Apply for Graduation

Graduation Application Deadlines:

Fall graduates: October 31

Spring graduates: March 31

Summer graduates: July 31

1. Log into your CUNYFirst account at https://home.cunyfirst.cuny.edu/

2. Go to Student Center

3. Under Academics, click the "Other Academics" drop-down box near your class schedule.

4. Click "Apply for Graduation."

5. Make sure you are applying for the correct program 

6. Select the term you want to apply for, then click continue

7. After that click "Submit Application" 

 If you don't see the application link on your CUNY First, you might have holds or special circumstances preventing you from applying for graduation, please visit or contact the registrar's office at 212-663-7867 or email them at registrar@jjay.cuny.edu

*Please note:  To apply for graduation Undergraduates must have completed at least 105 credits and Graduate students must have completed at least 24 credits. Students who fail to file an application for their degree by the above deadlines, will not be eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremonies. In addition, all students who have filed for graduation must be CLEARED by the Registrar.Please check your jjay.cuny.edu email for any correspondence from the Registrar's Office.**

For any questions regarding graduation eligibility, contact the Registrar's Office at registrar@jjay.cuny.edu or 212-663-7867.

If you need assistance filing your graduation application on CUNYFirst, please click here for step by step instructions.

  • Fall graduates:  April 1-October 31  Fall application available in CUNYfirst
  • Spring graduates:   November 1-March 31 Spring application available in CUNYfirst
  • Winter graduates: Register for a winter course that completes degree requirements, then apply before January using the Spring application option. The Registrar will verify whether the course completes degree requirements.
  • Summer graduates: April 1-July 31 Summer application available in CUNYfirst. Students who want to participate in the May graduation ceremony should register for the 1-2 final degree requirements needed in summer, then apply as early as possible, and no later than May 1.

If you have already submitted a graduation application, you may check your status via CUNYFirst. To view the status of your application, log into your CUNYFirst account > click Self-Service > click Student Center> click My Academics > click View My Graduation Status. Below is an explanation of the codes that may appear on your screen:

Eligible to Apply: Undergraduate students who have completed or will have completed 102 credits or Graduate students who have completed or will have completed 20 credits at the end of the semester with all requirements for the General Education and the major(s)/program by the end of the term, may apply for graduation.

Applied: Student applied for graduation via (CUNYfirst). This action changed the       student's status on CUNYfirst from Eligible to Applied for Graduation. 

Pending: The Graduation Application was processed/completed. CUNYfirst changed from Applied to Pending. A second review will be done after all grades are posted to verify the student successfully completed all courses for the conferral of the Degree. 

Approved: The record shows all grades posted. Student resolved a grade/s and met all the requirements for the Degree; no registration for courses is required for the semester or future terms. The Degree will be conferred at the end of the term the student was approved for.

Denied: The Graduation Application was processed/completed. The student did not meet all the requirements for the Degree. It is advised for the student to make an appointment with an academic advisor. 

Awarded: The second review was completed after all grades were posted for the term. The student met all requirements for the Degree. Degree status changed from Approved or Pending to Awarded. Degree Conferred.

In Review: Undergraduate student's overall GPA or/and Major GPA is less than 2.00. Graduate student: Master GPA is less than 3.00, BA/MA GPA is less than 3.50, ADAP program GPA is less than 3.5. 

Another review will be done at the end of the current term when final grades are posted on CUNYfirst.  

Note: Accelerate Dual Program (ADAP) students must maintain a 3.5 GPA per term.

Withdrawn: Student rescinded (canceled) their request to graduate for the current semester.         

  • The Registrar’s office makes the final determination about whether or not you have met all of the college’s requirements to graduate. The Office of Student Transition Programs is responsible for the commencement ceremonies and all pre-ceremony activities, including the Commencement Awards Ceremony, regalia purchases, distribution of tickets during Graduate Salute, and other aspects of the celebration.

  • Check your John Jay email regularly. All correspondence regarding commencement and graduation will be sent only to your college email. It is your email address even after you graduate. If you need to reset your password, please contact the HelpDesk

  • IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to resolve any grade changes, make up any incompletes, and insure all other entries on your academic record are complete and correct before you graduate. Once your degree is posted, the college cannot make any other changes to your record, so you will need to communicate any updates to the Office of the Registrar before your degree is posted including the declaration of minor 

  • Candidates for the baccalaureate degree must complete at least 120 credits to fulfill the degree requirements.
     
  • Candidates for the baccalaureate degree must have a 2.0 GPA for graduation. 
     
  • Candidates for Master's Programs must have a 3.0 GPA for graduation. All credits and other degree requirements must be completed within eight years. For the number of credits and specific requirements, refer to each program description. 
     
  • Participation in the annual spring commencement ceremony is accorded to students who have been awarded the associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree the previous August or February and to students who are certified by the Office of the Registrar to complete their degree requirements by the end of the spring semester. 
     
  • Students who have filed for graduation and have two courses or less to complete their degree requirements at the end of the spring session following the annual spring commencement, as certified by the Registrar's Office, may attend the Graduation ceremony if all four of the following conditions are met at the time the Office of the Registrar certifies the candidates for graduation: 
     
    • The student has filed the application for his or her degree by March 31 for Spring graduates or by May 1 for Summer graduates deadline 
    • The student application for degree conferral has been cleared by the Registrar's Office they are CLEARED to graduate.  
    • The student has registered for and paid for the required course(s) for the summer session.
    • The student has a minimum GPA of 2.00 (3.00 for graduate students). 
       
  • Students who are prospective summer graduates would be listed as such in the graduation program. 
     
  • Candidates for degrees are reminded that grades of INC assigned during the last semester of attendance in courses required for graduation will result in the postponement of graduation. 

Contact Us

Room L.69NB
524 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019 
P: 646-557-4888
E: graduation@jjay.cuny.edu