Commencement Information for Graduates

Fall 2024 Graduates: To-Do List

  • Complete Intent to Graduate form. (Deadline was May 15, 2024)
  • Review for any missing degree requirements.
    • Connect with Professional Advisor and/or Faculty Advisors for support on fulfilling missing requirements.
  • Receive graduation clearance email from Office of the Registrar (typically within November of your final term)
  • Diploma Information

  • Pick up cords
  • Order Garb
  • Request Tickets
  • Share details of the ceremony with family and friends
  • Update your contact information with the Alumni Relations Office to receive the Alumni magazine and to be notified of Alumni news and events. Alumni Relations Form

Students with a remaining balance should contact Student Accounts (´ºÓêÖ±²¥accounts@stkate.edu or 651.690.6503) to make payment arrangements.

Students with a remaining balance on their account after Commencement will have their diplomas and official transcripts held until payment in full is submitted.

Students who borrowed a Perkins or Nursing Loan, will need to complete the online exit interview prior to graduation. Student borrowers will receive an email notification from our loan servicer, Heartland ECSI, with instructions for completing the exit interview. The exit interview process should take about 15-20 minutes. Questions about the interview can be directed to Student Accounts (´ºÓêÖ±²¥accounts@stkate.edu or 651.690.6503). Technical questions or problems can be directed to Heartland ECSI at 1.888.549.3274. 

Student borrowers will have a hold on their diplomas and official transcripts until the required exit interview has been completed.

If you borrowed other types of ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ loans, you need to complete an exit counseling session. Expect notification of times from the Financial Aid Office

Spring and Summer 2025 Graduates: To-Do List

  • Complete Intent to Graduate form. (Deadline is November 30, 2024)
  • Review for any missing degree requirements.
    • Connect with Professional Advisor and/or Faculty Advisors for support on fulfilling missing requirements.
  • Receive graduation clearance email from Office of the Registrar (typically within March of your final term)

  • Pick up cords
  • Order Garb
  • Request Tickets
  • Share details of the ceremony with family and friends
  • Update your contact information with the Alumni Relations Office to receive the Alumni magazine and to be notified of Alumni news and events. Alumni Relations Form

Students with a remaining balance should contact Student Accounts (´ºÓêÖ±²¥accounts@stkate.edu or 651.690.6503) to make payment arrangements.

Students with a remaining balance on their account after Commencement will have their diplomas and official transcripts held until payment in full is submitted.

Students who borrowed a Perkins or Nursing Loan, will need to complete the online exit interview prior to graduation. Student borrowers will receive an email notification from our loan servicer, Heartland ECSI, with instructions for completing the exit interview. The exit interview process should take about 15-20 minutes. Questions about the interview can be directed to Student Accounts (´ºÓêÖ±²¥accounts@stkate.edu or 651.690.6503). Technical questions or problems can be directed to Heartland ECSI at 1.888.549.3274. 

Student borrowers will have a hold on their diplomas and official transcripts until the required exit interview has been completed.

If you borrowed other types of ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ loans, you need to complete an exit counseling session. Expect notification of times from the Financial Aid Office

Academic Garb

The online academic garb website is now closed. 

You must have garb to walk at the Commencement Ceremonies on Commencement weekend. 

If you missed the ordering deadline, the Bookstore will have a limited quantity of garb packages available for purchase. These will be available on a first come, first serve basis. 

Latin Honors are awarded to eligible ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s earning their first baccalaureate degree. To be considered for Latin Honors ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s must complete a minimum of 52 credits in residence at St. ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ University. Latin Honors are awarded upon completion of all graduation requirements with the following institutional grade point average (resident courses only, no transfer courses included):

  • For graduation cum laude, a GPA of 3.667
  • For graduation magna cum laude, a GPA of 3.8
  • For graduation summa cum laude, a GPA of 3.9

The honors awarded are noted on your transcript and in the program at Commencement. Predicted eligibility for Latin Honors is determined approximately six weeks prior to Commencement; actual eligibility is based on your final St. ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ University GPA.

Graduates have a choice of a Program or St. Kate's tassel. 

The St. Kate's tassel does not come with the garb package; it is a separate purchase ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s may choose when ordering garb.

Associate and Bachelor degree candidates start the ceremony with the tassel on their right side. At the end of the ceremony, they will turn the tassel to their left side. Masters and Doctoral degree candidates start and keep the tassel on the left side.

Master degree candidates will process into the Auditorium already hooded. Hooding placement will be demonstrated at line up.

Doctoral degree candidates will process into the Auditorium with their hoods over their arms and will be hooded on stage as part of the Commencement ceremony. This will be demonstrated at line up.

Graduating ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ name cards have been printed for Commencement Ceremonies. You will have an opportunity to handwrite phonetic spelling hints directly on your name card given to you at Student Line Up Check-In.

Give your personal items to your guests beforehand. Secure storage will not be available for personal items at line-up.

Book Your Tickets

Tickets are required for watching the Commencement Ceremonies in The O'Shaughnessy. 

Tickets are determined by a simple formula based on the number of guest seats at The O’Shaughnessy divided by the number of graduates. Once you have ordered your allotted tickets, you can sign up for a chance to receive extra tickets if available.

Yes, in order to be Fire Code compliant, everyone in the auditorium must have their own seat, even babies.

Graduates may request extra tickets at the time of booking their original ticket allocations. 

  • If you choose to book online, there is a link to the additional ticket request form that is accessible on the same link. Make sure to complete your original ticket booking before requesting additional tickets.
  • If you choose to book by emailing the ticket office, over the phone, or in person, please include your additional ticket request as part of your original ticket booking process so that the ticket office can add your request to our waitlist.

Extra tickets are distributed on a first requested, first booked basis after April 9, 2024. Recipients will be notified of additional tickets via their St. Kate's email or by phone.

In addition to original ticket allocations, each graduating ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ may request up to 10 additional tickets via the additional ticket request form. Actual tickets fulfilled via the additional ticket request form will be dependent on the number of seats available after the original ticket allocation process has been completed.

Share Your Joy

There are many ways you can celebrate and remember this achievement — and share it with your family and friends.

offers customized announcements for for graduation. Special order custom, high-quality announcements through the the HerffJones website.

Note: Some people do not know that announcements are not invitations. Omitting the place and time of the ceremony from your announcements should help alleviate this confusion.

Professional photographers will be at each Commencement ceremony to take photos of graduates on stage. These photos will be made available to graduates for purchase a few weeks after the ceremony.

If you wish to capture your own memories of this special day, we invite you to take pictures immediately following your commencement ceremony. There are a number of beautiful locations around our campus for this.

The official St. ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ University ring can also be purchased through  or .

Support Student Scholarships

Celebrate your graduation by making a contribution to the Senior Class Gift! Leave a legacy by making a gift (no gift is too small) to support ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ scholarships for those Katies who will follow you.

If your ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ account is in good standing your diploma will be mailed to your permanent address approximately six weeks after Commencement.

Please ensure that the registrar’s office has your correct address on file.

Diploma frames are available for purchase through the St. ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ University bookstore—view examples online or in the bookstore.