Graduation and commencement

Master's, doctoral, and graduate certificate students must complete all program and Graduate School requirements by established deadlines in their final semester to graduate (earn your degree). There are additional actions to complete to participate in the commencement ceremony.

High-level deadlines and dates

Summer 2026

checklists

Graduation deadline
August 18

Fall 2026

checklists

Graduation deadline
November 17

Commencement
December 11

Spring 2027

Deadlines and updated checklists to be posted by October 1, 2026

Need a degree progress check?

Connect with your Graduate School Degree Analyst to verify unfulfilled degree requirements.

Requirements and deadlines checklists

SUMMER 2026

August 18, 2026 - Deadline to complete all requirements to graduate

Masters and doctoral students

Use a printable checklist (pdf) to keep track of your progress. We also recommend you refer to the web-based checklists below to access additional instructions, forms, and surveys.

Graduation requirements

Complete requirements listed below to be a Summer 2026 graduate and to receive your graduate degree.

Submit program of study
Submit your Program of Study to the Graduate School by the time you have complete 9 hours of graduate credit.
Enrollment requirement
Must be enrolled in at least 1 credit hour in the semester you plan to graduate. Enrollment exception If all requirements are completed by May 5, 2026, you will be a Summer 2026 graduate and will not be required to enroll in the Summer semester. If you are on a F-1/J-1 visa, please check with International Student and Scholars Services for enrollment requirements to maintain your non-immigrant status.
Thesis, dissertation, or report writing and preparation
When you begin writing - Review requirements for formatting your ETDR Beginning of Spring semester - Determine with major professor if ETDR should have a delayed publication. If so, follow procedures to embargo ETDR.
KSIS graduation application
Complete the KSIS graduation application and update your degree/diploma mailing address before submitting the Approval to Schedule Final Exam Form. Helpful tips Please be sure to click "accept" at the end of each page before clicking "next" at the top. The "accept" button can seem hidden depending on your screen size (particularly on step 4 of the grad app). You may have to scroll down to see/access it. The Graduation Application will allow you to continue through the app, even if the "accept" button has not been clicked at the bottom of the page. Clicking this "accept" button is crucial to the submission of the application. How to confirm your KSIS graduation application was submitted correctly: Go back into your application for graduation. Under the Academic Plans, look for the "Current App Status/Status." See the FAQs section at the bottom of this page on the Registrar's website.
Complete dissertation defense support survey
Doctoral students only - at least one month before your dissertation defense Complete the Survey of Support for a Successful Dissertation Defense. Your responses to this survey will inform the Graduate School about your readiness for your defense and will guide us in providing you support to eliminate any potential obstacles and facilitate a successful defense.
Submit approval to schedule final examination form
The Approval to Schedule Final Examination form with ALL signatures from the supervisory committee, must be received by the Graduate School at least 10 business days before the scheduled exam. The student submits the form, and then it routes to the committee members for their signature. Therefore, the student needs to submit the form more than 10 business days before the final exam to allow time for the form to route to committee members.
August 18 - Deadline for ballots, surveys, and ETDR
Final exam ballot returned to Graduate School by supervisory committee Complete Graduate School Exit Survey Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates (PhD and EdD only) Update Alumni Association contact information If you are completing a thesis, dissertation or report: ETDR ballot returned to Graduate School by supervisory committee Submit ETDR in KREx and wait for confirmation your ETDR has been submitted and approved Submit ETDR to ProQuest (PhD and EdD students only) Complete ETDR Survey

Commencement ceremony

K-State does not hold commencement ceremonies at the end of the Summer semester. Summer graduates are welcome to participate in a future Fall or Spring commencement ceremony. Information about Fall commencement will be distributed to your KSU email address in the Fall semester.

Regalia
If you do plan to participate in a future commencement ceremony, please be sure to check regalia ordering information and deadlines for the commencement ceremony you plan to attend.

Receiving your diploma and final transcript

Receiving your diploma
Update KSIS degree/diploma mailing address to the address where you would like your diploma to be mailed when completing the KSIS graduation application. Digital diploma is sent electronically after degrees post to student accounts after semester concludes. Diploma is received by mail approximately eight weeks after degrees are posted. Visit the Registrar's Office site for more information about diplomas.

Receiving your diploma

Update KSIS degree/diploma mailing address to the address where you would like your diploma to be mailed when completing the KSIS graduation application.
Digital diploma is sent electronically after degrees post to student accounts after semester concludes.
Diploma is received by mail approximately eight weeks after degrees are posted.

Visit the Registrar's Office site for more information about diplomas.

Ordering final transcript with Spring grades
Prior to August 18 - Check KSIS Student Center for holds; most holds must be cleared to order a transcript August 18 - Final grade posting finishes for Summer 2026 August 19 - Check KSIS Student Center to verify that Summer grades have posted, then order transcripts through “Other Academics” tile in KSIS. September 25 - Deadline to order transcripts at no charge for students graduating in Summer 2026 or who will not be enrolled in Fall 2026

Ordering final transcript with Spring grades

Prior to August 18 - Check KSIS Student Center for holds; most holds must be cleared to order a transcript
August 18 - Final grade posting finishes for Summer 2026
August 19 - Check KSIS Student Center to verify that Summer grades have posted, then order transcripts through “Other Academics” tile in KSIS.
September 25 - Deadline to order transcripts at no charge for students graduating in Summer 2026 or who will not be enrolled in Fall 2026

Certificate students

Receiving your graduate certificate

First step: Admission to the certificate program

To receive a graduate certificate, you must first complete the application for admission and be admitted to the graduate certificate program.

After admission and completion of certificate requirements

In order to ensure prompt posting and digital distribution of graduate certificates, the following actions must be completed in the order listed.

Complete the KSIS graduation application in the semester that you are completing requirements for the graduate certificate.

Helpful tips
- Please be sure to click "accept" at the end of each page before clicking "next" at the top.
- The "accept" button can seem hidden depending on your screen size (particularly on step 4 of the grad app). You may have to scroll down to see/access it.
- The Graduation Application will allow you to continue through the app, even if the "accept" button has not been clicked at the bottom of the page. Clicking this "accept" button is crucial to the submission of the application.
How to confirm your KSIS graduation application was submitted correctly:
Go back into your application for graduation. Under the Academic Plans, look for the "Current App Status/Status." See the FAQs section at the bottom of this page on the Registrar's website.
Submit the electronic graduate certificate completion form. To be submitted by the student completing the certificate program (or staff proxy) on or before August 18, 2026.

FALL 2026

November 17 - Deadline to complete all requirements to graduate
December 11 - Commencement ceremony

Masters and doctoral students

Use a printable checklist (pdf) to keep track of your progress. We also recommend you refer to the web-based checklists below to access additional instructions, forms, and surveys.

Graduation requirements

Complete requirements listed below to be a Fall 2026 graduate and to receive your graduate degree. It is the student’s responsibility to complete these requirements unless otherwise stated.

Submit program of study
Submit your Program of Study to the Graduate School by the time you have complete 9 hours of graduate credit.
Enrollment requirement
Must be enrolled in at least 1 credit hour in the semester you plan to graduate. If you are on a F-1/J-1 visa, please check with International Student and Scholars Services for enrollment requirements to maintain your non-immigrant status.
Thesis, dissertation, or report submission
When you begin writing - Review requirements for formatting your ETDR Beginning of Fall semester - Determine with major professor if ETDR should have a delayed publication. If so, follow procedures to embargo ETDR.
KSIS graduation application
Complete the KSIS graduation application and update your degree/diploma mailing address before submitting the Approval to Schedule Final Exam Form and by October 1 to have your name in the spring commencement program. Helpful tips Please be sure to click "accept" at the end of each page before clicking "next" at the top. The "accept" button can seem hidden depending on your screen size (particularly on step 4 of the grad app). You may have to scroll down to see/access it. The Graduation Application will allow you to continue through the app, even if the "accept" button has not been clicked at the bottom of the page. Clicking this "accept" button is crucial to the submission of the application. How to confirm your KSIS graduation application was submitted correctly: Go back into your application for graduation. Under the Academic Plans, look for the "Current App Status/Status." See the FAQs section at the bottom of this page on the Registrar's website.
Survey of Support for a Successful Dissertation Defense
Doctoral students only - at least one month before your dissertation defense Complete the Survey of Support for a Successful Dissertation Defense. Your responses to this survey will inform the Graduate School about your readiness for your defense and will guide us in providing you support to eliminate any potential obstacles and facilitate a successful defense.
Approval to schedule final examination form
The Approval to Schedule Final Examination form with ALL signatures from the supervisory committee, must be received by the Graduate School at least 10 business days before the scheduled exam. The student submits the form, and then it routes to the committee members for their signature. Therefore, the student needs to submit the form more than 10 business days before the final exam to allow time for the form to route to committee members.
November 17 - Deadline for ballots, surveys, and ETDR
Final exam ballot returned to Graduate School by supervisory committee Complete Graduate School Exit Survey Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates (PhD and EdD only) Update Alumni Association contact information If you are completing a thesis, dissertation or report: ETDR ballot returned to Graduate School by supervisory committee Submit ETDR in KREx and wait for confirmation your ETDR has been submitted and approved Submit ETDR to ProQuest (PhD and EdD students only) Complete ETDR Survey

Graduate in Spring without having to enroll in the Spring semester

If you miss the deadlines to graduate in the Fall but you complete all degree requirements by December 4, 2026, you will graduate in Spring 2027 without having to enroll in Spring 2027.

Note: If you are on a F-1/J-1 visa, please check with International Student and Scholars Services for possible enrollment requirements to maintain your non-immigrant status.

Commencement ceremony

Complete requirements listed below to participate in the Fall 2026 commencement ceremony. If you are unable to participate in the ceremony, you may participate in a future ceremony.

Name in commencement program
Complete KSIS graduation application by October 1 for your name to appear in the commencement program. If you miss this deadline but fulfill other requirements, you can still participate in commencement.
PhD, EdD, and Master of Fine Art graduates ONLY
PhD, EdD, and Master of Fine Art graduates must complete all graduation requirements by November 17 to participate in commencement.
Order regalia
Order regalia through K-State Campus Store. All regalia must be purchased. There is not an option to rent.
Prepare for commencement - December 11
Graduate School commencement will be held December 11, 2026 at Bramlage Coliseum. Visit K-State’s Commencement Ceremonies website for information to help you prepare for the ceremony.

Receiving your diploma and final transcript

Receiving your diploma
Update KSIS degree/diploma mailing address to the address where you would like your diploma to be mailed when completing the KSIS graduation application. Digital diploma is sent electronically after degrees post to student accounts after semester concludes. Diploma is received by mail approximately eight weeks after degrees are posted. Visit the Registrar's Office site for more information about diplomas.

Receiving your diploma

Update KSIS degree/diploma mailing address to the address where you would like your diploma to be mailed when completing the KSIS graduation application.
Digital diploma is sent electronically after degrees post to student accounts after semester concludes.
Diploma is received by mail approximately eight weeks after degrees are posted.

Visit the Registrar's Office site for more information about diplomas.

Ordering final transcript with Spring grades
Prior to December 22 - Check KSIS Student Center for holds; most holds must be cleared to order a transcript December 22 - Final grade posting finishes for Fall 2026 December 23 - Check KSIS Student Center to verify that Fall grades have posted, then order transcripts through “Other Academics” tile in KSIS. January 29 - Deadline to order transcripts at no charge for students graduating in Fall 2026 or who will not be enrolled in Spring 2027

Ordering final transcript with Spring grades

Prior to December 22 - Check KSIS Student Center for holds; most holds must be cleared to order a transcript
December 22 - Final grade posting finishes for Fall 2026
December 23 - Check KSIS Student Center to verify that Fall grades have posted, then order transcripts through “Other Academics” tile in KSIS.
January 29 - Deadline to order transcripts at no charge for students graduating in Fall 2026 or who will not be enrolled in Spring 2027

Certificate students

Receiving your graduate certificate

Step 1: Admission to the certificate program

To receive a graduate certificate, you must first complete the application for admission and be admitted to the graduate certificate program.

Step 2: Complete program curriculum and requirements

Work with the certificate program director to make a plan for courses to complete each semester and to ensure you understand expectations of the program.

Step 3: File completion forms in your final semester

Complete the following in the order listed to ensure prompt posting and digital distribution of your graduate certificate.

Complete the KSIS graduation application in the semester that you are completing requirements for the graduate certificate.

Helpful tips
- Please be sure to click "accept" at the end of each page before clicking "next" at the top.
- The "accept" button can seem hidden depending on your screen size (particularly on step 4 of the grad app). You may have to scroll down to see/access it.
- The Graduation Application will allow you to continue through the app, even if the "accept" button has not been clicked at the bottom of the page. Clicking this "accept" button is crucial to the submission of the application.
How to confirm your KSIS graduation application was submitted correctly
Go back into your application for graduation. Under the Academic Plans, look for the "Current App Status/Status." See the FAQs section at the bottom of this page on the Registrar's website.
Submit the electronic graduate certificate completion form. To be submitted by the student completing the certificate program (or staff proxy) on or before November 17, 2026.

SPRING 2027

Deadlines to complete all requirements to graduate will be available by October 1, 2026
May 14 - Commencement ceremony