Graduation FAQs

A Diploma Name (DI) Hold identifies that something is needed for the processing of your graduation application. You may contact gradapp@augusta.edu for more information on how to get this hold removed.

*Please note that while this hold will prevent the release of your diploma, it will not prevent registration.*

The certification and conferral of your degree will take place a minimum of one week after grades are due for the semester in which your degree is being conferred.

If you need an official transcript with your conferred degree, please make your request in POUNCE as "Hold for Degree."

The National Student Clearinghouse provides degree verifications for our graduates.

Please contact the National Student Clearinghouse at http://www.degreeverify.com or by calling 703-742-4200 for a degree verification.

A Letter of Completion can be issued by the Registrar's Office if a student has completed all degree requirements, but did not submit a graduation application by the deadline.

You may submit a request for a Letter of Completion by emailing gradapp@augusta.edu. Please include your full name, Student ID, birthdate, and the name and email/address of the person the letter will need to be sent.

Apostille is a French word meaning a certification. It is commonly used in English to refer to the legalization of a document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.  Documents that have been notarized by a notary public and then certified with a conformant apostille are accepted for legal use in all the nations that have signed the Hague Convention.

If you require this service, please note details for your apostillee on your signed documents and submit your request to apostille@augusta.edu.  Along with your request, please indicate whether the documentation will be picked up from the Registrar’s office (valid form of identification required for pick up) or mailed to a provided address. Please note that we will mail using standard postage and no tracking information will be available. Given the additional complexity of notarization, please allow 7-10 business days for processing transcripts, certifications, and duplicate diplomas.

Please note: Augusta University staff cannot advise on the international apostillee process, nor can staff perform steps in the apostillee process beyond production and notarization of the above documents.  It is your responsibility to follow the procedures outlined by the Department of State Office of Authentications.

 Yes, however an AP Hold is placed on your account. This hold prevents registration for the term after you graduate, unless you re-enroll as a non-degree seeking student or are admitted to another degree program. Courses taken after the awarding of your degree cannot be applied to that degree program. For more information regarding the Admissions process, please contact their office at admissions@augusta.edu or 706-737-1632.

A double major is the concurrent fulfillment of the requirements of two majors. To earn a degree with two majors, the student must complete the courses required in each major, any collateral/prerequisite courses required for both majors and the general education requirements of the primary major.

Dual degrees are the concurrent fulfillment of the requirements of two majors and two degrees. To earn dual degrees, the student must fulfill all the requirements of the degree programs in both majors, the general education requirements of the primary degree and complete an additional 30 credit hours above the minimum hour degree requirement of the primary degree.

A separate graduation application must be filed for each major and/or degree the student plans to complete. Students should indicate double majors and dual degrees in the appropriate fields on each application.

Each minor, including all requirements, must be complete at the point of graduation.

Graduation Exit Survey

Please contact Julie Goley, Career Services for any questions regarding the Graduation Exit Survey.

Meeting the application deadline is crucial to avoid consequences and/or delays.  Applying for graduation by the posted deadline ensures:

• you are notified of any outstanding requirements before registration ends.
• you receive important communication regarding the commencement ceremony.
• your name appears in the commencement program.

Please be conscientious of the deadlines in order to avoid missing anything important surrounding commencement. 

The "AP" hold is placed on all students accounts that are eligible to participate in commencement as a bar to be unable to register for a future semester at Augusta University. You do not need to take further action with this hold. If you plan to register for classes at Augusta University following your graduation term, you must reapply through Academic Admissions. 

For an undergraduate degree to be awarded with honors, a student must have completed a minimum of 60 semester hours in residence for a bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 30 semester hours in residence for an associate’s degree.

For students completing all course work at Augusta University, the Regents GPA is used for the calculation of honors.

For students transferring coursework to Augusta University, a grade point average including all transfer work and all work taken at Augusta University will be used for calculation of honors. Both this calculated GPA and the Regents GPA must meet the published standards. The honor will be determined by the lower of the two GPAs.

Please review the Policy Library for more information.

Grade point averages are not rounded.

Final GPA from the semester prior to commencement is used to list honors classification in the commencement program.

Example: Fall 2015 GPA will be used to list honors classification in the commencement program for Spring 2016.

 Your Augusta University transcript, as well as your diploma will list the honor based on the GPA after your last term.

Honors cords will be available for pick up in the Registrar’s Office during the posted dates on the Registrar and Graduation calendar.

Only undergraduate students receive honors.

Honors classification will be listed on your official transcript and diploma.

The graduation application fee is $50.00.

The graduation application fee is used to defray the cost of processing candidates for graduation, printing and mailing diplomas, and conducting the commencement ceremonies held each May and December.

Beginning Summer/Fall 2021, the $50.00 graduation fee will be placed on the student's account (one fee per degree/certificate) beginning the first day of registration for the semester in which the student has applied to graduate (ex. Students applying for SU/FA21 graduation should expect to see the fee added to their account mid-March).  If registration has already opened when students apply, the fee will be applied within 1-3 business days.

The payment can be made through your POUNCE account or at the Business Office.

If you will be receiving two or more degrees, you must submit an application and fee for each degree.

Participation in commencement is optional, however the graduation application fee is required.

Students must pay the graduation application fee regardless of their participation or lack of participation in the commencement ceremony.

 The graduation application fee does not cover the cost of the cap and gown worn at commencement.

The graduation application fee offsets the costs associated with the commencement ceremony, diplomas, and diplomas covers.

The graduation application fee is waived for the first move of a graduation application.  

For each additional move, an additional fee is required when an application is submitted. 

The official diploma for the graduates for Fall 2015 forward will reflect the name Augusta University. Graduates may also request one commemorative diploma reflecting the name of the university when they initially matriculated (Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Health Sciences University, or Augusta State University) providing they have remained continuously enrolled*. 

*Continuous enrollment is defined as not having transferred to another University and transferred back to Augusta University or that the student has not had a break in enrollment of three consecutive semesters or more.*

Please refer to the Diploma Name Guidelines for questions.

If your requested diploma name does not match your name on file, a hold will be placed on your account until the appropriate documentation has been submitted. The hold will only prevent the release of your diploma.  Once documentation of your name change is filed and approved, this hold will be released.

If your legal name has changed for any reason, please provide legal documentation (Marriage Certificate, Divorce Decree, Court-Issued Name Change, or Adoption papers) along with a Name Change form to the Office of the Registrar by the published deadline.

Changes to the requested diploma name after the diplomas have been ordered will require a diploma reorder and the graduate must pay the associated fee to have the diploma reissued.

Student Name Update Request

All Augusta University diplomas are 14" high x 17" wide.

All Augusta University certificates are 8.5" high x 11" wide.

Your diploma will be mailed to the Diploma Mailing Address submitted on your graduation application. If updates need to be made, contact gradapp@augusta.edu with your legal name, student ID, and updated diploma mailing address. All changes must be submitted two weeks before graduation. The Office of the Registrar will hold returned diplomas for 12 months.  After 12 months, a Reissue Diploma Request must be completed. 

Graduates can expect to receive their diploma in the mail approximately six to eight weeks after the end of each semester.  Diplomas will be mailed to the address listed on your graduation application.  You may contact our office if you have not received your diploma six weeks after the posted mailing date. 

If you need official verification of your degree before you receive your diploma, you may request an official transcript or a degree verification.

If your diploma arrived damaged, please send an email to gradapp@augusta.edu with your legal name, student ID, and clear photo of the damaged diploma AND the original mailer.  If the original mailer and diploma are returned, we will waive the reprint fee.

You may contact our office if you have not received your diploma six weeks after the posted mailing date.   After eight weeks, a Reissue Diploma Request must be completed.

The Office of the Registrar will hold returned diplomas for 12 months.  After 12 months, a Reissue Diploma Request must be completed. 

Please contact our office at 706-446-1430 or gradapp@augusta.edu for any additional questions or concerns.

Commemorative diplomas can be requested by emailing gradapp@augusta.edu including your legal name and student ID.

*Commemorative diplomas are only offered at the time of graduation to eligible students.*

Diplomas do not reflect completion of a minor.  Minor completion is listed on your official transcript.

Diplomas do not reflect areas of concentration, specialization, or emphasis.

 Diploma frames and additional Augusta University merchandise can be purchased through the RoarStore. 

By definition, a double major is two areas combined into a single degree (B.A. or B.S.). You will receive one diploma reflecting both majors.

Example: Bachelor of Arts- Criminal Justice and Sociology

As the title implies, successful completion of dual degrees will result in a separate diploma for each degree.

Example: Bachelor of Arts- Criminal Justice and Bachelor of Science- Chemistry

Students completing program requirements Summer and Fall semesters will be invited to participate in the Fall Commencement ceremony provided their applications are submitted by the posted deadline. Spring Commencement is for those who complete their requirements in the Spring semester or are part of a lockstep, graduate, health science program and complete degree requirements during Summer semester. Appeals must be submitted by the student's advisor in POUNCE. Please review the Policy Library for more information.