Commencement Participation and Graduation Clearance

Commencement and Graduation are different.

Commencement is the ceremony held to celebrate student achievement. A student may be invited to commencement, but will not graduate until all requirements are completed.

Graduation from Empire State University occurs once it is determined that a student has satisfied all necessary academic requirements to earn a degree. Once a student has “graduated,” they have officially earned a degree and the awarded degree will be reflected on their transcript. Students who have graduated and have met all financial obligations to the college will receive their diploma in the mail. More information on the graduation review process can be found at the Graduation Process webpage.

Am I eligible to participate in the 2025 Winter Commencement?

Winter commencement eligibility requirements must be met by November 1, 2025, including: 

• Active graduation application on file. Instructions to complete a graduation application are available in the Empire State University Knowledge Base.
• Completed degree requirements* or registered for final coursework in the fall 2025 term.  

*Note for undergraduate students:

• Degree Program (DP) concurrence is a degree requirement for students in individualized degree programs. DPs must be submitted to Academic Review by September 1, 2025 to guarantee meeting the November 1 deadline.
•  Students seeking individualized Credit for Prior Learning (iCPL) need to have submitted requests by July 15, 2025 to guarantee completion of the evaluation process by the November 1 deadline.

Will I receive my diploma at the ceremony?

Official diplomas are mailed to students upon graduation; they are not distributed to students at the ceremony.

At commencement ceremonies, both in the United States and abroad, students will receive an official Empire State University diploma cover as they cross the stage.