Graduation Checklist

  • Apply to graduate by March 1st, July 1st, or October 1st via your student center in UA Connect under “My Academics.” The graduation fee will be added to your student account. After the deadline, there is a $25 late application fee for ALL students.
  • Apply to graduate for the semester that all work will be completed, not the semester for which you want to participate in Commencement.
  • Complete all degree requirements (comprehensive exams, incompletes, projects, etc.) no later than the last day of the term. This does not include theses/dissertations which are due no later than Dead Day each semester, or the last Friday before the end of the semester for Summer.
  • Schedule your thesis/dissertation defense as early as possible to avoid delays with scheduling all committee members. We recommend defending your thesis/dissertation at least TWO WEEKS prior to the submission deadline to allow enough time for required revisions.
  • If you are a master’s thesis or doctoral student, format your paper according to the Thesis and Dissertation Guide.
  • If you are a master’s thesis or doctoral student, submit Title form and committee form prior to the graduation semester
  • Send an electronic copy of your thesis/dissertation to the Graduate School (gradtad@uark.edu) for a formatting pre-check prior to defending and preferably at least TWO WEEKS prior to the final submission deadline of Dead Day. Further instructions can be found in the Thesis and Dissertation Guide.
  • Bring your complete thesis/dissertation submission packet (as outlined in the Guide) to the graduation office (GEAR 210B) and receive instructions to upload your final thesis/dissertation to ProQuest. Upload must be completed by 4:30pm on Dead Day in order to be eligible for graduation. Submissions made directly to ProQuest without first submitting packet to the Graduation Office will not be accepted.
  • The All University Commencement Ceremony will be on the first Saturday following the end of the Spring and Fall semesters. Students can register to participate in the ceremony when applying to graduate in UAConnect. Further information about the ceremony and how to apply can be found on the Registrar’s Office website.