Degrees & Diplomas

Degrees are awarded four times a year, once at the end of each academic term. Transcripts and diplomas reflect a degree awarded only on one of these dates. Degree finalization is the process of verifying all of a student's degree requirements have been completed, posting the degree to the student's transcript, and ordering a diploma. This process is only initiated after a student completes the online request starting with the link below.

Students must submit a Diploma and Degree Finalization Request and pay the degree finalization fee, regardless of whether they want to participate in a commencement ceremony. Students may register for their regional commencement ceremony as part of the online degree finalization request, since registration for the ceremony is open only to students who are finishing their program.

Your student account will be charged the corresponding degree finalization fee ($50 or $35 for re-application). This fee will appear on your account after your request has been processed. You can pay your account balance online through your portal at MY.NL.EDU, by mailing a check, or at any campus; a payment is always applied to the oldest charge on your account.

Diploma and Degree Finalization Requests must be received by the Office of Admissions & Records by a certain deadline before each degree award date. Please review the Diploma & Degree Finalization Application Deadlines before applying.

Field program students should apply for the diploma date that falls directly after the official end date of their classes.

Students who find they will not complete their requirements by the date for which they have applied may submit another Degree and Diploma Finalization Request online to request a change in their degree award date. If the request for a change in date is made after the original diploma date has passed, your student account will be charged a $35 reprocessing fee.

Diplomas are mailed to students approximately 8 weeks after the official diploma date. Diploma and Transcripts will not be issued unless all financial obligations have been met.

Degrees are awarded on March 31, June 30, August 31, and December 31 each year.  It takes 2-3 weeks after the degree award date for degrees to be posted. 

Degree & Diploma Finalization Application Deadlines

Still have questions? Email us at registrar@nl.edu, call us at (847) 947-5718 or contact us online.