Graduation
Graduation is a significant milestone in a student's academic journey. Students are encouraged to begin planning for their expected graduation date early in the academic year to ensure timely completion of all requirements.
To be eligible to graduate and receive a UDST credential, students must meet the minimum graduation requirements outlined below.
To qualify for graduation, students must meet the following criteria:
- Submit a graduation application in accordance with the published deadlines
- Successfully complete all courses pertaining to their program plan
- Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 for undergraduate programs and 3.00 for graduate programs
- Achieve clear academic standing
- Clear all outstanding fees
- Return all University equipment and books
- Meet their English Proficiency Graduation Requirement for their program where required.
Students who do not meet their graduation requirements by the specified deadlines may have their graduation deferred to a subsequent term.
Graduation GPA Calculation
The following guidelines apply to the calculation of the final cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA) for graduation purposes:
- Only courses that are directly aligned with the approved graduation program will be included in the final cGPA.
- Courses that are not required for graduation will be excluded from the cGPA calculation.
- If a student completes more than the minimum required number of elective courses, the Admissions and Registration Directorate will determine which electives are included in the cGPA calculation.
- For courses in which a student has received an exemption, the associated credits will be waived and will not be factored into the cGPA.
- If a course is repeated, only the highest grade achieved will be used in the cGPA calculation.
- If a student changes programs during their studies, only courses that apply to the final graduation program will be included in the graduation cGPA.
How the cGPA is Calculated
The cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the total grade points earned in the graduation program by the total number of credits attempted within that program.
Need Help?
Students who require assistance or clarification regarding GPA calculations are encouraged to contact their Academic Advisor for additional support.
Apply for Graduation
Students must submit a Graduation Application in order to receive their graduation documents and participate in the Graduation Ceremony.
Graduation Application Deadlines
Students are encouraged to submit their graduation application as early as possible during the academic year in which they intend to graduate.
Applications must be submitted by the following deadlines:
| SEMESTER | DEADLINE DATE |
| Fall | October 15 |
| Winter | February 15 |
| Spring | March 15 |
How to Apply
Graduation Applications must be submitted via Student Self-Service and navigating to E-Services > Apply for Graduation.
For detailed instructions, students should refer to the Graduation Application Manual.
Application Eligibility Requirements
To submit a graduation application, students must meet the following criteria:
- All remaining program requirements must be scheduled for completion no later than the Spring semester of the current academic year.
- All outstanding courses must be accurately planned and reflected in the student's academic planner.
- The minimum cumulative GPA (cGPA) required for graduation in the student's program must be met.
Modifying or Cancelling a Graduation Application
Students may cancel or modify their graduation application if they selected the incorrect graduation term or if their plans change.
The modification deadlines are outlined below:
| SEMESTER | MODIFICATION DEADLINE |
| Fall | December 15 |
| Winter | April 2 |
| Spring | April 14 |
Student Name Change Request
Students may request a correction or update to their name spelling to match their passport details by submitting a Student Name Change e-form.
To submit a request:
- Complete the Student Name Change request via STUDENT EFORM at Request Letters and Records.
- Upload a clear copy of the passport reflecting the correct name spelling.
Students will be notified via email once the name update has been processed.
Important Notes:
- Students who do not successfully meet all graduation requirements must submit a new graduation application for a future term.
- Submitting a graduation application does not guarantee the issuance of graduation documents. All graduation requirements must be fully met.
- Students are responsible for ensuring that all courses are correctly planned and that approved exemptions are accurately recorded in their academic planner.
Confer Dates
Confer dates indicate when graduation documents are officially issued for graduates of each academic semester. The confer dates for the 2025-26 Academic Year are outlined below:
| SEMESTER | CONFER DATE |
| Fall | January 25 |
| Winter | June 14 |
| Spring | August 9 |
Important Notes:
- Students must submit their graduation application in accordance with the officially published deadlines.
- Graduation documents will be issued only to students who have successfully met all graduation requirements.
- Students will receive an email notification once their graduation documents are ready for collection.
- Graduation documents include original program certificate, graduation letter, and one official copy of the academic transcript.
- The graduation letter includes the following information: period of study, language of study, and venue of study.
Graduation Ceremony Eligibility
Graduation ceremonies for the academic year are typically held during the Spring semester. To be eligible to participate in the Graduation Ceremony, students must meet the following conditions:
- Submit a graduation application by the published deadline.
- Complete all program requirements by the Fall, Winter, or Spring semester of the same academic year.
- Achieve the minimum cGPA required for graduation in their program.
- Register for the Graduation Ceremony once ceremony registration becomes available.
- Spring expected graduates must be enrolled in all their program's remaining courses in the Spring semester to participate in the ceremony.
Deadlines for 2026 Graduation Ceremony:
Please take note of the below important deadlines that will affect a student's eligibility to participate in the 2026 Graduation Ceremony:
| EVENT | DEADLINE |
| Deadline to process program changes related to early graduation for graduation ceremony purposes | March 15, 2026 |
| Spring 2026 expected graduates must be enrolled in all their remaining program courses in the Spring semester to participate in the ceremony | April 9, 2026 |
| Deadline to process exemption requests for expected graduates for ceremony purposes | April 19, 2026 |
| Graduates' cGPA and eligibility for the ceremony are determined based on final Winter semester grades | April 30, 2026 |
Important Notes:
- Participation in the Graduation Ceremony does not guarantee the issuance of a graduation certificate. Students must meet all program graduation requirements to receive their certificate.
- Students may participate in only one Graduation Ceremony per program.
- If multiple graduation ceremonies are held within the same academic year, the University will assign graduates to the appropriate ceremony.