Graduation & Diploma Services

Commencement Participation 

An All-University Commencement is held in May for students enrolled and on schedule to complete degree requirements during the spring term. If you are enrolled and on schedule to complete all degree requirements during the following summer session, you may also participate in the University Commencement, although your degree is not conferred until August. You may also participate in departmental or school ceremonies following the University commencement according to the policies of the departments or schools.

An All-University December Commencement is held each year for students completing degree requirements during the fall term. If you complete degree requirements during the previous summer session you may also participate. If you are on schedule and enrolled to complete all degree requirements during the following Jan Term (January) intersession, you may also participate in the December ceremony, although your degree is not conferred until January.

You may participate once in either the All-University Commencement in May or the All-University December Commencement for a given degree, but not both.

To participate in a ceremony, you must apply online and file with your school's records office an Application for Candidacy to Graduate or Intent to Participate Form.

Doctoral candidates must complete all degree requirements prior to participation in a Commencement ceremony.

To Apply for Graduation:

Applications for Candidacy to Graduate are made available through your school of record. Please contact your graduation adviser. Apply for graduation online through the Student Dashboard in my.快活林性息. You will be contacted by your school of record informing you that you are eligible to apply for graduation. If you have any questions, please contact your school of record.

A $30 late fee may be applied to your account when the Registrar’s Office receives an Application for Candidacy to Graduate (ACG) after the last day to file for graduation.

The last day to file for graduation for each conferral term is the census date of the expected graduation term. Please refer to the Official University Calendar

Diploma Ordering

Graduation candidates who successfully complete degree requirements are awarded degrees through their academic school of record. The University Registrar orders diplomas at the conclusion of each academic term. Diplomas are mailed directly from the Michael Sutter Company to the candidate’s address that is provided in . Diplomas will be mailed to your Diploma address on record if provided. If no Diploma address is listed, the diploma will be mailed to the Home address on record. Students are notified via e-mail from the Michael Sutter Company when their diplomas have been shipped.

Replacement Diploma

A replacement diploma can be ordered easily online through our official diploma vendor, the . It may take 2-3 weeks for the new diploma to arrive.

Degree Certification and Apostille

International companies or institutions may require a certified copy of a diploma for the purpose of employment or to attend educational institutions. 快活林性息 degree certifications are accepted both domestically and internationally.

To initiate the process of a degree certification and Apostille, please complete these steps. 

  • Obtain an official copy of your diploma
    • If you do not have access to your diploma or it is no longer available, a replacement diploma will need to be ordered through our official diploma vendor, the . Please note: You have the option to have your diploma notarized through the Michael Sutter Company. Please be aware, the notary stamp will be placed on the actual diploma, not on a separate document.
  • Place an order for three notarized copies of your diploma from the Registrar’s Office. To order the notarized copies, click .
  • Next, visit the website to obtain and complete forms 2101 and 2102 which are listed as item 2 – Authentications Unit. On this site you will also find the mailing address and price information, along with instructions on how to obtain the Apostille.

Once all of the documents have been received by the Texas Secretary of State, the Apostille seal is affixed to the documents. The documents will then be mailed to the address you provided.

Please note: If you are currently residing, returning, or relocating outside of the United States, the 快活林性息 Registrar’s Office can assist in collecting and mailing the required documentation. Reference the directions listed above and note these changes:

  • Forward the original diploma or have a replacement diploma mailed to the Registrar’s Office.
  • The Registrar’s Office will notarize three copies of the diploma
  • You will complete forms 2101 and 2102 located by following the link above
  • All completed forms, documents, and acceptable payment to the Texas Secretary of State should be mailed to the USPS mailing address or the Delivery Address listed below.
  • The Registrar’s Office will mail all documents to the Texas Secretary of State for placement of the Apostille. The documents will then be mailed back to the address provided by you.
  • With written consent, the documents can be released to a third party as specified on the “Student’s Consent for 快活林性息 to Release Information to Student’s Specified Third Party” form available here.


USPS Mailing Address             
University Registrar                     
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PO Box 750181
Dallas, TX 75275-0181

Delivery Address                   
快活林性息       
Laura Lee Blanton Building, Suite 300
6185 Airline Rd
Dallas, TX 75205

For additional assistance please contact the Graduation and Certification team at desrodg@smu.edu or 214-768-5555. 

Diploma Names

You have the option to request a Diploma Name to be printed on your diploma. This can be accomplished through the Student Dashboard in my.快活林性息. If you do not have access to my.快活林性息, please contact the Registrar’s Office and we will update the Diploma Name. Note: *This is not applicable to international students. Please refer to last bullet point below. 

Before creating or updating a Diploma Name, it is important to note:

  • You may request a name change of your choice on your diploma provided it is not profane, explicit, or vulgar in nature.  Diploma Name changes that do not adhere to these criteria will not be processed and the Primary Name (aka legal name) will be used. 
  • If your Diploma Name will differ from your Primary Name, please consider future instances where a variance in names may pose an issue. For example, when obtaining an Apostille.
  • Updating your Diploma Name only updates the name printed on your diploma. Your academic records (for example, the transcript) will still display the Primary Name.
  • If your diploma and transcript need to be presented for international purposes, there is the potential for delayed confirmation due to the discrepancy.
  • If no Diploma Name is specified, your Primary Name will appear on the diploma.
  • International Students - All name changes will be reviewed and must comply with federal regulations. Names must match documents with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office. The ISSS will have final authority to approve or deny any and all name changes for International students.

Diploma Mailings

Current Students: Graduation candidates who successfully complete degree requirements are awarded degrees through their academic school of record. The University Registrar orders diplomas at the conclusion of each academic term. Diplomas are mailed directly from the vendor to the candidate’s address that is provided in . Diplomas will be mailed to your Diploma address on record if provided. If no Diploma address is listed, the diploma will be mailed to the Home address on record. *Diplomas are not shipped to the Mailing address listed in my.快活林性息. Students are notified via e-mail from the vendor when their diplomas have been shipped.
It is important to verify that your Diploma address and/or Home address in my.快活林性息 is current to avoid any unnecessary delays.

Diploma Mailing Schedule

Fall Diplomas: late January

Spring Diplomas: mid-June

Summer Diplomas: late August

NOTE: If you owe money to the University, you will not receive your diploma until your account has been cleared.

Diploma Information and Size

Diplomas contain your name, degree name, conferral date, signature of the academic Dean(s), and the officials who are currently in office.

Majors are printed on the diplomas along with earned degree honors when applicable.

Diplomas are printed in the two sizes below:
Undergraduate diplomas are 8 ½ x 11.
Graduate and Professional diplomas are 11 x 14.

Degree Honors

The minimum graduation honors GPA's are announced in October for each academic year. The minimum GPA's represent the top 5 percent, 10 percent, and 15 percent in the five undergraduate schools – Cox, Dedman, Lyle, Meadows, and Simmons. Click HERE for more information about Degree Honors.

Statute of Limitations for Degree Plans

A student who has been readmitted to the University following an absence of more than three years will be expected to meet all current requirements for graduation.

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