Applying for Graduation

Filing for Undergraduate Graduation

Undergraduate students and second bachelor's degree students must apply for graduation by submitting an Application for Graduation and Academic Course Record form for each major or minor.  The required documents are to be submitted to the Graduation Evaluations area in the Registrar's Office in Enrollment Services.

Students should apply for graduation once they have earned a minimum of 85 hours of credit and after being formally accepted by their major department and minor department (if applicable).

NEIU makes available, via NEIUport, a degree evaluation tool, that allows undergraduate students to check their degree progress by running the degree evaluation tool.  It is strongly recommended that students review their degree evaluation at least once each semester in addition to meeting with their academic advisor. 

Undergraduate Graduation Application Filing Deadlines

Month of Anticipated Completion of Degree Requirements Filing Deadline
May 2024 September 15
August 2024 January 15
December 2024 May 15


Each student anticipating graduation is fully responsible for submitting the graduation application and supporting documents by the above deadlines.  A student who files the required application and supporting documents but fails to complete all graduation requirements by the appropriate date will be dropped from the graduation list and must reapply for a later graduation date by completing a Change of Graduation Date form available in the Registrar's Office in Enrollment Services.  NEIU will not backdate a student's graduation date to a previous semester should the student fail to submit the Change of Graduation Date form.

Diplomas are not released to graduates until they have paid the graduation fee, and all holds and/or indebtedness to the University have been resolved.

Commencement Ceremony Participation

Students who apply for December graduation are eligible to participate in the December commencement ceremony.  Students who apply for May graduation are eligible to participate in the May commencement ceremony.  Students who apply for August graduation are eligible to participate in the following December commencement ceremony.