Degrees & Diplomas

DEGREE & DIPLOMA FINALIZATIONS

Degrees are awarded four times a year, once at the end of each academic term. Transcripts and diplomas reflect a degree awarded only on one of these dates. Degree finalization is the process of verifying all of a student's degree requirements have been completed, posting the degree to the student's transcript, and ordering a diploma. This process is only initiated after a student completes the online request starting with the link below.

Students must submit a Diploma and Degree Finalization Request and pay the degree finalization fee, regardless of whether they want to participate in a commencement ceremony. Students may register for their regional commencement ceremony as part of the online degree finalization request, since registration for the ceremony is open only to students who are finishing their program. (See commencement section below for a link to information about the ceremony). Your student account will be charged the corresponding degree finalization fee ($50 or $35 for re-application). This fee will appear on your account after your request has been processed. You can pay your account balance online through your portal at my.nl.edu, by mailing a check, or at any campus; a payment is always applied to the oldest charge on your account.

Diploma and Degree Finalization Requests must be received by the Office of Admissions & Records by a certain deadline before each degree award date. The deadlines are as follows:

Diploma Date	Application Deadline	Approximate Diploma Mail Date
June 30, 2008	February 15, 2008	week of August 18, 2008
August 31, 2008	April 20/July 11*, 2008	week of October 20, 2008
December 31, 2008	October 10, 2008	week of February 23, 2009
March 31, 2009	January 23, 2009	week of May 25, 2009

Field program students should apply for the diploma date that falls directly after the official end date of their classes.

Students who find they will not complete their requirements by the date for which they have applied may submit another Degree and Diploma Finalization Request online to request a change in their degree award date. If the request for a change in date is made after the original diploma date has passed, your student account will be charged a $35 reprocessing fee.

Diplomas are mailed to students approximately 8 weeks after the official diploma date. Diploma and Transcripts will not be issued unless all financial obligations have been met.

Diploma & Degree Finalization Form
Completion Statements
Commencement Information
Diploma Replacements for Alumni

(Select from the options above to advance to a specific section on the page below.)

Diploma & Degree Finalization Form

To apply for diploma and degree finalization and register for commencement, complete the online diploma and degree finalization and commencement registration form.

Degree and Diploma Finalization & Commencement Ceremony Registration Form ONLINE

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Completion Statements

If students need proof they have completed their degree requirements in between diploma dates, they can obtain a completion statement on their transcripts. Completion statements are not done automatically.

The completion statement appears like this on the transcript:

All requirements for the [Master of Education] degree have been completed as of [7/20/08]. The degree will be awarded [8/31/08].

To request a completion statement, students should submit a transcript request and indicate on the request that they would like a completion statement added. (For more information about ordering transcripts, transcript fees, or for the "Transcript Request" form, click here.)

Students must apply for degree finalization before requesting a completion statement. Processing time is usually 5-7 working days if all grades and academic requirements have been met, and completion statements will not be processed during the two weeks prior to a diploma date.

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Commencement Information

The commencement ceremony is held annually after the spring term. Those students who expect to complete degrees by either the December 2007, March 2008, June 2008, or August 2008 diploma dates are eligible to participate in the Spring 2008 commencement ceremony.

Only those who submit a Commencement Ceremony registration form will be permitted to participate. Commencement registration is available as part of the online degree and diploma finalization request process. If you have already submitted a paper request for your degree to be finalized, your commencement office will contact you with registration materials. Additional information can be found at www.nl.edu/commencement.

*AUGUST GRADUATES: If you are graduating August 31, 2008 and would like to participate in commencement, your degree and diploma finalization request must be submitted by April 20, 2008. This application is required by the university in order for you to be eligible to walk in the ceremony. If you are planning to graduate August 31 and are not planning to attend the commencement ceremony, your degree and diploma finalization request should be submitted by July 11.

PLEASE NOTE:
PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU HAVE A DEGREE FROM NATIONAL-LOUIS UNIVERSITY. YOU MUST APPLY FOR DEGREE FINALIZATION AND COMPLETE THE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS TO BE AWARDED A DEGREE.

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Diploma Replacements for Alumni

Only one diploma will be issued to each student per degree, but replacement diplomas may be issued if the original was lost, destroyed, or if the student has had a legal name change that he/she desires to have reflected on the diploma. Replacement diplomas require a $35 reprinting fee, and original diplomas must be returned when possible before the new diploma will be released.

Alumni Diploma Replacement Form

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Still have questions?
Email us at registrar@nl.edu or call us at 847.947.5718.