Graduate School

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Graduation

Students who have completed all academic requirements within the program’s specified time period are eligible for graduation at the close of their final semester.

An application for graduation must be submitted to your adviser or dean and approved by the adviser, graduate program director or school dean. After receiving the recommendation of the graduate faculty, your degree will be submitted to the VCU Board of Visitors to be conferred.

To learn more about the graduation process and commencement details, refer to the Graduate Bulletin and VCU Commencement. Individual department credit requirements and graduation procedures can be found in the degree program descriptions.

Fall 2023 Commencement

VCU will host an in-person commencement celebration to honor the class of 2023 on Saturday, December 9, 2023.

For Ph.D. students only: If you plan to attend, please fill out the commencement ceremony form to ensure your name is read at the doctoral hooding portion of the ceremony. Responses are due by Wednesday, November 29, 2023. Please note that this RSVP form is used to line up doctoral students.

For up-to-date information, please visit VCU Commencement.

Resources and important information for Alumni

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from your graduate program! As an alumnus, it is important to remember that your access to university resources will change. Alumni have access to the following university resources:

These university resources will no longer be available to you upon graduation, so please be sure to prepare accordingly:

  • Use of @vcu.edu email - this will convert to an alumni email address. See above for details on claiming your alumni email account.
  • Student Technology at VCU - refer to the Graduating Student Technology Checklist for technology resources that are no longer available upon graduation.
  • Parking is only available to enrolled students and employees on a long-term basis (semester). Once you graduate, you will need to pay daily for parking in a VCU parking facility or lot.
  • University Counseling Services - is only available to enrolled students.
  • Student Health Services is only available to enrolled students. Consultation may be provided to assist graduating students with transitioning to services in the community.
  • Student Health Insurance is only available to enrolled full-time Ph.D. students, first professional students (D.D.S., M.D., Pharm.D.), and international students (those on F- and J-visas) who opted in for coverage. 
  • Building access is granted by schools/colleges to currently enrolled students. Check with your department if you need building access past your semester of graduation.