GRADUATION & COMMENCEMENT
As you enter your final academic year at UCLA, College Advising is here to assist you in navigating the transition from an undergraduate student to UCLA graduate. As you embark on this journey, we invite you to review our graduation checklist , designed to help as you plan your last year at UCLA, with insights tailored to ease your journey. While not exhaustive, it offers valuable guidance for your graduation and commencement experience. For additional details on graduation requirements and Commencement, visit www.college.ucla.edu/commencement or consult with a College advisor.
Declare Candidacy
All undergraduate students begin at UCLA with a declared degree-expected term. For first-year admits, the degree expected term will be four years from matriculation to UCLA; for transfer admits, the degree expected term will be two years from matriculation to UCLA. Students are expected to complete all degree requirements within that time frame. Students who will be exceeding their time-to-degree must file a Time to Degree petition with their College Advising unit.
Managing your Degree Expected Term
If you would like to review or change your degree expected term, you may so on MyUCLA . Additional information, including graduating in a past term, is available on the Registrar’s Office website . Please note: If the current term is your degree expected term, you will not be assigned an enrollment appointment for the following term.
Degree Expected Term and Studying Abroad (UCEAP)
Please be sure to check with a College Advisor and your Department Advisor regarding any necessary petitions or other paperwork that my be needed, prior to studying abroad.
Deadline
The last day to declare candidacy for the current term (fall, winter, or spring) is Friday of finals week. The last day to declare candidacy for the summer term is Friday of the sixth week of summer session C.
Degree Checks
In order to graduate, please verify your degree candidacy term on MyUCLA.
It is strongly recommended that you meet with a College counselor in your College Advising unit for a degree check at least 1 or 2 quarters before you intend to graduate, to be sure that you will have satisfied all degree requirements.
You should also consult with your departmental counselor to be sure that you have or will have completed all major and minor requirements.
Final Quarter Not at UCLA
If you intend to complete your degree requirements as a nonregistered student (complete your degree by taking up to 10 of your final 45 units through UCLA Extension or at another institution), you must file a request to graduate In Absentia.
- Use the Request to Graduate In Absentia form available online
- Submit the completed form to your degree auditor in the Registrar’s Office
- Due Friday of the second week of the quarter you have designated as your degree expected term.
Students graduating In Absentia should also check with both their College advising unit and their major department(s) to make sure that they will not be in violation of the College’s Residence Requirement nor the Major Residence Requirement and that the work completed In Absentia will, in fact, complete their degree. Please be aware that graduating In Absentia is not a guaranteed option for all students nor may it necessarily be the best choice.
Official transcripts (with grades of the courses taken outside of UCLA, including UCLA Extension) must be received by your degree auditor in the Registrar’s Office no later than three weeks after the end of your degree expected term.
Transcripts should be brought or sent to:
UCLA Undergraduate Admission
Attn: Transcripts
1147 Murphy Hall, Box 951436
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1436
Join College Advisors for a workshop intended for graduating seniors who are seeking information regarding graduation, commencement and life beyond UCLA. By attending this workshop, we hope students will walk away feeling more at confident with navigating graduation and the college-to-career transition.
Graduation + Beyond workshops are open to UCLA undergraduate students and specifically intended for graduating seniors. These workshops are typically offered in the winter and spring quarters.
Workshops for this academic year have concluded. If you were unable to attend a workshop, we invite you to watch the recorded workshop below.
Special Inclusion Petition (SIP)
The Special Inclusion Petition is for students who completed their degree requirements prior to Fall 2024 or who are graduating in Winter 2026 or beyond, and who wish to request to participate and walk in the June 2025 commencement ceremonies.
Please note that students who intend to graduate in Fall 2024 or Winter 2025 are automatically included in the Spring 2025 commencement events. Consult the UCLA College Commencement website for the most up-to-date information regarding commencement events.
Fall 2025 Graduates – Submit Automatically-Approved SIP through MyUCLA
Fall 2025 graduates who wish to participate in the June 2025 commencement ceremony should submit their automatically-approved SIP through the commencement ticket portal on MyUCLA. The automatically-approved SIP will become available on Monday, March 31, 2025 and will close on Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 11:59pm (PST). The automatically-approved SIPs are not effective immediately. Upon submission, they are processed and effective approximately 24 hours after submitted via MyUCLA.
While auto-SIPs may be submitted through May 29th, there is no guarantee that a student will be able to access tickets to a College Commencement or Department ceremony. Please check with your department advisor to confirm ticket availability prior to submitting an auto-SIP.
If you do not see this available on your MyUCLA, you are not automatically eligible and will need to submit a Manual SIP. In addition, Fall 2025 graduates who did not submit an auto-SIP by May 29th will need to submit a manual SIP to gain access to the ticketing system. Please see below for additional information.
All Other Graduates (Prior to Fall 2024 OR Winter 2026 and beyond) – Manual SIP
If you graduated in a previous academic year or are graduating in Winter 2026 or beyond, you will submit a manual SIP to your College Advising unit. Students may submit their petition once the form opens on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Please note that we will begin reviewing these petitions on Monday, May 5th, 2025 – it may take up to 5-10 business days to be reviewed and processed. The manual SIP will close on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 11:59pm (PST).
Please select your advising/counseling unit below to submit your manual-SIP (please check your Degree Audit to confirm your advising/counseling unit). If you select the wrong unit, your petition will not be processed. Once again, Fall 2025 graduates SHOULD NOT submit this form.
Latin Honors
The official Latin Honors designation made to your diploma is based on your final grades at the time of degree completion. Fall degree candidates are NOT eligible to receive any Latin Honors designations in the prior June College Commencement Program, and should check for revised GPA requirements in the Fall. If you do not have 90 graded UC units but otherwise may meet the GPA requirements, please consult your College advisor.
Center for Academic Advising in the College