TV

Close-up of a TV graduate during commencement

Applying for Graduation

Congratulations, you will be graduating soon!

Below you will find instructions and frequently asked questions on the processes involved in applying for graduation through the Registrar’s Office at TV. Read this information closely, as it gives you important information, deadlines, and explanations.

Note for graduates of programs in China and Vietnam (MSMIS, MBA, MPH, and MA in Linguistics): Students graduating from programs in China and Vietnam will complete an application administered directly by TV’s International Programs and Services Office and should not apply for graduation through MyBenU. Graduates of programs in China and Vietnam  participating in Commencement held on the Lisle campus in May should still complete the Commencement Survey below.

What does applying for graduation mean?

Students who will complete requirements for a degree in a given term must complete an electronic application for graduation through MyBenU. Clicking on “Apply for Graduation” in MyBenU means you want your degree conferred and officially recorded on your academic transcript whether or not you choose to attend the commencement ceremony. You only need to apply once for graduation using the electronic graduation application form. Step-by-step instructions are below.

Please note:

OFFICIALLY having your degree conferred and participating in the graduation ceremony called “Commencement” are two entirely different things. The University holds one Commencement Ceremony in May for undergraduate and graduate students, both on the Lisle and Mesa campuses.

Students whose degrees are being conferred in Winter, Spring, or Summer of an academic year may participate in the Commencement Ceremony in May of that same academic year. Students whose degrees are conferred in Fall following Commencement Ceremony may participate in the May Commencement of the following year.

Students are encouraged to APPLY EARLY before the deadlines. Final deadlines are strictly enforced and a student’s degree conferral will be moved to the next term if the deadline has passed.

Before applying, please meet with your academic advisor to ensure all degree requirements and coursework will be completed by the end of the semester that you have selected to graduate.

Step-by-step instructions on how to apply to graduate through MyBenU

What are the Graduation application deadlines?

Upcoming Graduation Application Deadlines

TERMDEGREE CONFERRAL DATEPRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINELATE APPLICATION DEADLINE
Summer 2026August 31, 2026February 16, 2026July 20, 2026
Fall 2026December 31, 2026March 13, 2026September 6, 2026
Spring 2027May 31, 2027October 15, 2026January 17, 2027
Summer 2027August 31, 2027February 15, 2027May 16, 2027

Commencement Survey

Students participating and walking in the Commencement Ceremony need to complete this survey below.

Graduation FAQs

What happens after I submit my application to graduate?

The submission of the “application to graduate“ through MyBenU will initiate an audit (a summary of the academic record) of each applicant. That audit starts with the student’s department advisor. Once the department has completed the audit, it will be sent to the Office of the Registrar where the final review will occur.

Students who apply by the priority deadline will have an opportunity for their advisor to review their audit before their final term of registration giving them time to enroll in the courses they will need for graduation or resolve any outstanding issues. Students who apply after the priority deadline by the late deadline will not have thir audits reviewed by their advisor until after their final term has started.

The results of the audit will be one of three possible outcomes:

  • The student is fully eligible to graduate
  • The student is definitely not eligible to graduate
  • The student may be eligible pending completion of remaining requirements. These pending requirements are typically course work and/or defense and submission of the thesis or dissertation.

Students who are not eligible to graduate will receive an email to their BenU email from the Office of the Registrar and a letter from the University detailing the remaining requirements. It is the student’s responsibility when applying for graduation to ensure ALL degree requirements on the audit will show as satisfied and reflected on their transcript record prior to the degree conferral date.

What happens if I miss the late graduation application deadline?

If you miss the late application deadline, you may apply for the next available graduation term or choose to submit a Late Application petition form and will need to pay a $150 late application fee. This is in addition to the graduation application fee of $145 (Associates, Bachelors and Masters degrees) and $205 (Doctoral degrees). The late fee will be applied to your account after the paper application has been approved by your advisor and processed by the Office of the Registrar. Your completed audit from your advisor must be included for your petition to be considered. You may also choose to defer your graduation until the following quarter/semester and must apply by the deadline for that quarter/semester.

May I change my graduation date after I have applied?

Yes, you can change your graduation date after you have applied.

If you want to change your graduation term to the term previous to the one you applied for, you will need to fill out the Late Graduation Application petition form and pay a $150 fee.

If you need to change your expected graduation term to a later term, please email [email protected] with the term in which all of your requirements will be met (example: move my application for graduation from Fall 2022 to Spring 2023). Once the email is received, the Office of the Registrar will change your graduation date to the new term and move your graduation audit to the updated term.

Once you have completed all of your requirements, we can no longer change your graduation term to a later term. After your degree has been conferred, your degree record is considered final and no longer be changed.

May I submit an application to graduate more than once?

You can only apply once for graduation using the electronic graduation application form. MyBenU will not allow you to submit multiple applications. If you need to change your expected graduation term, please email [email protected] with the term in which all of your requirements will be met (example: “Move my application for graduation from Fall 2021 to Spring 2022”). Once your email is received, the Office of the Registrar will change your graduation date to the new term and move your graduation audit to the updated term. Note: You cannot apply to an earlier term, only to a later term.

After I graduate, how can I get my diploma?

Complete information is available on the Registrar Office’s Student Forms page of the website.

Please note that diplomas are sent 4-6 weeks after the degree conferral date, not after commencement or the end of the term. Degree conferral dates are:

Fall: December 31

Spring: May 31

Summer: August 31

How do I obtain a copy of my transcript?

TV transcripts are fulfilled through the Office of the Registrar. Instructions are available on the Registrar Office’s Student Forms page on the website. All transcript orders are done completely online. To order an official transcript, follow .

Where can I find complete information about the commencement ceremony?

Commencement information for students is posted on our Commencement page.

Professional Licensure Disclosure Requirements

TV offers programs leading to professional licensure/certification within the State of Illinois. The curriculum for programs leading to licensure at TV have been designed to meet the licensure/certification requirements in Illinois as well as preparing students to apply for licensure exams in the State of Illinois. Many states vary in what professions they require to be licensed or certified. Some states require an individual to graduate from an approved program. Specific training can also be required in order to pass a state specific exam. Prior to considering relocating to another state a student should contact their program advisor to discuss licensure eligibility requirements. Students should review the specific academic requirements for the program in which they are enrolling. Students should contact the applicable licensure board(s) in their state of residence or in the state where they intend to obtain a license before beginning an academic program at TV. It is the responsibility of the student completing the licensure/certification program to check with the licensing board(s) for the most recent requirements in their state of residence or in the state in which they intend to obtain a license.

The licensure boards in each state are responsible for establishing the requirements for licensure/certification for their state. These licensing boards make the decision as to whether or not an individual will be eligible to sit for licensure/certification based on the rules and regulations at the time the individual submits their application for licensure.

The following TV programs lead to professional licensure/certification within the State of Illinois. Visit the related area of study pages below for current licensure/certification information.

State licensure requirements can change at any time. Visiting the state licensing boards in the link below will help ensure you have the current information. Students who intend to return to, relocate to, or currently reside in any state other than Illinois need to review the professional licensure disclosures pertaining to their program and consult with the state licensing board in the state. For a complete state by state listing of licensing information, see the appropriate tab below. This licensing information will be updated annually in August. In the states where the program is listed as “no determination” an email will be sent to prospective students prior to enrollment.

View the state by statement requirements on the Advising & Licensure web page.