials to access this parking lot. If you have any questions, please email the Registrar’s Office at graduation@uca.edu.

Seating: Students will be directed onto the Farris Center gym floor by UCA faculty/staff. Students will be seated with their department in order of college. An American Sign Language interpreter will be present on the left side of the stage at each ceremony.

Latin Honor Cords: The university awards students with Latin honor cords based on their overall cumulative GPA. Students who achieve Latin honor distinctions will emailed details for honor cord pick up. For more information about Latin Honor distinctions, please refer to the UCA Undergraduate Bulletin.

Military Service Members: UCA’s Veterans Resource Center would like to recognize all military service members and veterans with a military cord. You will pick up the cords at check-in the day of commencement. For more information, please contact the UCA’s Veterans Resource Center.

Photos: In order to commemorate this milestone, professional photography services are provided during the commencement ceremony through GradImages®. While guests are welcome to take pictures from their seats, they will not be permitted on the floor once the ceremony begins. The week following the ceremony students will be sent information regarding their photos. For any questions regarding photos please contact GradImages at https://www.gradimages.com/.

Security: No firearms or weapons of any kind are permitted on the UCA campus. UCA does not allow the usage of air horns at any commencement ceremony. Please comply with the directions given at all times by the UCA Police Officers and ceremony volunteers . Please note that UCA is a smoke-free campus.

Graduation

• When do I need to apply? Students are encouraged to apply once they reach 90 credit hours, therefore the Graduation Success Team can keep you on track to graduate during your final semesters.
• When will my degree(s) be awarded? Degrees will be awarded 3-4 weeks after final semester grades are posted.  
• When do I get my diploma? Your diploma will be mailed to you once the Graduation Success Team can confirm you have successfully met 100% degree completion. You will receive an email with a digital copy of the diploma as well as a prompt to confirm your mailing address. From that point, please allow around a month for the diploma to arrive.
• Is there a fee? What does it cover? There is a $30 undergraduate graduation fee that can be paid via Cashnet (link). The fee goes toward the price of the diploma as well as the diploma cover you receive at the ceremony. For graduate students, please visit the UCA Graduate School website for more information.
• Undergraduate students who complete double majors. Will I receive two diplomas? No, only one diploma is issued with both majors because candidates earned one degree.
• Do concentrations or minors appear on the diplomas? No, concentrations/minors do not appear on diplomas. However, they do appear on the student’s official academic transcript.
• Can anything prevent the release of a diploma? Yes, diplomas will not be released for students who have outstanding financial obligations to the University or outstanding academic requirements.

Ceremony

• Is there a rehearsal for commencement? UCA does not have a commencement practice for students. You will be escorted by faculty and staff who will give you instructions during the ceremony.
• Is the ceremony mandatory? The ceremony is optional, however, we invite you to celebrate your academic journey with us!
• Will there be accessible seating for guests requiring physical accommodations? There will be accessible seating for guests, but it is imperative that you reserve your tickets early so the accommodation can be made. Accessible seating is limited.
• What if I need extra tickets? If extra tickets are needed, it is your duty to reach out to fellow graduates in your department or in the same ceremony to see if they are not using all of their guest tickets.
• Do infants/children count in my allocated ticket amount? Children under the age of two (2) do not require a ticket.
• Why are tickets required? Safety is the first and foremost reason for controlling the number of guests in the Farris Center.  We give each candidate a designated amount of guest tickets based on the maximum occupancy of the space, adhering to mandatory safety codes.
• Will there be a place where graduates can store their valuables during the ceremony? There is no designated area for graduates to store their valuables during the ceremony. Please plan to leave items with a reliable guest.
• How long does the ceremony last? Each ceremony should be expected to last approximately 60 to 90 minutes.
• Is there a professional photographer? How do we access photos? There will be a professional photographer in attendance. GradImages will be reaching out to all graduates following the ceremony (within 5 days) with information and instructions on how to access your photos. https://www.gradimages.com/
• Will undergraduate candidates who complete double majors or dual degrees participate in two ceremonies? No. Graduates who complete double majors/dual degrees participate in their primary major’s ceremony. The Graduation Success Team will reach out to all graduates who are double major/dual degree students to confirm which major will be primary.
• When will I get my honors cord? Students who achieve Latin honor distinctions will be emailed details for honor cord pick up. This usually happens the week of the graduation ceremony.
• If I do not attend the ceremony, how do I retrieve a diploma cover? If you choose not to attend, diploma covers will be available for pick up at the Registrar’s Office. You can email the Registrar’s Office at graduation@uca.edu to let us know you need a diploma cover.