Graduation Advising

Pre-Application

• Before your advisees apply to graduate, review their declared curricula and assist with any desired changes using the Change of Curriculum form.
• Submit substitutions/waivers as soon as possible using the Degree Audit Substitution/Waiver form to ensure requirements are completed in degree audit. Major professors prompt graduate students to submit a Change of Study Plan in VandalWeb.
• Maintain and update your advisee list in VandalWeb to ensure it is current.

Application for Graduation

• Before applying, undergraduates must complete the senior survey and graduate students must have an approved study plan.
• It is important that the student's curriculum is correct when they apply for graduation as no manual adjustments may be made once the application is submitted. If any corrections are required, students have to cancel the application and reapply once the curriculum is correct. If an application has been fully approved prior to cancellation, the application fee will not be refunded.
• Students apply to graduate in VandalWeb and the application is routed electronically for approval.
  • Undergraduate applications are routed to the college representative for review and approval.
  • Graduate applications are routed first to the major professor and then to the College of Graduate Studies for review and approval.
  • Email notifications are sent for each approval/denial step to the student's VandalMail and the advisor/major professor's U of I account. All advisors associated with the student receive the email notifications; maintaining accurate advisor records ensures notifications are sent to the appropriate people.
  • Application status may be viewed in VandalWeb using the View Graduation Application option.
• The Office of the Registrar completes the final application review and approval or denial. When approved, the student's account is billed for graduation fees.  Denied applications are not billed.

Post-Application

• Follow up right away on communications from college/department.
• Submit substitutions/waivers as soon as possible using the Degree Audit Substitution/Waiver form.
• Correct information and help student reapply if denied.

What to Do With Email Notifications

• The first email advisors/major professors receive about an advisee's intention to graduate should prompt a review of the student's degree audit and if necessary, contact the college representative to address outstanding degree requirements.
• Emails to advisors are not curriculum specific; all advisors listed for a student are notified of any graduation application activity. If the graduation application is for a curriculum/program you do not advise simply ignore the email.
• Remove students from your advisee list that you no longer advise to stop email notifications.