General Graduation Information

The Registrar’s Office commends you on your upcoming graduation.

This page and its links provide you with the necessary information and steps to complete the graduation process.

If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 251-460-6251, option 4 or email graduation@usouthal.edu.

Applying for Graduation

You must apply for graduation by the above deadlines. These deadlines are two terms before your expected completion of degree requirements. NOTE: It is important that you apply for the correct term so that you will not be blocked from registration for any subsequent terms. The graduation application is valid for two terms. If you have not met degree requirements by the end of the second term, you will be required to reapply for graduation.

The graduation application is available by downloading the Graduation Application or you can obtain one at the Registrar’s Office (Meisler Hall, Suite 1100).

The initial application fee is $50.00 and the reapplication fee is $25.00. The fees can be paid through the Office of Student Accounting (Meisler Hall, Suite 1300) or mailed with your graduation application to the Registrar’s Office (University of South Alabama, Registrar’s Office, Meisler Hall, Suite 1100, Mobile, AL 36688).

Graduation Requirements

Prior to advising for your last term, your college will provide you with a check sheet listing your remaining requirements. This will assist you in registering for the correct courses to complete your degree requirements. A degree audit is also available through PAWS (http://paws.southalabama.edu).

NOTE: If you have attended another institution as a transient, you need to request that an official transcript be sent to the University of South Alabama, Registrar's Office, Meisler Hall, Suite 1100, Mobile, AL 36688. Failure to send the transcript may adversely affect completion of your degree requirements.

If you make any changes to your program of study after applying for graduation, you will need to complete a Change of Program Form in your department. The department will then forward this change to the Registrar’s Office and adjustments to your application will be made. If your check sheet has already been processed you will be notified to pay a $25.00 reevaluation fee. You may receive a new check sheet from your college if the change affects your requirements.

Academic Honors

Only undergraduate candidates are eligible for academic honors. Since commencement occurs before the official end of the term, final grades cannot be determined in time for inclusion in the printed commencement program. Thus tentative honors, based on the student’s academic record through the end of the last term completed, will appear in the printed commencement program and will be recognized in the ceremony. Final official honors will be computed after all grades are processed at the end of the term for the last term of attendance, and will appear on the student’s diploma and transcript.

Students who have at least 60 GPA hours in residence with a grade point average of 3.50 or better at the University of South Alabama are graduated with distinction. Transfer credit hours are not included in the determination of academic honors. Academic honors are not awarded for second degree, graduate degrees, or professional degrees.

Cum Laude 3.50 – 3.69
Magna Cum Laude 3.70 – 3.89
Summa Cum Laude 3.90 – 4.00

A list of students who have applied for graduation in the current term will be available on our website. Students in this group who have been identified as possibly eligible for academic honors are noted as such on the list. Applicants will be notified via their Jaguar1 email account when the list is available for review.

Questions concerning tentative honors should be resolved prior to commencement by contacting the Registrar’s Office (University of South Alabama, Registrar’s Office, Meisler Hall, Suite 1100, Mobile, AL 36688).

Commencement Information

Information concerning the commencement ceremony is posted on the Registrar’s Office website. All information regarding commencement will be announced only through this website. You will be notified via your Jaguar1 email account when new information is posted.

Diploma Information


To check your diploma mailing address on file, go to your PAWS account and view Addresses and Phones under Personal Information. If corrections are needed, you must complete and return the Diploma Mailing Address Change Form to the Registrar’s Office by the posted deadline. After the deadline, the form will not be available on the website and you must contact the Registrar’s Office (251-460-6251 or graduation@usouthal.edu) to make any changes. Diploma covers are only given to students participating in the commencement ceremony.Your diploma will not be sent if you have any outstanding financial obligations to the University. You can check your PAWS account for any holds. Once the holds are cleared, contact the Registrar’s Office and your diploma will be sent. Unclaimed diplomas become the property of the University after one calendar year and will be destroyed at that time.

Any changes to the diploma name submitted on the graduation application must be sent with supporting documentation to the Registrar’s Office prior to commencement. Contact the Registrar’s Office (251-460-6251 or graduation@usouthal.edu) for further instructions.

Students who do not complete degree requirements are notified through their official university e-mail accounts promptly after the term ends.

To order a duplicate diploma complete and return to the Registrar’s Office (University of South Alabama, Registrar’s Office, Meisler Hall, Suite 1100, Mobile, AL 36688) the Duplicate/Replacement Diploma Order Form including the $25.00 fee.

To replace a damaged diploma complete and return to the Registrar’s Office (University of South Alabama, Registrar’s Office, Meisler Hall, Suite 1100, Mobile, AL 36688) the Duplicate/Replacement Diploma Order Form including the $25.00 fee. The original diploma must also be returned.

For a notarized copy of your diploma contact the Registrar’s Office (251-460-6251 or graduation@usouthal.edu).

If you have not received your diploma six weeks after the end of term contact the Registrar’s Office (251-460-6251 or graduation@usouthal.edu).

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