Graduation Information
To obtain a degree or certificate from the Borough of Manhattan Community College, an application for graduation is required. Students in their final term or when coursework has been completed must submit an Application for Graduation. If all requirements are not met by the end of the final term of attendance, the student must reapply for graduation in order to be considered for a subsequent term.
Please consult the Academic Calendar for the first and the last date to apply for graduation for a given term.
Graduation Requirements
To be eligible for graduation from BMCC, you must:
- Successfully complete all the required courses and credits in your program of study.*
- Earn at least a 2.0 GPA.
- Complete at least 15 credits (effective Fall 2022) in residence
- Pass a Writing Intensive Course** beyond ENG 201 in order to graduate.
- Apply for Graduation in CUNYfirst
*Graduation requirements are subject to change without notice any time at the discretion of the administration and the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York.
**Students who began prior to Spring 2008 or already earned a Bachelor’s Degree are exempt from the Writing Intensive requirement
Applying for Graduation
Login to CUNYfirst, select Student Center → Graduation → Apply for Graduation → click on the Apply for Graduation link for the academic program you intend to complete at end of the term.
From the Expected Graduation Term dropdown menu, select the term you intend to complete your requirements (i.e. 2024 Fall). Select continue to verify data and then click “Submit Application”. Afterwards, will receive a message that you have successfully applied for graduation.
For more detailed instructions with screenshots of the process in CUNYFirst, check out our walkthrough.
If you meet the graduation requirements but the Apply for Graduation option is not available for you in CUNYFirst, please contact the Graduation Team at Graduation@bmcc.cuny.edu.
Viewing Graduation Status
Students will be able to view their graduation status in the same section of CUNYFirst where they submitted the graduation application. By accessing CUNYfirst by using the following navigation: Login to CUNYfirst, select Student Center → Graduation → View Graduation Status
Graduation Evaluation Process
After you have applied for graduation, an evaluation will be performed to determine if you have met the degree requirements.
Graduation evaluations are done 3 times during the term:
- Initial evaluation: This evaluation is done during the first 6-10 weeks of the semester in which the student applied.
- Secondary evaluation: Performed for applicants who have withdrawn/dropped a course to determine if student remains eligible for graduation.
- Final evaluation: Performed after all grades and other end of term processing is completed.
There are eight types of graduation statuses:
- Eligible to Apply– Based on the total number of credits completed so far, CUNYfirst has determined the student is eligible to submit an Application for Graduation online. If you do not see the Apply for Graduation option but meet the graduation requirements stated above, please contact the Graduation Team at Graduation@bmcc.cuny.edu.
- Applied for Graduation– The Application for Graduation has been received by the Office of the Registrar and is currently on queue for review.
- Program in Review – The Application for Graduation is currently being reviewed by the Registrar. Once the review is complete a new status will be assigned.
- Need to Finish Pending Work– Students are eligible to graduate pending successful completion of current coursework.
- Approved– Student meets the requirements to graduate if there are no adjustments to their record.
- Denied– The Application for Graduation has been reviewed by the Office of the Registrar and the student does not meet the requirements for graduation. Students are notified via email about their outstanding requirements.
- Withdrawn– The Application for Graduation was submitted, but then removed at the request of the student. Students who wish to withdraw their graduation application should email graduation@bmcc.cuny.edu to request the form.
- Degree Awarded– Degree has been officially awarded. Students will receive a notification email once their degree has been officially awarded in CUNYFirst.
Commencement Ceremony
The Commencement Ceremony is held once a year in late May or early June. It is for students who have graduated in the previous Summer semester, Fall semester and Winter session as well as candidates for the upcoming Spring term. For example, the 2024 Commencement Ceremony will include graduates from Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, and pending Spring 2024 applicants.
Additional information about the ceremony can be found on the Commencement Site. This is usually updated every March with the information about the upcoming ceremony. For questions about the ceremony please reach out to commencement@bmcc.cuny.edu.
For students who need visa invitation letters for family members who are planning to attend the graduation ceremony please email graduation@bmcc.cuny.edu with the request including their names and relationship to you. We can usually start providing letters in early March.
Diplomas
Please be advised that the process described below applies to students who graduated Fall 2021 to present. Graduates from Summer 2021 and earlier should contact Graduation@bmcc.cuny.edu for assistance with retrieving their diploma from campus storage if they have not already picked it up.
We currently use Parchment as a diploma service to students. All graduates will be sent a digital version of their diploma, but students can select if they wish to have a paper diploma sent to them and to which address they would like the diploma sent.
Approved applicants and graduates will be sent a diploma survey to verify the following information prior to receiving their diploma:
- Confirm how their name will display on the diploma (i.e. Do they want to include their middle name or not)
- Please note: The diploma must display a student’s legal name as listed in CUNYfirst. For students who have had a legal name change they will first need to complete a change of personal information form on the BMCC Portal > Online Forms > Registrar > Change of Personal Information
- Mailing address for their Paper Diploma (if they want to receive a paper diploma)
Once the digital diploma is ready for students, they will receive an email from the BMCC Graduation team as well as Parchment, inviting them to make an account on the Parchment website. This website can be used to access their digital diploma as well as view the shipping process of their paper diploma if they chose to have one shipped.
Frequently Asked Questions
- I have 60 credits, am I ready to graduate?
The majority of students are very close to graduation when they reach 60 credits, but students must complete all degree requirements to be eligible to graduate. You can check your degree requirements on Degree Works (Advisement Audit) through CUNYFirst or check with your Academic Advisor.
- Can I get a letter verifying that I graduated?
After your degree is posted on your transcript and in CUNYFirst, you can contact Graduation@bmcc.cuny.edu to request an Enrollment Verification letter and choose “Earned Degree” to appear on the letter.
- Can I have my transcript held until the degree is posted?
Yes, when ordering your transcript via Parchment there is the option to hold until degree posting.
- What if I need to change my name on my diploma?
Once you have graduated, your records are officially sealed. You will have to officially change your name with the Registrar’s Office before the end of the semester. A link to the Change of Personal Information form can be found on the Registrar webpage under the Student Forms section.
- How can I order a duplicate diploma?
You can order a duplicate diploma online via Parchment.
- Can I still take a class after I graduate?
Yes, you can attend BMCC as a Non-Degree or Second-Degree student: https://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/admissions/apply-now/
- Can I receive a grade change after graduation?
No. Once a student has been granted a degree, grade changes for courses taken in semesters prior to receiving the degree are not permitted. If any student expects to receive a grade change, please notify the Graduation Team in the Office of the Registrar immediately at Graduation@bmcc.cuny.edu.
- What happens if I miss the Graduation Application Deadline for my final semester?
If you happen to miss the deadline to apply for graduation during your final semester of classes, you will need to apply for graduation in the next available semester. You do not need to be enrolled for that semester in order to be awarded your degree, and can even transfer to another college in the meantime should you wish to do so. We award degrees five times per year (Summer 1, Summer 2, Fall, Winter, and Spring), so there will almost always be a semester open that you can apply for in CUNYFirst. If you find that you are not able to submit an application in CUNYFirst, please email Graduation@Bmcc.cuny.edu for assistance.
