Please review these materials carefully to ensure you are in compliance with university and departmental requirements to graduate.
Graduation is not an automatic process, all students who are eligible for graduation must submit an application to graduate.
Students are eligible to apply for graduation as soon as class registration is available for their final semester.
Students can check their Graduation Status at any time in their Student Center by navigating to Self Service > Degree Progress/Graduation > View Graduation Status.
Students in need of academic guidance or those who wish to double check they have successfully completed all academic requirements for graduation should reach out to their School of Social Work academic advisor for assistance.
Know the Difference
Graduation is the completion of all degree requirements as recorded on the official transcript. To officially graduate, students must satisfy all degree program requirements. Applying for graduation is required regardless of your plans to attend Commencement or the SSW Evening of Recognition. Details on how to apply for graduation can be found below.
Commencement and the SSW Evening of Recognition are ceremonies celebrating students who have recently fulfilled or are about to complete all degree program requirements. Participation in Commencement/the SSW Evening of Recognition does not ensure automatic graduation. RSVPing for these ceremonies is NOT the same as applying for graduation.
Ceremonies
WINTER 2026 UNIVERSITY-WIDE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES:
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
Wednesday, December 9, 2026 | 4 p.m. | Victory Heights Arena.
Celebrating students earning doctoral degrees (both professional doctoral degrees and PhD degrees) between May and December 2026.
University-wide Commencement Ceremony
Sunday, December 13, 2026 | 3 p.m. | Petersen Events Center.
Celebrating students earning bachelor’s and master's degrees in the summer 2026 term and winter 2026 term.
University-wide Commencements are run through the Office of Special Events; the School of Social Work administration is not involved in any aspect of the planning of these events. Detailed information can be found here and all questions/concerns should be directed to their office.
SPRING 2027 SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK EVENING OF RECOGNITION
Who can participate : All School of Social Work students graduating from December 2026, April 2026, June 2027, and August 2027
Details for the Spring 2027 School of Social Work Evening of Recognition coming soon!
- Apply for Graduation from the University of Pittsburgh
- ONLINE APPLICATION: Complete the online application by logging into my.pitt.edu and following these instructions.
- MULTIPLE DEGREES/CERTIFICATES: Students pursuing a degree, minor, certificate, or distinction in more than one academic program/school need to apply for each one separately. The only exception is if you're earning a degree in partnership with the Frederick Honors College (FHC); in this case, FHC recognition will be automatically added when you complete your primary graduation application, so a separate application isn't needed.
UPDATE INFORMATION: Be sure to update your graduation address and diploma name when applying. Your graduation address is where you want your diploma sent. Please be aware there is a 35-character (including spaces) limit to diploma addresses. Your Diploma name is the name you want printed on your diploma. This name can be different than your legal name. The deadline for these updates is the beginning of the month of your graduation. {Spring 2026 graduation deadline = April 1st}
- NAME CONSISTENCY/HOW TO prevent deadnaming on your diploma/commencement program: Your name on your graduation application must be identical to the way it appears in the University’s student information system: Highpoint Campus Experience (HCX)/PeopleSoft. You will be required to provide legal documentation to change your name. Acceptable forms of documentation are:
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Divorce Decree
- Formal Court Order
The deadline for these updates is the beginning of the month of your graduation. {Spring 2026 graduation deadline = April 1st}
- POSTPONING GRADUATION: For students who’ve applied for graduation and need to postpone: Students are responsible for reapplying for graduation in the subsequent semester they expect to graduate. Students are not automatically rolled over onto future graduation rosters. If you’ve applied for graduation and need to postpone, please reach out to sswgrads@pitt.edu including your full name, 7-digit student ID and your new expected graduation term. They will reapply you to graduate in a future term. (This is not an automatic process, please allow up to several business days for your request to be processed)
- If you do not know which term you anticipate graduating when postponing, you will need to reapply using the online application. Application deadlines still apply – see important dates listed below.
- FINANCIAL STANDING: You must be in good financial standing with the University to receive your diploma.
- SENIOR SURVEY: Undergraduate students: please tell the University about your experience at Pitt by completing the University of Pittsburgh Senior Survey.
- If you have questions about the online graduation application, please reach out to the Registrar's Office: graduation@registrar.pitt.edu or 412-624-7627
Graduation Deadlines and Important Dates
- DECEMBER 2026 GRADUATION
March 1, 2026 First date to submit applications for December 2026 graduation.
November 1, 2026 Undergraduate Applications submitted now must include a $25.00 late fee.
December 1, 2026 FINAL DATE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS FOR DECEMBER 2026 GRADUATION - by 5PM
- APRIL 2027 GRADUATION
October 1, 2026 First date to submit applications for April 2027 graduation.
December 1, 2026 Undergraduate applications submitted will now require a $25.00 late fee.
April 1, 2027 FINAL DATE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS FOR APRIL 2027 GRADUATION – by 5PM
Diplomas, Transcripts, and Enrollment Verifications
View Past Graduations.