Degree Services

The Degree Services team of the Office of the Registrar processes applications for graduation, evaluates degree completion and provides other services related to your degree.

Apply to Graduate

 


When you reach your final term, you’ll submit an application to graduate, by the application deadline for that term. If the deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, applications will be accepted through the following Monday. The spring and fall terms offer an extended one-month late application deadline.

There is a $50 processing fee for the application for graduation, which increases to an $80 late processing fee for applications submitted after the deadline. No applications will be accepted after the late deadline. If you miss the late deadline for your final term, you’ll need to apply for the following term.


Spring Semester

Deadline: Feb. 1 ($50)
Extended deadline: Mar. 1 ($80)

Summer Semester

Deadline: Jul. 15 ($50)

Fall Semester

Deadline: Oct. 15 ($50)
Extended deadline: Nov. 1 5 ($80)


If the deadline falls under a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline will be extended to the following Monday.

All grades, change of grades and petitions due at noon on the last day of each corresponding semester.

Graduation and Commencement

Students will receive a diploma cover when they walk across the stage at commencement. Since commencement is held before all final grades are posted for the Spring semester Spring candidates will not receive diplomas at this time.

The names of students receiving degrees/certificates will appear in the Commencement Program, and are released to the media (with exception to students who have placed a directory hold on their account).


The difference between Graduation and Commencement

Graduation is the official completion of your degree. To graduate, your degree will be audited to evaluate that you have met all the requirements of your program. This takes place in your final term. UAF accepts applications to graduate during the three terms, summer, fall and spring term. Applying to graduate signals our office of your intent to complete your degree so that we can review your requirements. If you have completed all of the requirements at the end of the term you applied for, your degree will be posted to your official transcript.

The graduation celebration, or commencement, is held once per year at the end of the spring term. Students who applied to graduate in the spring, and in the previous summer and fall, can attend.

Your graduation is complete only when you've finished all of your requirements and the degree is posted to your official transcript. Participation in the spring ceremony is held prior to spring grades being posted. Participation in the ceremony isn't an official certification of graduation.


Walking

Undergraduates

If you will not have completed all degree requirements until after the spring term, you may be allowed to walk at the ceremony with your advisor's approval. The process is as follows:

  • Submit a “Request to Walk at Commencement” form on the Office of the Registrar Degree Services website by the late application deadline for graduation (Spring: March 1).
  • The form will ask both you and your advisor to certify that you will complete all degree requirements in the summer or fall term immediately following commencement.  
  • Apply to graduate for the future expected graduation term. 
  • You will not receive a degree audit for the term in which they’re "walking". Your degree will be audited for the term in which you applied to graduate.
  • Your honors will not be calculated.
  • Your name will appear in the commencement book as long as you have filled out a request to walk form, and your advisor has approved it.

Graduates

Ph.D. candidates and master's students are not eligible to walk at the commencement ceremony if their requirements are not met at the end of the current spring term. Candidates will receive information to participate in the next year’s ceremony.

Responsibility

Students are individually responsible for meeting all academic regulations and degree/certificate requirements. Students must submit an Application for Graduation during, or before, the semester they intend to graduate. See "Deadlines and Fees" Tab.


Finish your Requirements

In order for you to earn your degree, you must complete all requirements by the end of the semester in which you are graduating.

  • Incomplete or Deferred Grade Your degree cannot be granted if you have an incomplete or deferred grade for a required course. Change of Grades must be received by the last day of the semester in which you intend to graduate.
  • Transfer credit If you will be using transfer credit to complete your degree requirements, you must have an official transcript sent to the Office of the Registrar as soon as your grade(s) are available. All transcripts must be received by the last day of the semester in which you intend to graduate. Please email uaf-graduation@alaska.edu to notify us to expect them.
  • CLEP test scores If you will be using test scores to complete your degree requirements, we must receive official test scores before the last day of the semester in which you intend to graduate. 
  • Credit sharing There are some limitations on credits counting toward multiple requirement levels (General Education Requirements, Degree Requirements, Major Requirements, and Minor Requirements). Please refer to these Credit Sharing Quick Reference guides for specifics. Please note: both guides detail the same information just in two different formats. Credit Sharing Quick Reference (PDF).

Honors Recognition

Associate and baccalaureate degree students, who graduated with honors cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude in Summer, Fall, and students who have potential honors for Spring, will receive gold honors cords to wear at the May commencement ceremony.

In addition, the names of students receiving honors will appear in the Commencement Program and be released to the media (with the exception of students who have placed a directory hold on their accounts). Students may submit a written request to Graduation Services asking that their graduation information not be printed or released to the media.

Final grades will be verified prior to noting final graduation honors on the diploma or the official transcript (see next section). Spring commencement occurs prior to the deadline for spring semester final grades.


 Note to spring graduates with potential honors:

When calculating honors for spring graduation applicants, Degree Services assumes that students will receive "A's" in all of their in-progress, incomplete (I), and deferred (DF) coursework; thus allowing each student to be recognized for the highest level of honors they have the potential of attaining. These are called “potential honors.”

Your cumulative UAF GPA must be 3.5 or higher at the time of your initial audit for potential honors to be calculated.

These potential honors will be used to award gold honors cords at the commencement ceremony and be listed in the official commencement program.

Once final grades are posted, the final honors GPA will be re-calculated. Final grades will have an effect on your honors GPA (should you receive grades lower than "A's").



Please note:
When we receive your final grades, any remaining incomplete (I) grades will be calculated as “F’s” in the final honors calculation. Also, any remaining deferred (DF) grades will not be included in final honors calculations. See “Grading System and Grade Point Average Computation

Any change between potential honors and final honors will be reflected on the student's diploma and official transcripts.

If all graduation requirements are completed by the end of the semester, the certificate or degree will be awarded within four weeks after final grades have been posted. A digital copy will be sent at that time.

  • Paper diplomas are mailed out approximately six weeks after the end of the semester.
  • Once your degree is posted you can view it on your unofficial transcript on UAOnline.
  • Applications will be canceled for all students who are unable to meet their graduation requirements by the end of the semester. Students must reapply for graduation for the semester they intend to complete missing requirements. 

 


 

Forms and Services

If you are a currently admitted undergraduate student you may use this form to change your major.

All requested changes must be at the same degree level or lower than your current program.

  • Bachelor to Bachelor
  • Bachelor to Associate/Certificate
  • Associate to Associate/Certificate

Students wishing to change from an Associate/Certificate to a Bachelor program must complete a new admission application.

A minor is a requirement for most Bachelor of Arts degrees.

  • UAF minors are minimum of 15 credits, but some minors may require more.
  • Three UAF residency credits must be earned with in the minor. 
  • UAF cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (‘C’) in the minor.
  • The same catalog year must be used to meet both minor and major program requirements.
  • An Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)  or Certificate program of at least 30 credits earned at any accredited institution may be used to meet the requirements for a minor. 
  • To declare your minor please fill out the Declaration of Minor form. 

Your Key to Stay on Track!

DegreeWorks enables students and advisors to:
  • View progress toward a degree
  • Run a degree audit on any major
  • See how completed courses apply to graduation requirements
  • See any outstanding degree requirements needed to graduate
  • View the status of petitions or departmental memos
  • Determine how courses may be used toward a different major

The best way to ensure you've met all of your requirements to graduate is to work closely with your academic advisor.


Thinking of changing majors?

DegreeWorks allows you to determine which classes you have taken that can count towards a different degree program of your choosing. By using the “What If” option, DegreeWorks will generate a new audit for you. This new audit will show you how close you are to graduation if you were to switch programs. Feel free to use it as much as you like, as it will not interfere with you current audit.

Deviations from academic policies or requirements must be approved by petition.

Core Curriculum Petitions: If your petition deals with baccalaureate general education requirements (GER), your advisor and department chair of the academic course you are petitioning must grant approval. Once the signed petition is received by the Office of the Registrar, it will be forwarded to the chair of the faculty senate GER review committee for consideration.

Do not use for AAS or Certificate programs


Major or Minor Degree Requirement Petitions: If you want to waive or substitute courses within your major or minor requirements, you need approval from your advisor and the department chair and the dean of your major or minor area. Submit your signed petition to the Office of the Registrar.


Petitions for Other Requirements: If your petition deals with general university requirements and/or specific requirements for your degree or other academic policies, you need approval from your advisor, department chair and the dean of your college or school in which your major is located. Submit your signed petition to the Office of the Registrar.

 


 

Diplomas

Diploma lost? Need a copy?

  • Fill out our Replacement Diploma Form.

Name Changes

Notarized diplomas

  • Complete the Replacement Diploma Form, PDF or Online and make a note (anywhere on the form) informing Graduation Services that you would like to have your diploma notarized

Note: There is a $25.00 fee for each paper diploma ordered. The diploma ordered will be printed using UAF's most current diploma format; with the signatures of the current Chair of the Board of Regents, University Chancellor and University President.

Apostille diplomas

  • Other countries often require that official signatures and notarizations on your documents be corroborated by the Secretary of State before they will accept them - State of Alaska Lieutenant Governor's website.
  • Attaining this extra authentication is done in the form of an apostille.
  • If you need a diploma Apostille, complete the form below.  Indicate the country receiving records on the form.
  • Apostille diplomas are notarized within the Office of the Registrar, then are forwarded on to the State of Alaska Lieutenant Governor's Office for final authentication.
  • The student is individually responsible for paying all fees that are associated with ordering an Apostille diploma - both to UAF ($25 replacement diploma fee) and to the State of Alaska Lieutenant Governor's Office ($5 authentication fee per certificate/diploma).

Mini-diplomas

Mini-diplomas are issued by the UAF Alumni Association.

Applications will be canceled for all students who are unable to meet their graduation requirements by the end of the semester. Students must complete missing requirements and reapply for graduation for the semester they intend to graduate.

 


 

Frequently Asked Questions

You may request to change to any catalog year that you were a degree seeking student and enrolled in courses. Email your request to uaf-degree-services@alaska.edu and include your student ID number and requested catalog year.

All forms are available on our forms page. Please select the Degree Services tab to see the available forms.

Most Bachelor of Arts degrees will require a minor. Bachelor of Science degrees do not. You can always refer to the academic catalog or meet with your advisor to confirm.

Check your DegreeWorks through UAOnline. Your advisor’s name or department will be shown at the top of the page. You can also search for your academic advisor.

You can do a search by major to look up your new advisor or you can contact the department of the major you are adding or changing to. They can recommend a new advisor for you.

If you see changes to your DegreeWorks that don't seem right or have questions about changes to your audit, email to uaf-degree-services@alaska.edu.

There is a late application period with an $80 fee. You can apply for graduation online. If you miss the late deadline, please contact Degree Services at 907-474-6300 or uaf-degree-services@alaska.edu.

Yes. Students who have graduated in the previous summer or fall term, are eligible to participate in the spring commencement ceremony. Ceremony information can be found on the commencement webpage.

Graduation is the conferral and awarding of your degree. Graduation is processed each term, fall, spring and summer. Commencement is the ceremony held in the spring to celebrate our graduates.

Diplomas are mailed out 4-6 weeks after the last day of the semester. Diplomas being mailed outside of the U.S. may take 10-14 weeks.

Commencement Regalia can be ordered through the Bookstore directly at 907-474-7348.