Commencement Information

Most commencement questions should be directed to the Cornell University Commencement Office. Please review the University Commencement website for ceremony details, tickets, schedules, and guests.

Steps to Prepare for Graduation

Degrees are conferred three times each year (May, August, and December). These dates are published on the university’s Academic Calendar.

Confirm your degree requirements
- Check with your Undergraduate Faculty Advisor or Major Advising Coordinator to be sure you have met, or will meet, all graduation requirements for your major by the degree date.
- Review your CALS and university graduation requirements. If you have questions, contact an advisor in CALS Student Services.
Review CALS and university policies
- Confirm you understand your college and major graduation requirements and any credit minimums.
- If there are outstanding transcripts that need to be posted to your record, make sure those are sent to CALS Student Services.
- Meeting all graduation requirements is your responsibility; any academic issues must be resolved before your degree can be conferred.
Order your cap and gown
- Order a cap and gown at least two months before your ceremony.
- Check current ordering deadlines and instructions on the University Commencement website.
Verify diploma name and home address
- Confirm your primary name in Student Center is correct; this is the name printed on your diploma and in the university program.
- Any name changes must be submitted well in advance of your graduation date. For more information, see the University Registrar’s diploma page.
- Confirm your home (mailing) address in Student Center before you leave campus.

Graduation FAQs

When are degrees and certificates awarded?

Degrees are conferred annually in December, May, and August. Every eligible candidate, regardless of their actual graduation date, is invited to participate in the May Commencement Ceremony. The university also holds a smaller December Recognition Ceremony for those graduates who may not return in May.

How do I apply for graduation, and where?

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will email you when it is time to complete a graduation application. To ensure you have met all graduation requirements, you must meet directly with your major department (your Undergraduate Faculty Advisor or Major Advising Coordinator).

How can I be sure my name will be printed correctly on my diploma?

Your Primary Name on your academic record will appear on your diploma, unless you specify a Diploma Name. Your Diploma Name is a preferred name you choose for your diploma. Students may change their Diploma Name, first, and middle name. Last name changes require a Primary Name change. Review these guidelines, as the requests must be initiated several months before graduation.

How do I change or correct my name?

To change your name before graduation, you must provide documentation of the corrected name to the University Registrar’s Office. Review these guidelines, as the requests must be initiated several months before graduation.

How do I add an accent or other diacritical marks to my diploma name?

If you are not changing your legal name but wish to add a diacritical mark (for example, an accent) to the name printed on your diploma, email CALS Student Services. Requests must be submitted in writing at least four weeks prior to your degree conferral date.

When will my transcript show my final degree? (May/August/December)

Your final degree will be certified and posted to your official transcript about two weeks after your official graduation date.

When will I receive my diploma?

Diplomas are mailed to the home address listed in Student Center about 3-4 weeks after each conferral date. Make sure your home address is accurate before you leave campus.

How do I order official copies of my final transcript?

All official transcripts are issued by the Office of the University Registrar. Ordering instructions are available on the Registrar's transcript page.

Where do I order my cap and gown?

To participate in May or December ceremonies, you must order a cap and gown. You can order regalia through the University Commencement website.

Latin Honors

Beginning with the Fall 2026 conferral date, Cornell University will institute a standardized Latin Honors system based solely on final cumulative undergraduate GPA. Link the courses of study for detailed information.

Latin Honors afford recognition for academic excellence over the duration of a student's entire official undergraduate coursework at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Latin Honors are officially annotated on the transcript and diploma of students who have graduated.

Honor level (Summa, Magna, Cum Laude) is calculated on final cumulative GPA after final grades post for the student’s graduating semester. Honor will be noted on the student’s official transcript and diploma.

Bachelor of Sciences with Honors

Students must meet one of the following sets of criteria to receive a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors:

Summa Cum Laude: Students who receive a cumulative GPA of 4.00 or greater after the final semester will graduate with “Summa Cum Laude.”
Magna Cum Laude: Students receiving a cumulative GPA of greater than or equal to 3.75 and less than 4.00 after the final semester will graduate “Magna Cum Laude.”
Cum Laude: Students receiving a cumulative GPA of greater than or equal to 3.50 and less than 3.75 after the final semester will graduate “Cum Laude.”

How to compute Latin Honors eligibility in your final semester for a Bachelor of Science with Honors

S = the number of letter-graded credits completed

T = the number of letter-graded credits enrolled for in the current semester

Q = Quality points completed (A quality point for one course would be the number of credits you took the course by, multiplied by the quality point assigned to the grade). i.e. if you took a 3 credits course and received an A, you would have 12 quality points

Quality-point equivalents

A+ = 4.3

B+ = 3.3

C+ = 2.3

D+ = 1.3

F= 0

A = 4.0

B = 3.0

C = 2.0

D = 1.0

A- = 3.7

B- - 2.7

C- = 1.7

D- = 0.7

The grades of INC, R, S, and U do not have quality-point equivalents.

Plugin the numbers from your record to compute the following Latin Honors Eligibility:

SUMMA

4.0 x (S + T) – Q = total number of quality points needed to attain SUMMA standing. To figure out the GPA needed you would take the Quality Points needed and divide it by T (the number of letter-graded credits you are enrolled for).

MAGNA

3.75 x (S + T) – Q = total number of quality points needed to attain MAGNA standing. To figure out the GPA needed you would take the Quality Points needed and divide it by T (the number of letter-graded credits you are enrolled for).

CUM LAUDE

3.50 x (S + T) – Q = total number of quality points needed to attain CUM LAUDE standing. To figure out the GPA needed you would take the Quality Points needed and divide it by T (the number of letter-graded credits you are enrolled for).

Dean's List

Cornell University is phasing out individual school and college Dean's Lists. The Dean's List designation will not apply to undergraduate students matriculating in Summer 2023 and beyond. It will be discontinued for all students at the end of the Spring 2026 semester.

Each semester undergraduate students are recognized for academic excellence by inclusion on the Dean’s List. Eligibility for the Dean’s list in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is determined by the following criteria:

A minimum course load for the semester of 12 letter-graded credits;
Achievement of a semester GPA of at least 3.50; and
Achievement of an “S” grade, or a “C-” or better grade in each course (including Physical Education), with no “Incompletes”, "Withdrawals (W)" or “NGR”.

When is the determination made?
At the end of each fall or spring semester after grades are posted.
Notification
Students will receive an email notice from the CALS Office of Student Services that they have attained the Dean's List, and their official University transcript will record the achievement based on the criteria above.
Dean's List Certificate
Dean's List Certificates are available in DUST once grades are posted.
Grade changes and Incompletes
Dean's List will be granted retroactively if a student meets all the criteria due to a grade change or makeup of an incomplete. It is the student's responsibility to contact CALS Student Services to have Dean’s List posted to their record. Dean's List cannot be granted once a degree has been awarded. More information can be found under course enrollment and credits in the Courses of Study.