Commencement & Graduation
Commencement is the celebratory event that recognizes your achievements. Participation in commencement does not require the completion of your degree requirements. You are not required to participate in Commencement. Graduation refers to the formal completion of your degree requirements. To officially graduate, you must apply with the university. Participating in Commencement does not mean you will officially graduate without applying.
Applying to Graduate
When you apply to graduate, you must inform Penn that you expect your diploma to be conferred for a given semester (e.g. the spring, summer, or fall semester). Please check the GSE Academic Calendar for important deadlines regarding graduation applications.
GSE Students
- GSE Students must complete the 2-step application process:
- Apply to graduate on Path@Penn
- RSVP to attend GSE Commencement by using the registration link sent to your Penn email from Marching Order. You will receive an invitation to register for commencement in the Spring semester.
Diplomas
Diplomas will be mailed approximately 8-10 weeks following the official degree conferral date (i.e., the date appearing on your diploma). Your diploma will be mailed once your degree has been posted by your school and if you are in good financial standing. You can confirm that your degree has been posted by logging into Penn InTouch. If your degree has not been posted, you should contact your school.
Diplomas will only be mailed to the permanent address or diploma address listed in Penn in Touch -> Profile, Privacy, and Emergency Information -> Address Information. The local address will not be used. If you are requesting that your diploma be mailed to your diploma address, please note the following dates.
- For May diplomas, the diploma address should be valid from June 7 to September 30. Please update by June 7.
- For August diplomas, the diploma address should be valid from September 1 to November 30. Please update by September 1.
- For December diplomas, the diploma address should be valid from January 15 to March 31. Please update by January 15.
Failure to update the diploma address prior to the dates listed above will result in the diploma being mailed to the permanent address. Once filled in, the diploma address will be used instead of the permanent address. No further action required.
Graduation FAQs
Why do I need to apply to graduate?
Students must apply to graduate to be eligible for the conferral of their degree and issuance of their diploma. Your degree will not be conferred if you don’t apply to graduate by the deadline in the GSE academic calendar.
What about my diploma?
Diplomas will be mailed approximately 8-10 weeks following the official degree conferral date (i.e., the date appearing on your diploma). Your diploma will be mailed once your degree has been posted by your school and if you are in good financial standing. You can confirm that your degree has been posted by logging into Penn InTouch. If your degree has not been posted, you should contact your school.
Diplomas will only be mailed to the permanent address or diploma address listed in PennInTouch -> Profile, Privacy, and Emergency Information -> Address Information. The local address will not be used. If you are requesting that your diploma be mailed to your diploma address, please note the following dates.
- For May diplomas, the diploma address should begin no later than June 7 and end no earlier than September 30. The diploma address must be updated no later than June 7.
- For August diplomas, the diploma address should begin no later than September 1 and end no earlier than November 30. The diploma address must be updated no later than September 1.
- For December diplomas, the diploma address should begin no later than January 15 and end no earlier than March 31. The diploma address must be updated no later than January 15.
Failure to update the diploma address prior to the dates listed above will result in the diploma being mailed to the permanent address. Once filled in, the diploma address will be used instead of the permanent address. No further action required.
What happens to my GSE email account?
Your Penn email account remains available for two months after graduation. You will receive a notification in advance of the account being deleted.
As a Penn alum, you are also eligible for an Alumni Gmail account with an address of @alumni.upenn.edu. Sign up for an Alumni account here.
If your question is not answered here, please email gse-contactsa@gse.upenn.edu or call 215-898-6456 for questions regarding the Penn GSE ceremony. For questions regarding the Penn ceremony, please contact the Commencement Coordinator at either (215)898-7005 or seccoor@exchange.upenn.edu
Email and PennCard After Graduation
Please note that your email account will expire two months after your graduation date. Any other internal GSE IT resources and access, as well as Penn Card access, will expire immediately following your graduation.
