Your Academic & Administrative Responsibilities

The information in this section concerns OFFICIALLY graduating seniors from UCSC. By completing the following steps you will receive that long awaited diploma in the mail. It will arrive a few months after the quarter for which you announce your candidacy. It does not affect your participation in the Commencement ceremony.

Check Your Degree Completion Requirements

Check in with your department advisor to make sure you have fulfilled your major requirements. Be sure the board has officially approved any thesis work, field study credit, or advanced standing transfer credit you may wish to apply to your major. If you are completing an individual major, contact the chairperson of your committee to make sure that your major requirements will be completed by your announced graduation date. Check your academic record to insure that it reflects the appropriate major. If not, submit a change of major petition to the Registrar's Office as soon as possible.

Check with your Student Portal (MyUCSC) to make sure you have satisfied all degree requirements outside of your major (GE's completed, Entry-Level Writing, American History and Institutions requirements satisfied, completion of 180 credits, no more than 25% of your credits at UCSC taken for P/NP, minimum of 2.0 GPA, and 35 of last 45 credits taken at UCSC). If you have not satisfied all degree requirements, you may need to schedule your candidacy for a later quarter.

Note:  Bachelor Degree Requirements can be found at http://registrar.ucsc.edu/navigator/index.html

* If you have any difficulties with the information on the Student Portal, please go to the main Porter College Office (or call 831-459-2273) to make arrangements to meet with a Porter Academic Advisor.

Declare your Graduation intentions to UCSC. You must apply for graduation to receive a diploma. If you are planning to complete requirements and graduate in the 2022 - 2023 academic year, you must:

Apply for graduation online through the Student Portal (MyUCSC) in the quarter you are completing your graduation requirements by the deadline date (refer to “Dates and Deadlines” section for quarterly deadlines to apply for graduation).

If you are currently enrolled and you have not previously applied, you may apply online via MyUCSC.

If you have applied to graduate in a previous term or cannot access the Apply to Graduate link via MyUCSC, please refer to the information and application form online at:  http://reg.ucsc.edu/graduation_announcerequest.htm

The Office of the Registrar checks to see that all University, Campus, and major requirements are met before certifying graduation. Your board of studies submits a list of course requirements that you have taken to fulfill the major and a statement about whether you have passed the senior thesis, comprehensive, exam, or other specified requirements. If deficiencies are found in a preliminary check, you will be notified of the specific requirements you have not met. It is your responsibility to fulfill these prior to graduation. If you have an incomplete in a course that is required you will not be able to receive your diploma until you have made it up. You will also need to re-file the "Announcement of Candidacy" form at the Office of the Registrar.