Commencement Eligibility

The first step to graduation is submitting a degree application to the Registrar's Office. Once your degree application has been processed and you are “pending to graduate”, you will be eligible to make a commencement reservation. 

Undergraduates earning a bachelor’s degree: follow instructions above.

Graduate students earning a master’s or doctoral degree: Be sure that your master’s degree application or doctoral degree application e-sign form is submitted and approved. Be sure to check this website for specific deadlines: Degree Completion | Graduate School | Western Washington University (wwu.edu)

A degree evaluation has been completed and you are pending for graduation (you can check your graduation status at the bottom of your academic history on Web4U or on your Degree Works page).

WWU celebrates its graduates with Commencement ceremonies twice per year: at the end of the Spring (June) and Fall (December) quarters. If you are pending for graduation at the end of Spring or Fall quarters, you will attend the Commencement ceremony at the end of the quarter for which you are pending graduation. If you are pending for graduation at the end of Winter (March), you will be eligible to attend the June ceremony. Summer (August) quarter graduates will have the option to participate in either the June ceremony before August graduation or the December ceremony after August graduation (see step #3).

You must be earning a major toward a degree to attend commencement.

Making a commencement reservation is required if you plan to attend the event. There is no charge to make a reservation. Eligible students will receive instructions for making a reservation via student emails.

The commencement reservation webform link will be made available via email announcement for students who have successfully completed steps #1 and #2. The form is initially opened in mid-October for December Commencement and early March for June Commencement. Students who become newly eligible after the first round of invitations will receive invitations the week after completion of step #2. The reservation platform is updated in batches and does not instantly reflect daily updates.

IMPORTANT: Students attending the event must wear graduation regalia appropriate to their degree.

Double degrees and double majors

Students earning double degrees can choose which college they walk with for commencement.

Students earning double majors in different colleges can choose which college they walk with for commencement. 

No diplomas are handed out at commencement

Diplomas are mailed 6 - 8 weeks after the commencement event. Students can check and update their diploma address by viewing it in Web4U - Personal Information - Addresses and Phones. Visit our Diploma page for more information.