What makes me eligible to graduate?

Students expected to graduate must submit an Application for Graduation online the semester preceding anticipated graduation. The Office of the University Registrar will conduct a formal degree audit wherein your record will be audited for the following requirements established in part by your department or school:

• Minimum GPA
• Completion of your degree plan and all courses/electives
• Resolution of any missing grades, outstanding failures (F) or incomplete grades (I)
• Completion of and/or passing grades on prescribed board examinations

Not all students’ programs include all the requirements noted above. Students should contact their departments for more information.

Instructions for Submitting the Graduation Application Online

How do I get my transcripts and diploma?

The Office of the University Registrar is committed to providing quality customer service and timely processing of graduation information. Please review the information below to find out how to order degree dated transcripts and when your diploma will be available.

• Degree dated transcripts can be ordered through the National Student Clearinghouse. Requests can be submitted online at https://tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/ficecode/00365900. Please make sure you select “After Degree is Awarded”; otherwise, your transcript will be processed prior to the degree being awarded and a new order will be required.  Orders will be processed no later than three business days after your degree conferral date which can be found on the academic calendars: https://students.uthscsa.edu/registrar/academic-calendars-2/
• Hard copy diplomas will be mailed 15-20 business days after degree conferral.
• Students with a degree conferral date of Saturday, May 17, will receive their digital diploma by 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 18. Students with an earlier or later conferral date will receive their digital diploma by the next business day after degree conferral.

You will receive an email from our diploma provider, Parchment, with the information for accessing your diploma. Please claim your diploma as soon as possible and verify your mailing address. Once we issue your digital diploma, you have 72 hours to verify your mailing address. If you don’t claim your digital diploma within 72 hours of issuance, your printed diploma will be mailed to the permanent address on your student record.

PLEASE check your spam/junk mail for your digital diploma once your degree has been conferred. The Office of the University Registrar will send you a separate email notifying you once the degree has been conferred.

 

*Please note, it is very important that you check your permanent address in My Student Center, and update it if needed. Your diploma will be mailed to this address. Diplomas are not mailed to international addresses. Updates must be made by Friday, May 9.  The diploma will be held if there is a financial hold on the student’s record.

 

What else do I need to do?

• Complete the Application for Graduation in My Student Center.
• Verify procedures and policies for the publication of your name on your diploma.
• Check your holds by logging into My Student Center.
• Be certain all graduation fee(s) have been paid in full with the Bursar’s Office.
• Check your campus email regularly for announcements from your school and other key offices on campus.
• After graduation, you have 3 years to migrate your emails; consider transferring your data to your personal email account or onto your personal device.
  • Important Information to Understand About Your Email:
    • How can I use my LiveMail account after graduation?
      The primary use of your LiveMail account after graduation is to allow communications between you and the University for alumni and awareness activities. You should not use your account post-graduation for any activity unrelated to the University in order to avoid misrepresenting yourself as still actively associated with the University. Inappropriate use of your account is a violation of State law and may result in immediate termination of the account or possibly harsher penalties. For more information regarding acceptable use, see HOP 5.8.10, Information Resources Acceptable Use and Security Policy.
    • Will my new @livemail.uthscsa.edu account continue to work after I graduate from the University?
      Due to resource constraints, your LiveMail account will remain active for three (3) years after you graduate or after your last date of attendance if you left the University in good standing. A student’s email account will be inactivated effective the date of dismissal if a student has been dismissed from UT Health San Antonio for academic or disciplinary reasons. After you graduate, the standard Windows Live advertising will appear in the interface for your email, calendar, etc. If you do not log in for 180 days, any mail messages stored on the Microsoft Live@edu server will be deleted. The account itself will remain in service. If you log in after the 180 day lapse, you can resume using LiveMail services, but all of your old messages will be gone.
  • Consider including an “Away” message on your email alerting senders to contact you at a new email address. You may want to include a statement such as:
    • Thank you for your message.  I graduated from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on (date).  Please send any future correspondence to my new email address: Example@gmail.com
  • Please note that any files you have stored on your OneDrive should be saved to a personal drive. Office 365 which includes OneDrive is deactivated approximately 15 days after graduation.

 

Do I need to clear all my holds?

Not all holds adversely impact your ability to obtain your diploma. The table below explains the impacts various holds have, and the offices responsible for releasing those holds.

Hold for:	Restricts Release of Diploma?	Responsible Office	Contact Number
Immunizations	No	Wellness 360	(210) 567-WELL (9355)
Student Health Insurance Declaration	No	Office of Student Life	(210) 567-2654
Transcripts	Yes	Office of the University Registrar	(210) 567-2621
Coursework	Yes	Office of the University Registrar	(210) 567-2621
Missing, Failing or Incomplete Grades	Yes	Office of the University Registrar	(210) 567-2621
Exit Interview	Yes	Office of Financial Aid	(210) 567-2635
UTHSCSA Badge & Parking Permit	Yes	UTHSCSA Police	(210) 567-2800

Other Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Do I have to attend my school’s Commencement rehearsal?

A: Provided your school elects to hold a rehearsal, attendance is strongly encouraged in order to get acclimated with the order of events, procession, and seating. Your school will contact you by email with more details.

Q: Do I have to turn in my parking permit and UTHSCSA ID badge?

A: Yes. The UTHSCSA Police Department requires these items for the security of campus grounds and facilities, and to control parking congestion. Related correspondence regarding this and related holds will be sent to your UTHSCSA LiveMail account.

Q: Do I have to turn in my UTHSCSA ID badge even if I am staying as a student in another UTHSCSA program?

A: Yes. In many cases you will receive an updated badge identifying your new department or status. Check in with the UTHSCSA Police Department for more information. (210) 567-2800.

Q: If I am receiving more than one degree, will I have to pay multiple fees?

A: Yes; the fee is assessed per certificate and/or degree awarded received within one term.

Q: If I don’t qualify to graduate, will I have to pay the graduation fee(s) again?

A: Yes; it/they must be paid again. The fees do not carry forward.

Q: How do I find Commencement ceremony information?

A: Student Life organizes Commencement each year and will send information directly to graduating students to prepare for the Commencement ceremony. Commencement ceremony information is listed in the Commencement Event section of the Student Life website.

Q: I looked at my academic calendar and it reads “degree conferral.” What does that mean?

A: Degree conferral represents the day on which your degree is officially conferred by the University. This date appears on your diploma and represents the day of which you officially graduated.