Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Student Services
  3. Graduation at Columbus State

Graduation at Columbus State

Congratulations on reaching the end of your degree program at Columbus State!

Columbus State Community College holds Commencement Ceremonies two times per year, each on the final Friday of Autumn and Spring semesters. In order to participate in these ceremonies, students are required to complete an application to graduate by the deadline each semester.

Applying for Graduation

APPLICATIONS FOR GRADUATION SHOULD NOT BE SUBMITTED UNTIL THE FINAL SEMESTER OF YOUR DEGREE PROGRAM AT COLUMBUS STATE.

Only students who are eligible to graduate in the semester they submit their graduation application for will be approved to attend the ceremony with the exception being Summer semester graduates.  Students who graduate Summer semester may attend the Autumn semester ceremony. 

Application Deadline

SPRING SEMESTER 2026

  • Priority Application Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
  • Last day to request an International Student Graduation Application Verification Letter: Wednesday, April 15, 2026. 
  • Final Application Date: Monday, April 20, 2026*
       * Last day to have your name included in Spring Semester 2026 commencement ceremony program. If you submit your application after this date, your name will not be included.
  • All graduates' names appear in the commencement program. Please contact the Graduation Verification Office at graduation@cscc.edu if you prefer to not have your name appear in the program.
  • Commencement Ceremony: Friday, May 15, 2026. Graduate arrival time is 8:00 a.m. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.
  • Diplomas will be mailed to verified graduates eight (8) weeks after commencement.

SUMMER SEMESTER 2026

  • Priority Application Date: Friday, June 12, 2026
  • Last day to request an International Student Graduation Application Verification Letter: Tuesday, July 7, 2026. 
  • Final Application Date: Monday, July 20, 2026*
       * Last day to have your name included in Summer Semester 2026 commencement ceremony program. If you submit your application after this date, your name will not be included.
  • All graduates' names appear in the commencement program. Please contact the Graduation Verification Office at graduation@cscc.edu if you prefer to not have your name appear in the program.
  • Summer graduates are invited to the Autumn Commencement Ceremony which is Friday, December 18, 2026. Graduate arrival time is 8:00 a.m. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.
  • Diplomas will be mailed to verified graduates eight (8) weeks after the conclusion of the semester. 

Get Ready for Graduation

You may apply for graduation once you've completed all the criteria for your associate degree. Check your progress by running a Degree Audit on CougarWeb (make sure your major is correct.) Once that's done, complete the graduation application.

Graduation Application

Graduation Applications are processed during the semester you select to graduate. After you submit your application to graduate, you will be notified of the status of the Graduation Application via your Columbus State student e-mail. You'll be asked to confirm your address when you apply for graduation - please make sure that address is correct.

If you have submitted a Graduation Application and need more information or have questions you may contact the Graduation Office via email at graduation@cscc.edu

Certificates: If you are completing a certificate, do not submit the Graduation Application. Your certificate is processed by the academic department.

We will communicate with you via your Columbus State student email concerning graduation information.

Diplomas will be mailed 8 weeks after the semester ends. Diplomas are mailed via USPS. Please confirm that that your address is correct on your Graduation Application.

Order your graduation regalia (cap, gown, and tassel) from the Columbus State Bookstore. The cost of the regalia is $35.99. There are no charges for any cords you may be eligible for that you will receive the day of the ceremony or earlier by the office giving the cord. 

Spring Semester 2026 Commencement Ceremony

In-person ceremony will be held Friday, May 15, 2026 at the Celeste Center. Graduate arrival time is 8 a.m. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.

Diplomas are not given during the ceremony.  They will be mailed to verified graduates eight (8) weeks after commencement.

Summer Semester 2026 Commencement Ceremony

Summer graduates are invited to the Autumn Commencement Ceremony on Friday, December 18, 2026

 

Need to another copy of your diploma? Click to the Replacement Diploma page to order a new one.

Please read and follow the instructions on the document at the link below for International Students to provide a letter of invitation to family and friends to attend the graduation ceremony. Students must request these letters by the deadline:

 Graduation Invitation Letter Instructions for International Students

Administratively Granted Degree or Auto-Graduation

If students neglect to complete an application for graduation and they have completed all degree requirements for their declare program of study, the college will adminstratively grant your degree the following semester or "auto-graduate" them.  This is to ensure students receive recognition for all of their hard work completed at the college.  A student's degree audit report or DARS will be reviewed and if all requirements are met, the student's name will be added to the graduation list for the following semester after leaving the college.  

If a student is eligible to graduate through this administrative process, they will receive email communication from the Graduation Office notifying them of their graduation eligibility, informing them of the process to receive a diploma, and inviting them to attend the graduation ceremony.  If students have questions about this process, they should contact graduation@cscc.edu

Past Graduation Ceremonies

Summer/Autumn 2025 Graduation Livestream

Spring 2025 Graduation- May 9, 2025

Autumn 2024 Graduation - Dec. 13, 2024

Graduation Ceremony Programs

 

 

Department Contact - was an h5

Academics Department

E Mail