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Graduation Audit Timelines

The dates provided are rough timeframes and actual dates may vary

Eastern has three (3) conferral dates, which are in December, May, and August. The timeline of our auditing process varies depending on your anticipated graduation term. Below you will find the respective timelines of the auditing process based on your anticipated graduation term.

NOTE: There is only one (1) Commencement Ceremony annually, which is in May. Your graduation date will determine which commencement ceremony you are eligible to participate in. 

To better understand how this is determined, it is beneficial to think in terms of the academic year as opposed to a traditional January 1st to December 31st year. The academic year spans from the beginning of the Fall Semester through the end of the following Summer term (eg Fall 2026 to August 2027). If you are graduating within that academic year, you would be eligible to participate in that academic year's May Commencement.

Timelines

  • March

    Application Opens

    • Applications for December graduation become available on March 1st, which is before Fall registration begins for Seniors.
    • Students are encouraged to register for Fall or Summer courses before applying.
    • Degree audit review typically begins once Spring registration opens.
    Mid-June to August

    Degree Audit Review

    • Applications are being reviewed as submitted
    • Students are sent their initial audit letter, to their Eastern Email, notifying them of any outstanding requirements or if they are on track to completing for December.
    • Reviews are completed before the Fall semester begins, assuming the application was submitted by the priority deadline in June.
    Mid-December

    Final Reviews Begin

    • Final audits begin once Fall grades are posted.
    • Official conferral date for Fall graduates is December 31st.
    January

    Initial Round of Degree Awarding Completed

    • December graduates are typically reviewed and awarded within a few weeks.
    • Students who are officially awarded will receive an email to their Eastern Email. This email will have additional information regarding diplomas.

  • October

    Application Opens

    • Applications for May graduation become available on October 1st, which is before Spring registration begins for Seniors.
    • Students are encouraged to register for Spring courses before applying.
    • Degree audit review typically begins once Spring registration opens.
    October – January

    Degree Audit Review

    • Applications are being reviewed.
    • Students are sent their initial audit letter, to their Eastern Email, notifying them of any outstanding requirements or if they are on track to completing for May.
    • There are roughly 600-700 applications to manually review for May, so this process will take time.
    April

    Commencement Program Finalized

    • Students wishing to have their name included in the commencement program should submit their graduation application before April (Preferably much earlier).
    • Regalia is usually available for purchase in the bookstore at the beginning of the month.
    • Students who apply after the program is finalized can still be approved to participate in the Commencement Ceremony, but their name will not be included in the Commencement Program.
    Mid to Late May

    Final Review Begins 

    • Final degree review starts after final grades are posted.
    Mid-May to Beginning of July

    Degree Conferral Continues

    • Spring is our largest population of graduating students of roughly 600-700 students. This process will take time.
    • The goal is to complete all final degree reviews by July 1. This timeline can vary depending on various factors.
    • Students who are officially awarded will receive an email to their Eastern Email. This email will have additional information regarding diplomas.

  • October

    Application Opens

    • Applications for August graduation are open alongside May graduation applications, when Summer registration is also available.
    • Students are sent their initial audit letter, to their Eastern Email, notifying them of any outstanding requirements or if they are on track to completing for August.
    • Mid-February is the priority deadline and when we will begin reviewing Summer Applications. Reviewing May applications is our priority leading up to this deadline.
    Mid-August

    Final Reviews Begin

    • Final audits begin once all Summer grades are posted in August.
    • Official conferral date for Summer graduates is August 31st.
    September

    Initial Round of Degree Awarding Completed

    • Most August graduates are typically reviewed and awarded within a few weeks.
    • Students who are officially awarded will receive an email to their Eastern Email. This email will have additional information regarding diplomas.

Situations That Can Delay Degree Awarding

Degree awarding cannot be completed until all degree requirements have been verified and all final academic records have been received.

Incomplete/Not Reported Grades (I or NR)

If you have any courses that received an Incomplete (I) grade or the grade was Not-Reported (NR), degree awarding must be delayed until the instructor submits a final letter grade.

  • An Incomplete grade does not satisfy any degree requirement.
  • Final review can only occur after the Incomplete is changed to a final grade.
  • Any questions regarding the Incomplete grade should be directed to the instructor of the course or the respective Department Chair/Dean

Coursework Completed at Another Institution

Students completing a requirement through another college or university must ensure that:

  • Prior approval has been obtained when required.
  • An official transcript is sent directly to the Registrar's Office.
  • The transfer course has been evaluated and posted to the student's academic record.

Degree awarding cannot occur until the official transcript has been received, the credit has been posted, and is fulfilling any intended requirements

CLEP and DSST Exams

Students planning to satisfy graduation requirements through CLEP or DSST examinations should plan accordingly.

  • Official score reports are mailed and may take several weeks to arrive.
  • Scores must be received and posted before degree requirements can be verified.
  • Testing must be completed by established deadlines for the credit to apply toward a specific graduation term. These deadlines can be viewed on the Graduation Information page.
  • Exams taken after the established deadline may apply to a later term, which will impact the conferral date.

Pending Deficiencies

Students who have not completed their requirements by the end of the term and do not provide any plans on how they will complete their requirements, will receive a letter via Eastern Email, addressing those requirements:

  • The Graduation Application is still active at this point. For the application to remain active, the student will need to communicate plans on how they will be completing their missing requirements. 
  • Students can still be awarded for their initial application term depending on the how and when their requirements are completed. 
  • If we do not receive any plans or communication within a certain time period, the application will be voided. Once voided, another application will need to be submitted for the term completion of the degree is anticipated.

Important Notes Regarding Application Submission

Applications are accepted anytime, but timely submission benefits the student.
Priority dates are intended to encourage early submission and provide sufficient time to identify and resolve outstanding requirements.

Register before applying whenever possible.
Degree audits are generally not started until registration opens, allowing planned coursework to be incorporated into the review and providing a more accurate audit.