Your Questions Answered
Consult the Submission Dates table to determine when we will begin accepting applications for your intended term of graduation. If you are not a matriculated student please contact the Advising Center to review your degree progress.
|
Graduation Term |
Priority Application Period Opens |
Priority Application Period Closes |
|---|---|---|
|
Summer |
Every February 1 |
First Friday in March |
|
Fall |
Every March 1 |
First Friday in April |
|
Spring |
Every September 1 |
Third Friday in October |
Charges are posted after you submit your online intent. If the charge does not appear, please contact the Bursar’s Office.
You can submit your application until the end of the term for which you are applying. However, we encourage you to apply during the priority period to avoid the $5 late fee and so we can provide ongoing, timely feedback about your degree completion. In addition, to attend the yearly commencement, your application needs to be submitted by April 1 of the commencement year.
Once you apply to graduate, you cannot enroll in classes after your expected graduation term. If you want to continue to take classes after your degree is awarded, you will need to apply for readmission to the University as a graduate or post-baccalaureate student (see Graduate Admissions for more information) or take classes through Open University offered by the College Extended Learning.
Any major or minor program plan listed on the Degree Progress Report (DPR) at the time of applying to graduate will be the basis for the DPR graduation review and must have their program requirements met by the end of the expected graduation term.
Note: baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate degrees can only be pursued concurrently by students in the SF State Scholars Program.
Degree plan change note >>
If you have unfulfilled DPR requirements, or ANY unresolved grades (RDs), you will receive an email notifying you to review your DPR before your final Graduation Term. If the issue remains unresolved, or your application is not moved or withdrawn, additional notices will be emailed.
At the end of finals, emails notify students of graduation review timeframes, and final decision emails will be sent. Please always check your SF State Student Email for emails from our office or your assigned graduation evaluator.
We will conduct a final review of your academic record after grades are available for your intended semester of graduation. It’s important to consult with your advisor before dropping or withdrawing from any classes in your final term as this may impact your graduation readiness. It’s also a good idea to consult your advisor if you are concerned about passing or meeting the minimum grade required in your classes.
Once grades have posted for your final term, we conduct a final review to ensure all degree requirements have been met.
Resolve unmet requirements and outstanding grades by the end of your expected graduation term (no later than two weeks after the date of graduation). Use your Degree Progress Report to identify items listed in the table below (red box).
| Issue | Explanation | Solution |
|---|---|---|
|
Resolve the listed issues by the Grades Processed (End of Term) date. Applications with standing Incomplete (I) grades, Report Delayed (RD) grades, and In Progress classes and Transfer Work in Progress will not pass a graduation review. | Please work with your professor/department chair to clear up all Incomplete (I) and Report Delayed (RD) grades. And make sure to submit transcripts for transfer work as soon as they are available. |
Because grade changes are not permitted after the award of your degree, it is very important to review your transcripts.
If you are planning to study abroad during your senior year, it’s important to prepare your graduation plan before you leave. The translation of study abroad coursework is complex, and processing time can vary by the host institution. In some cases, it can take up to two semesters for coursework to be translated.
Spring and Summer degree candidates are still eligible to attend the May commencement ceremony despite the anticipated delay in transcript processing.
|
Spring |
Last Friday of June |
|
Summer |
Last Friday of September |
|
Fall |
Last Friday of January |
Admissions Mailing Info >>
Send by Mail:
Attn: Undergraduate Admissions
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94132
Send Electronically:
If the transfer institution offers electronic transcripts, please follow their online instructions.
If you won't meet graduation requirements by the end of your expected graduaton term, or if you find that you need to postpone your graduation then it is important to keep us posted, once you apply to graduate, we won't assign a registration appointment for terms following your intended graduation. If your plans change, email us at regweb@sfsu.edu.
You will be notified via email from Parchment once your digital diploma is available. Once you have received that email, you are able view your digital diploma online at any time with permanent access and download your digital diploma and save it as a PDF.
Diplomas are ordered after an application goes through final processing. This final processing happens after official semester grades are released. Visit the semester Dates & Deadlines for exact dates.
Orders are placed weekly on Fridays, excluding holidays. It takes 2 to 4 weeks for printed diplomas to arrive; this does not include the 7 to 10 business days needed to process earned degrees or form requests.
If a diploma shipment is outside of the described receive time, review the below issues and solutions.
Diploma covers are currently unavailable for pick up or delivery; they will be available during next year's May Commencement.
Requests are made with the Duplicate or Replacement Diploma Request Form. The form must be signed and mailed in with payment (check or money order) to the Registrar's Office, instructions and prices are listed on the form. Orders are placed weekly on Fridays, excluding holidays. It takes 2 to 4 weeks for printed diplomas to arrive; this does not include the 7 to 10 business days needed to process form requests.
Fee Breakdown >>
| Delivery Method | Unit Price | Est. Delivery Time |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Standard | $31.00 | 1 Month |
| Domestic Express | $65.00 | 3 weeks |
| International Standard | $40.00 | 1 Month |
| International Express | $125.00 | 3 weeks |
| *Each order includes an eDiploma and an email to claim the eDiploma will be received 1 to 2 business days after the order is placed with Parchment. | ||
Financial holds will prevent diplomas from being ordered and mailed. Once all financial holds are cleared email records@sfsu.edu.
Fee Lookup Instruction >>
The Registrar's Office only processes Undergraduate Graduation Applications and Baccalaureate Degrees. For more information on a Master's degree or Graduate Degree applications please visit the Graduate Studies site here.
Your diploma will reflect your major as well as your area(s) of concentration. Your diploma will not reflect any emphasis you have chosen.
Diplomas reflect university honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) for undergraduate degrees. They do not reflect departmental honors and university honors are not granted to graduate degrees.
University honors breakdown >>
SF State has a yearly commencement that is held in late May. For more information please go to SF State's Commencement site.
Since we are unable to use your DPR to verify your major or minor is complete, please take one or both of these forms (as appropriate) to your departmental advisor to fill out on your behalf. Once the form is filled out and approved by the advisor, the advisor must send it to your graduation evaluator by emailing directly from the advisor’s official SF State employee’s email account to regweb@sfsu.edu.
The directions are at the bottom of each form.
