Undergraduate Graduation Checklist

Submit an Application for Graduation

  • Summer 2024 Applicants: Submit your application via AccessPlus.
  • Fall 2024 Applicants and Beyond: Submit your applicantion via Workday.

Graduation Requirement Check

  • Summer 2024 Applicants: Your graduation status will indicate "under review" until the Graduation Office checks your degree audit to make sure you have met degree requirements. Contact your advisor if you have questions regarding your degree audit. We encourage you to review your degree audit and review any issues with your advisor. Once your application has been reviewed, you will be contacted via email.
  • Fall 2024 Applicants and Beyond: Your program completion status will indicate Pending Completion once you have applied. Contact your advisor if you have questions regarding your academic progress report (APR). We encourage you to review your APR and review any issues with your advisor. Once your application has been reviewed, you will be contacted via email.

Graduation Status (Summer 2024 Applicants)

  • To check your graduation status, login to AccessPlus, click on student tab, select Graduation from menu on left, then from the menu in the upper left-hand corner select one of the following:
    • Graduation Status -  for Undergraduate graduation status
    • Grad Stdnt Status - for Masters and Doctoral graduation status
  • If you receive an email from the Graduation Office indicating your Graduation Status is not ok do not withdraw your application and resubmit to update your graduation status. 
  • Contact the Graduation Office by email at graduation@iastate.edu or phone 515-294-1840 if you have questions regarding your graduation status.
  • You will receive an email every time your graduation status is updated.

Graduation Status (Fall 2024 Applicants and Beyond)

  • Your program completion status will indicate Pending Completion once you have applied. 
  • Once your application has been reviewed, you will be contacted.
  • Contact the Graduation Office by email at graduation@iastate.edu or phone 515-294-1840 if you have questions regarding your graduation status.

Outstanding Graduation Requirements

Degree Audit/Academic Progress Report (APR) and Other Issues

  • Contact your advisor
  • Changes to degree audit/APR must be initiated by your advisor and submitted to department/main college office for approval.

Incompletes, non-reports, grade changes, and/or test out credit

  • These items can delay graduation and should be rectified as soon as possible.

Transfer Coursework

  • Official transcripts for all transfer work must be be submitted to the ISU Admissions Office
    • Official PDF (preferred method): etranscript@iastate.edu
    • Official Paper Transcript: Mailed to:  ISU Admissions Office, 100 Enrollment Services Center, Ames, IA 50011

Contact the Graduation Office by email at graduation@iastate.edu or phone 515-294-1840 if you have questions regarding your graduation status.

Diploma Mailing Address and Ceremony Attendance Information Form (Summer 2024 Applicants)

1) Log into your student AccessPlus account.
2) Click on the Student tab, select Graduation from menu on the left, then Diploma/Ceremony in the upper left corner.
3) Select your name. This will open up the form.
4) Complete the following information:

  • Address you would like your diploma mailed
  • Newspaper release
  • Indicate attendance at the Commencement Ceremony

Diploma Mailing Address (Fall 2024 Applicants and Beyond)

  1. Once your program completion application is submitted, a To-Do will appear in your inbox to complete the Diploma Delivery Selection Questionnaire.
    • Select how you would like your diploma delivered:
      • Mailed to your Home (Primary) address
      • Pick up from the Office of the Registrar (214 Enrollment Services Center), once you receive notification from the Graduation Office that the diplomas are available for pick up. 
    • Hit the orange Submit button
  2. If you select the mailing option, a To-Do will appear in your inbox to review and/or modify your primary home mailing address (Your Home (Primary) mailing address is where your diploma will be mailed to).
    • Click the orange Change My Home Contact Information button
    • Review the address that is noted as Primary = Yes
      • If the address, is accurate, please hit the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
      • If the address needs to be modified, please click on the pencil icon on the Address card and make the updates. After doing so, please hit the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
    • Once you have reviewed and/or modified your Home (Primary) address within the Home Contact Information section of your student profile, hit the Submit button on this To-Do within your inbox. You must submit the To-Do so other graduation processes can trigger within your inbox.

Ceremony Attendance Information (Fall 2024 Applicants and Beyond)

More information will be provided at a later date.

With Distinction Cords

For eligibility details visit: http://catalog.iastate.edu/academics/#scholasticrecognitiontext and see the text under "Graduation with Distinction."

ISU Transcripts

Diplomas

  • Graduates will receive the digital copy of their diploma(s) on August 15th, 2024. Physical diplomas will arrive 10-18 business days after August 15th, 2024. 

Financial Information

Financial Aid Exit Counseling Session

Loans Receivable Exit Counseling Session

  • An exit counseling session is mandatory if you have borrowed from the Disadvantaged Student Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Health Profession Student Loan or University Long Term Loan programs.
  • If you have questions, please contact Loans Receivables, 0880 Beardshear, or call 515-294-8747.

Accounts Receivable Office

  • Review your u-bill periodically, 1-2 months after graduation for any late charges.
  • Your transcript will not be released after graduation unless all financial obligations are cleared. For more information, go to 0880 Beardshear Hall or call 515-294-7388.

ISU Email After Graduation

After you graduate or leave Iowa State, your CyMail account remains active for one semester before being suspended/expired. You will want to forward messages from your CyMail account to a different e-mail account, or create an Alumni Association Account. 

Also, you will want to update or confirm your non-ISU email in AccessPlus. To do so:

1) Log into your student AccessPlus account.
2) Click on the Student tab, select Address Change from menu on the left.
3) Enter or confirm your non-ISU email.

Post-Graduation Plans Survey

Questions?

Contact the Graduation Office, 214 Enrollment Services Center, phone 515-294-1840 or email graduation@iastate.edu.