For your degree/certificate to be reviewed for graduation you must complete a graduation application. If you wish to attend the Commencement ceremony, you must APPLY to graduate using the link below.
To have your degree or certificate reviewed for graduation, you MUST complete a graduation application. This application is also necessary to participate in the annual Commencement ceremony. Click the link above to apply!
Before applying to graduate, ensure that all course substitutions, transfer credits, and other relevant changes are reflected on your academic record.
Initial Evaluation
Final Review
Students can apply to graduate for December (Fall), May (Spring), or August (Summer) award dates. Note that the Commencement ceremony is held once per year in May.
Commencement is a celebration for students who have completed or are expected to complete all degree or certificate requirements by the end of the academic year. The ceremony is held annually in May.
Graduation refers to the completion of all degree requirements. Students can officially graduate at the end of the Fall (December), Spring (May), or Summer (August) semesters, but only one Commencement ceremony occurs in May.
Important Notes
For more information about the ceremony, including cap and gown details, visit the MassBay Commencement Webpage .
To qualify for graduation, candidates for all degrees and certificates must fulfill both academic and non-academic requirements:
Important Notes
Application Deadline
Students must submit a Graduation Application by the specified deadline. Applications submitted after this deadline will be reviewed for the following semester.
Final Deadline to Submit Application: August 15, 2025
Early Review Application Submission: November 1, 2025
Final Deadline to Submit Application: December 21, 2025
Early Review Application Submission: April 1, 2026
Final Deadline to Submit Application: May 17, 2025
2026 Commencement Ceremony: May 28, 2026
MassBay requires that students first:
Once you submit your application, a confirmation email will be sent to your MassBay email. The Registrar’s Office will continue to communicate with you via MassBay email about your graduation application status. Due to high volume, please allow 4-6 weeks for the Registrar’s Office to review your application and send an initial communication. If you have applied and have not heard back from the Registrar’s Office after six weeks, please email: graduationstatus@massbay.edu
After the official graduation date has passed, degree evaluations will be reviewed by the Registrar’s Office to check that all requirements have been completed. Due to high volume of applications, this process may take 4-6 weeks after the graduation date has passed.
Students can apply to graduate for Fall (December), Spring (May), or Summer (August). However, a commencement ceremony is held only once per year in May. Please refer to the Spring Academic Calendar for the Commencement date. More information about the ceremony, cap and gowns and other details will be available on the Commencement page later in the spring semester.
Students can complete the online Graduation Application →
Yes, as long as you are currently active in the program for the semester in which you are applying to graduate. You will need to submit multiple applications for each program you are petitioning to graduate from.
Students enrolled in a certificate or degree program who anticipate completing all program requirements should apply for graduation in the semester they anticipate graduating or in the semester prior to their anticipated graduation.
You can meet with your academic advisor, visit the virtual advising center, or review your program requirements using MyMap on your Bay Navigator account.
MassBay recognizes students’ academic achievement by applying the following designations to students’ diplomas and transcripts who have earned exemplary grade point averages during their stay at the College:
Highest Honors: Associate degree candidates for graduation whose cumulative grade point average is 3.700 or above.
High Honors: Associate degree candidates for graduation whose cumulative grade point average is 3.500-3.699.
MassBay graduates students three times per year:
Diplomas will be mailed out once all applications have been reviewed and awarded. After the official graduation date, the Registrar’s Office will begin the final review of applications to check that all requirements have been completed. Due to high volume of applications, this process can take 4-6 weeks after the graduation date has passed.
Diplomas are mailed via USPS by our diploma vendor. More information regarding diplomas will be communicated in the email that is sent after the final review of your record has been completed.
If you resolve your financial hold after diplomas have been ordered, you will need to contact registrar@massbay.edu for assistance. We do not receive automatic notifications when students have resolved holds, so it's your responsibility to contact the Registrar’s Office regarding the release of your diploma.
Students who have 2 courses or fewer to complete in the Summer semester can attend the Commencement ceremony. If a student wants to participate in the ceremony, they must register for summer classes and submit a summer (August) graduation application by last day of Day/Evening Final Exams for the Spring (May) semester. The Registrar’s Office will review the student’s record and send a communication to the student’s MassBay email when the review is complete.
Please refer to the Academic Calendar for the last day of Day/Evening Final Exam dates.