You’re Almost There!
Congratulations! You’ve reached your final semester at Queens College. As you prepare to graduate, there are a few important steps you’ll need to complete before your degree can be awarded. Taking care of these requirements early can help avoid delays and make the graduation process smoother.
This guide will help you apply for graduation, review your DegreeWorks audit, confirm that you’ve completed your degree requirements, resolve any holds on your account, and prepare for Commencement if you plan to participate.
Be sure to check your QC email regularly. It is the College’s official method of communication, and important information about graduation deadlines, degree conferral, your diploma, Commencement, and other final semester updates will be sent there.
Complete these steps early in your final semester to avoid delays in awarding your degree.
- Apply for graduation. We recommend submitting your graduation application through CUNYfirst at the beginning of your last semester. Other important information about graduation, including the deadlines to file, can be found on our Graduation and Commencement page.
- Review your DegreeWorks audit. Review your DegreeWorks audit to verify your academic progress and confirm that all degree requirements are complete or in progress.
- Meet with an advisors (Recommended). Meeting with your major and minor advisors is strongly recommended. Your advisors can review your remaining requirements, confirm your graduation eligibility, and answer questions about your degree progress before you apply.
- Review the Academic Calendar. Review important dates, including graduation application deadlines, final exams, and degree conferral dates on the Academic Calendar.
Helpful links
Degree Requirements
Before your degree can be awarded, verify that all graduation requirements have been completed. Undergraduates can review the requirements in DegreeWorks.
Undergraduates
- Complete at least 120 credits. Confirm that 120 credits have been successfully completed and applied toward your bachelor’s degree.
- Complete 30 residency credits. Verify that at least 30 credits were completed at Queens College.
- Meet the minimum GPA requirement. Confirm your cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher, or meets the minimum GPA required for your academic program.
- Complete General Education requirements. Verify that all Pathways General Education requirements have been completed, including both required Writing Intensive courses.
- Complete all major requirements. Confirm that every required course for your major has been successfully completed.
- Complete all minor requirements (if applicable). If you have declared a minor, verify that all minor requirements have been completed. If all other graduation requirements have been met, you may choose to remove your minor before graduation.
- Resolve incomplete or pending grades. Make sure there are no outstanding INC (Incomplete), PEN (Pending), or missing grades on your academic record.
Graduates
- Complete the required credits for your program. Confirm with your advisor that you have successfully completed the requirements for your program.
- Meet the minimum GPA requirement. Confirm your cumulative GPA is 3.0 or higher.
- Resolve incomplete or pending grades. Resolve outstanding INC (Incomplete) grades required for your program, PEN (Pending), or missing grades on your academic record.
Helpful links
Complete these final steps before the end of the semester.
- Not registered for future semesters. If you are graduating this semester, make sure you are not enrolled in courses for a future semester.
- Resolve any holds. Review the Holds section in CUNYfirst and clear any financial, library, disciplinary, or administrative holds.
- Confirm your name. Verify that your primary name or diploma name is correct in CUNYfirst. Your diploma will be printed using your primary name if diploma name has not been chosen.Â
- Update your mailing address. Confirm that your mailing address in CUNYfirst is current. Your diploma will be mailed to the address on file.
Helpful links
Participating in Commencement is optional and separate from the conferral of your degree. If you plan to participate in the ceremony, visit the Commencement website for important dates, RSVP information, regalia, parking, accessibility, and ceremony updates.
- Visit the Commencement website. Learn about ceremony details, graduation events, FAQs, parking, guest information, and important announcements on the Commencement website.
- RSVP for the ceremony. Graduates who plan to participate in Commencement must complete the RSVP process when it becomes available. Watch your QC email for instructions and deadlines.
- Order your cap and gown. Purchase your commencement regalia before the published deadline. Ordering information is available on the Commencement website.
- Review guest information. Find information about guest registration, tickets (if required), parking, accessibility accommodations, and ceremony logistics before Commencement Day.
- Attend your departmental ceremony (if applicable). Many academic departments host recognition ceremonies in addition to the College-wide Commencement. Check with your academic department for details.
Helpful links
Who to Contact
Have questions about graduating? The offices below can help you with graduation requirements, applications, degree audits, commencement, and other final-semester questions. If you’re not sure which office to contact, start with the QC Hub, and they’ll connect you with the right department.
Academic & Graduation
| Need Help With | Contact |
|---|---|
| Graduation applications, degree conferral, diplomas, transcripts | Office of the Registrar (718) 997-3030 registrar@qc.cuny.edu |
| Degree requirements, DegreeWorks, graduation eligibility | Academic Advising Center (718) 997-5573 advising@qc.cuny.edu |
| Major and minor requirements | Your Academic Department Queens College Undergraduate Catalog — Departments |
| Commencement ceremony, regalia, RSVP, guest information | Queens College Commencement www.qc.cuny.edu/ce |
Financial & Billing
| Need Help With | Contact |
|---|---|
| Financial aid, exit counseling | Office of Financial Aid financialaid@qc.cuny.edu |
| Tuition balances, payment plans, refunds, diploma holds | Office of the Bursar bursar@qc.cuny.edu |
Career & Next Steps
| Need Help With | Contact |
|---|---|
| Career planning, resumes, job search, graduate school, internships | Center for Career Engagement & Internships (718) 997-4465 qc_career@qc.cuny.edu www.qc.cuny.edu/academics/cei |
| Job and internship opportunities | Handshake for Queens College Handshake |
| Stay connected after graduation | Queens College Alumni Association www.qc.cuny.edu/alumni |
Student Services
| Need Help With | Contact |
|---|---|
| Student advocacy, referrals, emergency support | Student Advocacy & Support (718) 997-5561 studentadvocacy@qc.cuny.edu |
| Counseling and mental health support | Counseling Services (718) 997-5420 counselingservices@qc.cuny.edu |
| Accessibility accommodations | Office for Students with Disabilities and Access (OSDA) (718) 997-5870 qc_spsv@qc.cuny.edu |
| International student services | Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) (718) 997-4440 oiss@qc.cuny.edu |
| Veteran & Military Support Services | Veteran & Military Support Services (718) 997-5539 veterans@qc.cuny.edu |
| Student Affairs & campus support | Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs & Strategic Enrollment Initiatives (718) 997-5501 vpsa@qc.cuny.edu Student Affairs & Enrollment Management |
Helpful Resources
These resources provide additional information to help you complete your graduation requirements, monitor your academic progress, and prepare for Commencement. Review them throughout your final semester to stay informed about important deadlines, degree requirements, and graduation-related updates.
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Academic Calendar | View important dates, graduation deadlines, and degree conferral information. www.qc.cuny.edu/registrar/academic-calendar |
| DegreeWorks | Review your degree audit and track your progress toward graduation through CUNYfirst. |
| Graduation Application | Submit your graduation application through CUNYfirst before the deadline. |
| Queens College Undergraduate Catalog | Review major and minor requirements and find your academic department. Undergraduate Catalog — Departments |
| Commencement Website | Find ceremony information, RSVP, regalia, guest details, parking, and important updates. www.qc.cuny.edu/ce |
| Center for Career Engagement & Internships | Explore career advising, job opportunities, internships, and graduate school resources. www.qc.cuny.edu/academics/cei |
| Handshake | Search for jobs and internships available to Queens College students and recent graduates. Handshake |
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