Graduation Petition Process

The Associate degree will be granted to a student who files a Petition for Graduation in the Office of Admissions and Records; has a grade point average of 2.0 or higher; and will have completed a total of 60 degree-applicable units.

A Certificate of Achievement will be granted to students who files a Petition for a Certificate in the Office of Admissions and Records; has a grade point average of 2.0 or higher; and will have completed all courses constituting the certificate program.

Fill out the Petition for Graduation or Petition for a Certificate and submit to Admissions & Records:

• Have not applied for your degree this semester OR want to apply for an additional degree.
• Have completed a minimum of 45 college units OR are in you final semester/term for your certificate.

  If you have credits from another college/institution, you will need to have official transcripts and AP scores on file with Admission.  In the meantime if you do not have records on file, you may attach unofficial records in our online form.

Download Forms

• Petition for Graduation (pdf)
• Petition for a Certificate (pdf)
  

After you submit your petition for graduation/certificate. If you qualify, you will be issued your degree at the end of the current degree filing period. If you do not qualify yet, we will provide you a checklist of the needed classes. 

If you have any questions visit a counselor to find out how you can petition for graduation.

You can file for your degree during Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer. Once you register in your final semester, you may apply. The deadline to petition are:

• Fall - December 1st
• Winter - February 1st
• Spring - June 1st
  (deadline for your name to appear in Spring graduation program is May 9th)
• Summer - August 1st

View A&R Important dates for specific deadlines

Your petition will be forwarded to our evaluator for a review.  If you are missing requirements or records, the evaluator will inform you through a letter sent to your mailing address listed on your petition for graduation/certificate.  If there are no issues with your degree petition, you will receive a letter. 

If you have completed all your requirements, wait until your degree posts according to the timeline of your filed term.

If you are transferring to a CSU for a major that accepts your ADT degree and you noted your ADT intent on your CSU application, our evaluators will submit an e-verify to the CSUs on your behalf.

If you did not let the CSU know of your ADT intent on your CSU application, you will need to submit a paper ADT verification to your CSUs directly. You will need to make copies of the "Verification of Intent to Earn Associate in Arts/Science Degree - Transfer" form (also sometimes given to you at the time that you filed for your degree) and submit to your CSUs.    

Once your ADT degree posts on your GCC transcript, your official transcript will be your verification document.  You will no longer need to submit the paper ADT verification form.

You do NOT need to submit the ADT verification if you are transferring as a different major (i.e. getting AS-T in Math but transferring as a Biology major).

You do NOT need to submit the ADT verification if you are transferring to a UC.

You will receive a letter by mail from the Admissions Evaluator stating your missing requirements. Once you enroll in the course again, you will need to reapply for graduation.

Pending final requirements, your degree(s) will post on your GCC transcript in:

• Summer Graduation - September
• Fall Graduation - January
• Winter Graduation - February
• Spring Graduation - June

Diploma(s) will be mailed to the address listed on your petition for graduation/certificate.

• Summer Graduation - October
• Fall Graduation - February
• Winter Graduation - April
• Spring Graduation - September

You are not required to attend the ceremony; however we highly encourage you to attend and invite your family and friends to celebrate your achievements at GCC.

The graduation application and diploma is FREE.

• SUMMER Graduation: Commencement information will be mailed to you in late April of the following year to participate in the June ceremony later that following year. If you wish to participate in the ceremony of the same year, please see a counselor in Academic Counseling (Sierra Vista Building) or let us know through online counseling.
• FALL Graduation: Commencement information will be mailed to you in late April of the following year to participate in the June ceremony.
• WINTER Graduation: Commencement information will be mailed to you in late April to participate in the June ceremony of the same year.
• SPRING Graduation: Commencement information will be mailed to you in late April to participate in the June ceremony of that same year.