Applying for graduation and program completion

If you are a graduate student, follow the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Workday How-to Guides.

To graduate from UBC, you must complete a formal application process that consists of two components: 

  1. The Graduation Application 
    • This application must be submitted to receive your parchment and to indicate whether or not you plan to attend the ceremony.
  2. The Program Completion Application 
    • This application must be submitted to have your program requirements reviewed by your faculty or school, and have your degree conferred (awarded) by the Senate. 

You must complete both the Graduation Application and the Program Completion Application or you will not be eligible to graduate. 

Learn more about applying to graduate. 

On this page:

Step 1: Submit the Graduation Application

Go to the Graduation Application

  1. Use your CWL to log into the Graduation Application. 
  2. Select ‘Apply for Graduation’ to start your Graduation Application. 

Complete your Graduation Application

  • Some of the fields on the Graduation Application will be prepopulated with information from your Workday account. Review this content. 
  • If graduation ceremony dates and times have not been assigned, your graduation ceremony details will not appear.  Details may not be available until May (Spring Convocation), November (Fall Convocation) and are subject to change. You can also view the graduation schedule for updates.

Submit your Graduation Application

  1. To submit your Graduation Application, you must select the “Save & Submit” button located after the “Ceremony Details” section. 
  2. If your Graduation Application was successfully submitted, you will see a screen that states “Application Successfully Submitted”. 
    • You will also receive a confirmation email sent to the primary email address you have listed in Workday. Reminder: Please check your Spam and Junk Email folders.

Step 2: Submit the Program Completion Application

Go to your Academics app

  1. Log into your Workday account at myworkday.ubc.ca. 
  2. Click “Academics” in the “Your Top Apps” menu. 

Go to Graduation

On the “Academics” page in the “Academics” app: 

  1. Click the “Graduation” tab in the top menu. 
  2. Click the “Apply for Program Completion” link in the “Graduation” menu to the right. 

Complete your Program Completion Application

On the “Apply for Program Completion” page, confirm your Academic Record.

  •  If you only have one Academic Record, this field will be prepopulated.
  • If you have more than one active Academic Record, select the one you are applying for.

Select apply and confirm, and enter expected completion date, then submit.

  1. Check the “Apply” box to select your primary program of study. Only your primary program of study can be selected in this application, but you will graduate with all of your ‘In Progress’ programs of study. If you have more than one program of study, make sure your secondary programs are correct before submitting your application (e.g., if you have a minor or a second major). You can view your programs of study in your Academics Overview in Workday. 
    • Once your application is submitted, you will not be able to make changes to your program of study. 
  2. Enter your Expected Completion Date (ECD) according to the conferral period you are applying for: 
    • May Graduation: Enter any date in term 2 (between January 1 and April 30) 
    • November Graduation: Enter August 31 
      • The ECD date entered does not impact your academic record or the date you actually meet/met program requirements. 
      • If you select an ECD that does not match the current application window when you are applying, you will receive an error message. Refer to the application periods and expected completion dates listed above. 
  3. Check that the information is correct. If it is correct, check the “Confirm” box. 
  4. Click the “Submit” button. 

Review and confirm your Program Completion Application

  1. Review your “Program Completion Status” to make sure your application was successful. Your status should read “Applied for Completion”. 
  2. Click the “Done” button. 

Step 3: Verify your Application

  1. Use your CWL to log into the Graduation Application. 
  2. Select “View Details” to open the Application Details screen. 
  3. Confirm that you have successfully completed both the Graduation Application and the Program Completion Application, by reviewing the “Graduation Application Submitted” and “Workday Program Completion Status” display bars at the top of the screen. 

Please note that it may take up to 24 hours for the Application Details to reflect that both applications have been completed. 

If there are any discrepancies or changes needed to your Graduation Application, you will be able to edit your application until the application period is completed. Select “Edit Student Application” from the Application Details screen. 

Stages of your application 

  • Your “Workday Program Completion Status” display bar will update on the Application Details screen when your application has been reviewed and when your degree has been conferred. 
  • If graduation ceremony dates and times have not been assigned, your Graduation Ceremony details will not appear. Details may not be available until May (Spring Convocation), November (Fall Convocation) and are subject to change. You can also view the graduation schedule for updates.

Viewing your Program of Study Status and your Program Completion Status in Workday 

In the Workday Academics app, under the “Graduation” tab, you can view your Program of Study Status and Program Completion Status. There are a number of statuses that may appear on your academic record once you have applied to graduate. Learn more. 

Step 4: Submit your Program Completion Questionnaire (may be required)

After submitting your Program Completion Application, you will receive the Program Completion Questionnaire sent to your “My Tasks” inbox in Workday. 

The Program completion questionnaire is optional unless you have outstanding transfer credits (courses taken at another institution) that need to be added to your record to meet degree requirements. In this case, you must submit a Program Completion Questionnaire. 

  1. Click the “My Tasks” icon at the top right of the page. Alternatively, you can select the task on the Workday landing page under “Awaiting Your Action”. 
  2. Click on the inbox notification titled “Apply for Program Completion Event” to open the questionnaire. 
  3. Complete the questionnaire by selecting “Yes” or “No” for the question. 
  4. Review your answer before proceeding. Once you submit, you will not be able to make changes or view your response. 
  5. Click the “Submit” button. 

Late Applications

f you miss the graduation application deadline, follow your Faculty’s process to request a late application. Contact your advising office. 

Additional resources

Last updated on December 17, 2025 @4:12 pm