On this page, you’ll find everything you need to know about how to graduate from Catholic International University and receive your diploma or certificate. If you have any questions about this information, please reach out to the Office of the Registrar at registrar@catholiciu.edu.
Degrees are conferred three times a year at the end of each semester: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Students completing their final degree requirements in any Fall term (Fall I 8-week, Fall I 12-week, or Fall II) will have their degree conferred in January after the Christmas break.
Students completing their final degree requirements in any Spring term (Spring I 8-week, Spring I 12-week, Spring II) will have their degree conferred in May.
Students completing their final requirements in Summer will have their degree conferred in August.
Application
To be eligible for graduation, you must complete the Graduation Application Form. Students are encouraged to fill this form out during the semester before they wish to graduate. The deadline for submission is four weeks before the last day of the semester in which they wish to graduate, the last day being defined as the date when all coursework and exams must be completed for the last term of the semester (Fall II for Fall, Spring II for Spring, and Summer for Summer). This date is posted on the university calendar.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all their degree requirements are satisfied prior to graduation. This includes all course group requirements listed in their degree audit in Populi, as well as the comprehensive exam in the case of MA students. Please reach out to your academic advisor and work with them to confirm that you are on track to complete all of your outstanding requirements by the end of the semester. If you still have questions after contacting your advisor, the registrar’s office is happy to assist you.
To be eligible for degree conferral and not have a hold placed on your account that would prevent the timely processing of your diploma or certificate, students must also ensure that their account balance is paid in full by the last day of the semester, as defined above. If you have questions about your student account, reach out to studentaccounts@catholiciu.edu.
Students who have received federal financial aid or loans through Catholic International must also complete the financial aid exit counseling sent to them from our financial aid office by the last day of the semester, as defined above. If you have questions about your financial aid exit counseling, reach out to financialaid@catholiciu.edu.
All graduating students are asked to complete the Graduating Student Exit Survey to reflect on their experience with us in the last week of their final course. Taking the survey is required for graduation processing; however, none of the questions is required, so a student is free to provide only what feedback they choose. We are grateful for your feedback and strive to use it to improve our academic programs!
Here’s how your degree or certificate is conferred once you’ve met the requirements above, and when you can expect it.
When grades are posted for the final term of the semester, the registrar will perform a final check of the requirements for all graduation candidates. If you haven’t ended up completing all of your requirements (for example, you failed your last class), the registrar will defer you to the next semester’s graduation timeline, and continue to monitor your progress.
The official date of degree conferral is the day that final grades are posted for the last term of the semester, as posted in the university calendar. Your diploma will show this date as the date on which you were awarded your degree/certificate.
Degrees conferrals are actually processed in Populi within two weeks of the official date of conferral, and are backdated to the official date. When your degree conferral is processed, you will receive an official email from the registrar’s office to your university email account confirming the completion of your degree.
Within one week of this confirmation email, you will receive a certified electronic copy of your diploma or certificate, via our diploma servicer, Parchment.
Within 2 weeks of receiving the electronic diploma, you will receive a print copy of your diploma or certificate to the address you specified in the Graduation Application Form. (Please allow extra time for international mail.)
If your degree is conferred at any point in this academic year, you’ll be eligible to attend the in-person baccalaureate mass and graduation ceremony held in June. This includes both Fall and Spring semester graduates, and candidates who are enrolled in their final one or two required courses during the summer and are expected to graduate as of the conclusion of the Summer semester.
Please note that the Academic Senate must approve all graduation candidates. Therefore, if you’re planning to finish in the Summer term and would like to “walk” at the graduation ceremony in June instead of waiting until next year, be sure that you are registered for your final courses by March 31, as the Senate will approve only those candidates who are actually registered for their final requirements.
The baccalaureate mass and reception is held by Catholic International University in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area. Formal invitations confirming the exact date and location of the event will be sent in the spring. Please direct questions related to the logistics of the graduation ceremony (regalia, travel arrangements, etc.) to the Director of Student Life at studentlife@catholiciu.edu.
