Degree Completion

Students may officially graduate (i.e. earn their degree) in September, January, or May upon completion of all requirements for the degree.

Applying for Graduation

In order to earn your degree, you must apply for graduation in the first few weeks of the term in which you will be completing all degree requirements. The following table includes the general timeline for each term:

* You may only graduate in January if you have completed all course requirements prior to the Registrar’s Requirements Deadline. If a course assignment for a January term is due after the Requirements Deadline, your degree will be awarded in May.

Applying for graduation indicates to the Registrar that you intend to complete all degree requirements within the term in which you have applied for graduation. If you fail to meet specified deadlines, you will be unable to graduate on time and will have to wait for the next graduation period to have your degree awarded, so apply well in advance of the deadline. Please check the Graduation Deadlines on the Registrar's Applying for Graduation website for instructions on how to apply via Albert as well as the specific application deadline for the exact term in which you intend to graduate, and apply well in advance of the deadline.  Once you have applied for graduation, you can also check your graduation status through Albert; the Registrar’s website includes instructions.

Applying for graduation via Albert is not the same as requesting tickets for the Wagner Convocation Ceremony <link to new convocation URL> or the NYU All-University Commencement Ceremony, although you need to have applied for graduation in order to be invited to the ceremonies.  You can find more details about the ceremonies by visiting the appropriate links.

Note that if you have any outstanding grades or incomplete grades at the Registrar’s degree conferral date, you will be unable to graduate.

Doctoral students who wish to receive the Master of Philosophy degree must also apply for graduation.

Students in dual degree programs must submit a graduation application for each of the Schools in which they are enrolled and must earn both degrees in the same term.

If you have any questions regarding your degree progress, eligibility, or anticipated graduation date, please contact your Student Services program advisor or email wagner.studentservices@nyu.edu.

If you have questions about your graduation application or have missed the deadline, you may write to graduation@nyu.edu.

Diploma

Your diploma is mailed to your permanent address approximately eight weeks after the degree is posted to your record. You should update your address in Albert to ensure the diploma is sent to the correct address. 

By default, your "primary" name (as it is entered in Albert and as it appears on your NYU transcript) is printed on your diploma. You can elect to have your "preferred" (or chosen) name (as it is entered in Albert) printed on your diploma by updating the Diploma Options page in your Student Center before your conferral date. 

Important Note:  Although NYU considers the diploma to be a ceremonial document, some countries may require your diploma (in conjunction with your official transcript) for various legal, immigration, and employment purposes.  Choosing to print your "preferred" name on your diploma may result in unforeseen complications due to the discrepancy between your diploma and other documents (e.g. transcript, passport, birth certificate, etc.) that contain your "primary" (i.e. legal) name.  To avoid such complications, we recommend printing your "primary" name on your diploma if you plan to live, study, or work outside of the United States.

To request an official transcript from the NYU Registrar, please read the instructions found on the Registrar’s website.