Intent to Graduate/Complete

The "Intent to Graduate/Complete" application triggers the degree or program completion processes, which includes degree and program completion audits. All students who intend to complete their program or degree must file an Intent to Graduate/Complete by the deadline. An “Intent to Graduate/Complete” application, found in CUConnect, must be submitted electronically to the Office of the Registrar no later than the posted deadline. Deadlines for filing the Intent:  

• Summer graduation/completion:  June 1
• Fall graduation/completion:          October 1
• Spring graduation/completion:     March 1

Students who miss the deadline to file an intent have a right to file an appeal to be recognized for candidacy. The policy and process are found in CUConnect. All appeals are carefully reviewed and researched before a decision is made. Please note there is no guarantee that an appeal will be granted. Students will be notified of the decision via their CUC email by the Office of the Registrar within 5 business days of the appeal deadline. All decisions are final. 

Commencement Ceremony Attendance 

Students who have a hold on their account will not be allowed to participate in the Commencement Ceremony. If the student who planned to participate in the Commencement Ceremony has had extraordinary expenses that have not allowed them to meet their financial responsibility to CUC, they can submit an appeal to the Office of Student Business Services at least two weeks before the Commencement Ceremony. If the appeal is approved, the student has to complete a payment plan agreement with the Office of Student Business Services to participate in the Commencement Ceremony.

Commencement Participation Appeal

Master’s/EdS: Due to extenuating circumstances which would prohibit participation in a Master’s/EdS student’s scheduled commencement ceremony, a Master’s/EdS student may appeal the timeline of his/her participation in the commencement ceremony. An Intent to Graduate/Complete Application (available in Concordia Connect) and a written appeal must be submitted to Commencement@cuchicago.edu by the respective deadlines. All extenuating circumstances must be documented with appropriate paperwork (i.e. medical documentation, enrollment, visa paperwork, etc.). 

Please note there is no guarantee that an appeal will be granted. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not equate to degree completion.  A student will not receive their degree until all outstanding academic requirements are complete and audited. A student may only participate in one commencement ceremony per degree program. 

Doctoral: Doctoral students must participate in the scheduled commencement ceremony per the academic calendar. DBA students may appeal to participate early in a commencement ceremony if the student has successfully defended his/her dissertation by the published deadline, and has 6 credits or less to complete his/her degree, for which they have registered in the semester immediately following the anticipated commencement ceremony, and have written approval from his/her dissertation committee chair. An Intent to Graduate/Complete Application (available in Concordia Connect) and a written appeal must be submitted to Commencement@cuchicago.edu by the respective deadlines.  

Please note there is no guarantee that an appeal will be granted. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not equate to degree completion. A student will not receive their degree until all outstanding academic requirements are complete and audited. A student may only participate in one commencement ceremony per degree program. 

Conferring Degrees and Awarding Diplomas

Degrees are conferred and diplomas are awarded at the end of the Summer, Fall and Spring semesters. Formal commencement exercises take place at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters (please refer to the Academic Calendar for the respective commencement ceremony date). Students graduating in the summer are invited to participate in the next designated commencement ceremony (please refer to the Academic Calendar for the respective commencement ceremony date). Diplomas are mailed to the student after the official graduation audit period barring any outstanding administrative obligations to Concordia-Chicago.