Graduation

Graduation is the official process of earning a degree or certificate that students can achieve any quarter of the academic year. Commencement is the annual event in June where we celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments along with family, faculty and staff, and the community.

On this page, you'll find deadlines and steps to apply for graduation and information on receiving your diplomas.

Apply for Graduation

Important notice: Students must apply for graduation no later than May 12, 2025, to ensure their names appear in the printed commencement program.

The graduation application submission deadlines are listed below*:

Graduation TermGraduation Application OpensGraduation Application Submission DeadlineDiplomas Available
Winter 2025November 18, 2024March 12, 2025End of April 2025
Spring 2025March 3, 2025June 9, 2025End of July 2025
Summer 2025June 2, 2025August 8, 2025End of September 2025
Fall 2025June 2, 2025December 3, 2025End of January 2026
Winter 2026November 24, 2025March 11, 2026End of April 2026
Spring 2026March 2, 2026June 8, 2026End of July 2026

*Dates are subject to change to align with the academic calendar.

If you missed an open graduation application term, please contact your advisor/counselor or a completion coach.

Please follow these steps in order to complete the graduation application process:

  1. Apply to graduate through the ctcLink Student Self-Service Portal. For step-by-step help, please view the instructions on how to apply.
  2. Your advisor/counselor will review your graduation application. When your advisor/counselor has approved your application, the approval will show in your Academic Records tile under “View My Milestones”.
    • You will be contacted only if there are issues with your graduation application.
  3. Pass your final classes! Graduation application processing begins after grades have been posted to student transcripts.
    • You will only be contacted during the process if there are questions.
  4. Update your mailing address through the Student Self-Service. You can follow the instructions here.
  5. Your graduation status will be updated in the Academic Progress tile in your ctcLink Student Homepage. You will also receive updates through your ctcLink Message Center.
  6. Order your official transcript if you need it to be sent to you or to another school/institution.
  7. Visit our Commencement Ceremony page for more information about how you can participate in the annual Seattle Colleges commencement celebration.