Graduation & Diplomas

Degree Application:

Students who wish to obtain a degree must formally apply.  The degree application is available through your "My Program" on my.Harvard.edu. PhD students must also provide a completion code for the GSAS Exit Survey within the application.  Detailed instructions on how to apply can be found in the Knowledge Center.

In unusual circumstances late applications may be accepted for the one week past the deadline only; a late fee of $50 will be applied to the student term bill.

If a student applies but does not receive the degree, a new application must to be submitted for a future degree conferral date.

In order for the degree to be granted, the Department must register an official Recommendation in the Degree Tracker. Recommendations are due on the dissertation deadline of the particular degree. Instructions on how to navigate the Graduation Tracker can be found here.

Tuition Requirements for Graduating PhD students:

All PhD students must register continuously until completion of the requirements for the degree.  PhD candidates must have paid two years of Full tuition and two years of Reduced tuition before receipt of the degree, unless they have completed the PhD in less than four years from initial registration.  All PhD candidates must pay the PhD fee, equal to Facilities Fee, in their last term of registration (unless a higher tuition has been paid).   This final charge is billed when a student applies for the degree; unless the student has already paid the Facilities fee for the term.

For students receiving degrees in November, the last term of registration is the previous spring term. For degrees in March the last term is the previous fall. For degrees in May the last term is the spring term (except that May degree candidates filing dissertations by February 3, 2017 who do not register or pay tuition for the spring term).  Students who are uncertain whether they will finish in time for degrees in November or March are encouraged to register for the fall or spring terms respectively, either in residence or on leave of absence, to avoid late registration fees if they miss the degree deadlines.  Should they finish in time, their registration for the term will be cancelled. Student health insurance expires on the last day of coverage for the last term of enrollment. Please visit HUHS for more information. 

Undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences planning to graduate in one of the three official degree periods (November, March, or May) must submit a degree application confirming their intent to complete the A.B. or S.B. degree in a specific degree period. The degree application is available through your "My Program" page on my.harvard.edu. Detailed instructions on how to apply can be found in the Knowledge Center.  The application must be submitted by the deadline designated in the Academic Calendar section of the current year Handbook for Students for the period during which the degree is expected to be completed.

Questions regarding the House ceremony on Commencement Day should be referred to your Allston Burr Assistant Dean. Please refer to the student handbook for honors information.

The following grade point average thresholds were established by the Faculty for awarding degrees magna cum laude and cum laude in field for the May 2017 degree period:

summa cum laude in field -- 3.934

magna cum laude in field -- 3.810

cum laude in field -- 3.571

cum laude -- 3.810

Questions about qualifying for honors degrees should be directed to your Allston Burr Assistant Dean or concentration.