Wichita State University
Commencement vs. Graduation
The Difference Between "Commencement" and "Graduation"
It is not uncommon for students to confuse graduation with the university's commencement ceremony, which many students refer to as their "grad walk." It is understandable that there could be some confusion as in some places, graduation and commencement are used interchangeably. However, at Wichita State University, they have distinctly different meanings, as described below.
Commencement is the celebratory ceremony held by the university in May and December, meant to recognize
graduates from the preceding semester. Graduates are invited to the appropriate ceremony based upon their proposed graduation
term. It is important to note that Commencement is voluntary, so no students are required
to attend. This is a strictly social event that is not tied to the actual award of
the degree. The Commencement ceremony is what many refer to as their "Grad Walk,"
and many students, especially international students, will delay participation in
this ceremony to allow more time for their families abroad to receive a visa to allow
them to attend the ceremony.
Graduation is the mandatory process each student must complete in order to have their degree conferred. This involves the filing of an Application for Degree (AFD) and completing all degree requirements by a prescribed set of deadlines for the semeser in which the degree is to be awarded. Degrees are awarded following the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.
What semester should I file my Application for Degree (AFD)?
When you begin the Application for Degree (AFD), it will ask you what semester you
plan to graduate. You should select the semester in which you plan to complete your
degree requirements and have your degree awarded. This must be done by the published
deadline for the semester in which you will graduate (complete your requirements).
You will also be able to indicate on the AFD which Commencement ceremony you wish
to attend. You can leave that blank if you are not sure. It is not uncommon, particularly
for international students, to select a Commencement ceremony later than their graduation
term.
An example. A student is completing all requirements and plans to graduate in Spring
2025, however, the student wants to walk in the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremony. How
does the student accomplish this?
The student will file the AFD by the published deadline for Spring 2025, and will
select Spring 2025 on the AFD as the semester they will complete all requirements
and graduate. On the AFD, they can also indicate in response to a later question that
they wish to participate in the Fall 2025 ceremony.
Spring graduates will automatically be invited to participate in the Spring Commencement
ceremony, and Fall graduates will autotmatically be invited to participate in the
Fall Commencement ceremony. If students wish to participate in a different ceremony,
they may delay their Commencement participation for up to one year. The student must
request approval from the Commencement Office to partcipate in a different ceremony
by email. Send an email to commencement@wichita.edu. Include your name, ID number, degree earned, and when you'd like to participate.
They will respond as soon as they are able to let you know if you are approved to
walk in the later ceremony.
What if I want to walk in a different commencement ceremony?
Spring graduates will automatically be invited to participate in the Spring Commencement ceremony, and Fall graduates will autotmatically be invited to participate in the Fall Commencement ceremony. If students wish to participate in a different ceremony, they may delay their Commencement participation for up to one year. The student must request approval from the Commencement Office to partcipate in a different ceremony by email. Send an email to commencement@wichita.edu. Include your name, ID number, degree earned, and when you'd like to participate. They will respond as soon as they are able to let you know if you are approved to walk in the later ceremony.
What if I complete my requirements in the Summer?
Summer Masters and Specialist graduates who file their AFD for the Summer semester
by the published deadline for Spring graduation will automatically be invited to participate
in the Spring ceremony. Doctoral candidates who are completing their degree in the
Summer generally must wait to participate in the Fall commencement ceremony.
If a Summer graduate wishes to participate in the Fall ceremony, they are more than
welcome to do so, and no special permission is needed. However, their name will not
be automatically published in the graduation program. If they would like their name
published, the can email the Graduate School office at wsugradschool@wichita.edu to request their name be added to the program. Note that deadlines apply, so requests
should be submitted by the 20th day of classes in the fall semester (usually mid-September)
What do I do if I want to invite my family who live abroad to attend the ceremony?
We love when family can come and celebrate the success of their graduates in person! In order to help facilitate that, WSU can offer a letter that you can request through our Registrar's Office that your family members can use as part of their application for a visitor's visa. You can find more details on that process on the Commencement website in their FAQ section.
Do I have to attend Commencement to receive my diploma?
Commencement is a social event, and while diploma covers are handed out to those who attend in person, the diploma itself is not distributed at Commencement. You can collect your diploma in person at the Registrar's Office once it is available, or you can request to have it mailed to you. More details are available on the Diplomas section of the Registrar's Office website.