Information for Graduates
After Graduation - coming soon
Candidates Eligible to Participate in Commencement
Degree Requirements
Associate and Bachelor (contact the Registrar's Office)
Master's, Ed.S., and Doctoral (contact the Graduate School)
Diploma/Commencement Program Name Standard (see below)
Regalia (order your cap and gown)
RSVP for Commencement
- Undergraduate candidates (associate and baccalaureate degrees) form
- Graduate candidates (master's, Ed.S. and Doctor of Nursing) contact the Graduate School.
Candidates Eligible to Participate in Commencement
Candidates completing all degree requirements (associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees) during the Summer or Fall semesters are eligible to participate in fall commencement. Candidates completing all degree requirements during the Spring semester are eligible to participate in spring commencement.
Students with reasonable expectation to finish a degree during the summer term may participate in the spring commencement prior to completion. Summer graduates also have the option to attend the following fall commencement. However, all graduates are allowed only one opportunity to participate in commencement. Names will appear in the program for the ceremony in which the graduates are scheduled to participate. Undergraduate students present requests to the Registrar; graduate students present requests to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Degree Applications
Undergraduate and graduate students must file an apply for program completion form (formerly Intent to Graduate form) in Workday for the last semester in which the degree is being sought. If you are finishing your degree this semester, sign in to Workday to submit the application form.
To be included in the Spring 2023 commencement program and recognized in the ceremony, students will need to submit any changes to their Program Completion form no later than Friday, March 24, 2023.
Degree Completion Fee
Undergraduate degree $50 (even for a student receiving two bachelor's degrees in the same semester); graduate degree $50. Graduate students who are in the thesis or field study option will pay binding fees of $15 each for the first four copies required by the university and $25 for additional copies. These non-refundable graduation fees are required of all degree candidates. This fee supports the costs associated with the graduation process such as administrative expenses, diploma printing and covers, and mailing costs.
Diplomas
Graduates will receive their diplomas in the mail approximately three to four weeks after the end of the semester. Candidates must update their diploma address in Workday before the designated date at the end of the semester in which they are completing their requirements.
- Associate's and Bachelor's degree candidates should contact their degree analyst in the Registrar's Office at 785-628-4222 or registrar@fhsu.edu to change their diploma address.
- Master's, Ed.S. and DNP degree candidates should contact the Graduate School at 785-628-4236 or gradschool@fhsu.edu to change their diploma address.
Diploma/Commencement Program Name Standard
The diploma name must match the legal first and last name on file with Fort Hays State University.
To change a legal first and/or last name, on the diploma, see the “Change My Legal Name” job aid. FHSU requires you to upload a valid driver’s license, Social Security card, or passport with your new legal name to change it in the FHSU record system. Please submit any legal name updates as soon as possible.
Once a diploma is issued, any changes/updates to the name will require the purchase of another copy of the diploma.
The Registrar’s Office or Graduate School will email students if the diploma name submitted does not meet the standard outlined above. Any diploma name that does not match the legal first and last name will revert back to the legal name on file with the University before the degree is awarded and diplomas are issued.
Please note:
- Middle names may be added, removed, abbreviated or expanded as necessary.
- Suffixes are permissible and a comma will be placed after the last name. (ex : Smith, III)
- Periods are placed after all middle initials. If you do not want a period after your middle initial, please email registrar@fhsu.edu or gradschool@fhsu.edu with this request.
- To insert a special diacritical mark or accent, please copy and paste the character from Microsoft Word.
- Names in all capital letters will be changed to mixed case (only the first letter of each name is capitalized).
- The commencement programs and diplomas have hard print deadlines. Please submit changes as early as possible. We cannot make any changes submitted after these deadlines.
If this address is wrong or no address appears, refer to the “Change My Primary Address” job aid.Hometown Address
FHSU will use the city, state, and country (NOT street address or zip code!) in the diploma mailing address as your hometown. This hometown will appear next to your name in the Commencement Program that friends, family, and other graduates receive at the graduation ceremonies.
If your hometown address is different, you can designate another address, already on file, as your hometown by using the “Designate a Hometown Address” job aid. If you wish to create a new address to use as your hometown, use the “Create a Hometown Address” job aid.
International StudentsDiploma names for international students must match the exact name as it appears on their passport, visa, insurance and other official documents. Various international governments and verification agencies accept a student’s diploma as official only if it is issued under the name listed on the official university record.
Please direct any questions you have to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@fhsu.edu or gradschool@fhsu.edu.
Honors at Graduation
Bachelor's degree candidates who are earning graduation honors from Fort Hays State University wear a black-and-gold honor cord as part of their commencement gown. Honors are awarded based on the candidate’s grade point average (GPA) for both cumulative and Fort Hays State University coursework. Eligible students must have attended Fort Hays State University for one of the last two years, and at least 60 hours must be earned from an institution offering regular upper-division credit.
Cum Laude - Achievement of 3.60 to 3.79 GPA.
Magna Cum Laude - Achievement of 3.80 to 3.89 GPA.
Summa Cum Laude - Achievement of 3.90 or above GPA.
While honors will be listed in the commencement program for those who may reasonably anticipate them, the listing on the program is not a guarantee of receiving honors. The listing and reading of honors for degree candidates are based on the grade indexes achieved at the beginning of the student's final semester. The official honor awarded based on final grade indexes will be noted on the student's diploma and transcript.
There are no honors distinctions for Master's, Ed.S., or Doctoral degrees.
Accessibility
For students requiring accommodations for the Commencement ceremonies, please contact the Graduate School (master's, Ed.S., and doctoral) at 785.628.4236 or email gradschool@fhsu.edu. If you are an undergraduate student (associate or baccalaureate), please contact the Registrar's Office at 785.628.4222 or email registrar@fhsu.edu.