2025 Countdown to Commencement

Students who have processed Application to Candidacy forms filed for a degree with an expected conferral date of September 2024, February 2025 or June 2025 and who remain in good academic standing may participate in commencement. Those who do not fall into these categories but wish to be considered to participate in the ceremony may file for an exception.

Only graduating students may participate in the graduation ceremony, including walking in the processional and crossing the stage. The University will make limited exceptions when a graduating student requires assistance due to a disability. Students needing accommodations to participate in the ceremony should contact Jillian Reading at sphhp-oasa@buffalo.edu

Register by April 25, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

Registration for the commencement ceremony is separate from applying for graduation (degree). If you plan to participate in the commencement ceremony, you must register for it.

Eligible students will appear in the program book. Legal name as it appears in HUB will be used with the exception of those who request use of their Preferred Diploma Name. To do so, please email Melique Young meliquey@buffalo.edu with the request. Program book content will reflect the data available in HUB as of April 4, 2025.

*Attention Rehabilitation Science students graduating in 2025: You will need to register twice--once for the SPHHP commencement ceremony and once for your hooding ceremony. These are two separate events, each with its own registration site.

Tickets

Commencement will be a ticketed event. More information will be forthcoming. 

Photographer

A photographer will be present at the ceremony to capture individual photos of your big moment! 

Latin Honors/Gold Cord 

Students earning baccalaureate degrees (including those awarded as part of combined degrees) are eligible to receive Latin honors based on their UB cumulative grade point average (GPA) on the following scale:

Average (based on 4.000=A)

• 3.200 — cum laude
  
• 3.500 — magna cum laude
• 3.750 — summa cum laude

To qualify for Latin honors, students must present a minimum of 60 credit hours of UB undergraduate coursework, at least 54 of which must be graded credits (i.e., not grades of 'P', ’NP’, 'S' or 'U').

To receive the Latin honors designation in commencement program books, and to be eligible to wear the honorific gold cord (cum laude, magna and summa) at the time of ceremonies, candidates for the June degree conferral date must qualify based upon their UB cumulative GPA through the winter intersession of that year and projected UB credit hours through the spring semester of that year. Standings for Latin honors may change once final grades are posted or degrees conferred.

Program book recognition is intended only for students who will have their degrees conferred in June or have had their degrees conferred in the previous February or August.

Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities

Students: If you need accommodations to enable you to participate in a commencement ceremony, please include your request when you register for the ceremony. The coordinator of this ceremony will contact you to discuss and finalize your accommodation request. If the coordinator does not contact you at least two weeks before the ceremony, please email sphhp-oasa@buffalo.edu or the Office of Accessibility Resources.

Guests: The university is committed to providing equal access to individuals with disabilities, including physical access to events and reasonable accommodations for members of the university community.

Printed Diploma

The Office of the Registrar will mail a printed diploma, free of charge, to your permanent address approximately four to six weeks after the conferral date. Students are responsible for making address changes; these should be made by the term conferral date to ensure that you receive your diploma.

Certified Electronic Diploma

Students who graduated June 2020 and later have the option to purchase a certified electronic diploma (CeDiploma) for $15.95. Notification will be sent to your UB email, from info@credentialtrust.com, approximately 3-6 weeks after your degree conferral date.

Accessibility, directions, parking, and health and safety information can be found on the central Countdown to Commencement website.