Degree Application

Students planning to graduate must formally apply for graduation by submitting an Application for Degree.

Online Application for Degree (UG only)

At the start of the Fall semester, the online Application for Degree will be made available in ESTHER. The online Application for Degree is available only to UG students, and through the Application for Degree deadline date posted in the Academic Calendar. After that date, UG students can still apply, but must do so via paper form (see Pre-Printed Application for Degree Form below). Presently, GR students do not have the online option and can apply to graduate only by using the paper form (see Pre-Printed Application for Degree Form below).

Instructions

  1. Login to ESTHER.
  2. Go to Student Services and Account Information > Graduation.
  3. Click on Application for Degree - Undergraduate Students.
  4. Carefully review your degree information (graduation date, degrees, declared majors/minors, etc.) and confirm that everything is correct.
    • If your graduation date is not correct (i.e., you plan to graduate earlier/later than originally expected), email the Office of the Registrar immediately to request a change of graduation date.
    • If you are missing a major or minor from your record, you will need to submit a Declaration of Major/Minor form to the Office of the Registrar.
    • Students should complete the online Application for Degree by the published deadline regardless of any changes you plan to make at a later date (i.e., changing your graduation date and/or adding or dropping a major or minor).
  5. Answer all of the questions on the questionnaire.
  6. Click Save Responses.
  7. Carefully review your answers to confirm that everything is correct then click the Complete Application button.
    • Your Application for Degree is not officially submitted until you click the Complete Application button.

Confirm Your Degree Status

  1. Login to ESTHER.
  2. Go to Student Services and Account Information > Graduation.
  3. Click on Verifying Graduation Status.
  4. Your Degree Status should show AP (Applied). If your Degree Status shows SO (Sought), you have not completed the Application for Degree.

Please Note: After the Application for Degree deadline, UG students will not be able to access the online form to apply for graduation. Instead they should download and complete the pre-printed Application for Degree form (accessible in ESTHER) and submit the form in person to the Office of the Registrar or submit to registrar@rice.edu.

Pre-Printed Application for Degree Form

Submission of the pre-printed Application for Degree Form is the method by which GR students apply for graduation, or for UG students that might be applying late and after the posted Application for Degree deadline.

Undergraduate Student Instructions

  1. Login to ESTHER.
  2. Go to Student Services and Account Information > Graduation.
  3. Click on "Application for Degree - Undergraduate Students".
  4. Download and fill out the Application for Degree form.
  5. Review and make any necessary corrections on the form.
  6. Sign, date, and submit the form to the Office of the Registrar either in-person or via email to registrar@rice.edu.

Graduate Student Instructions

  1. Login to ESTHER.
  2. Go to Student Services and Account Information > Graduation.
  3. Click on "Application for Degree - Graduate Students".
  4. Download and fill out the Application for Degree form.
  5. Review and make any necessary corrections on the form.
  6. Sign, date, and submit the form to the Office of the Registrar either in-person or via email to registrar@rice.edu.

Application for Degree Deadlines

Please consult the semester specific academic calendar for degree application deadlines.

Please Note: All students applying for graduation and submitting an Application for Degree form after the published Academic Calendar deadline will be assessed a $100 late processing fee.

Questions

If you have graduation questions, please contact the Office of the Registrar.