Applying for Graduation
Applications for Master’s degrees and Engineering Certificates
Application for PhD degree
Please note:
- Details are sent out via email by the OAS Office each degree cycle.
- Names are purged from the Degree System after each degree cycle. A student who misses the degree deadlines must apply again for the following degree cycle.
- Degrees are posted after the conferral date and it may take six weeks or longer for degrees to be posted to a transcript.
- Diplomas are mailed eight to ten weeks after graduation. More information can be found here.
Graduate Student Requests
All requests typically take 5-7 business days for processing.
(Penn Engineering Online students should email their program directly with all requests. Do not use the links below.)
Leave of Absence (LOA) Requests:
- Leave of Absence Request
- Return from Leave of Absence Request
(Return requests should be made at least 30 days in advance of the term beginning that a student wishes to return.)
Grad Engineering Forms and Petitions
*For pdf forms, please download/open the form in your pdf reader to access the fillable fields. Handwritten forms will not be accepted.
- Transfer to Another Master’s Program
- Dual Master’s Degrees within Engineering
- Withdraw from the University
- Update program’s Expected Graduation Date
Path Forms (link here) include:
- Petition to Withdraw from a Course
- Add/change a concentration (BIOT, MEAM, BE degrees only)
- Apply for a certificate
- Add a Master’s in passing for a PhD degree student
- FERPA updates
- PhD graduate milestone forms
- Transcript requests
Letter Requests for students and alumni (request here):
The Office of the University Registrar will provide letters standard verification including a student’s name of record with Penn, graduate program(s), degree type(s), dates of attendance, enrollment/full-time status*, and/or degree conferral date(s). Credentialing information, accreditation information, tuition & fees information, and/or loan information letters can also be provided. Those requiring letters for H1-B visa purposes would be able to request a letter with the Office of the University Registrar after the degree is awarded (once awarded, this will show at the top of the transcript).
*Enrollment verification is not provided for future terms. If a student has advance registered for a future term, an advance registration verification letter can be provided.
Other types of letters and whom to request from:
- Learned course material for specific courses and what was learned in that course. This must be requested to the student’s program.
- Travel Letters for international students returning to the US from overseas. This must be requested from the student’s program.
- Invitation letters to the May Ceremonies. International Students may follow instructions on the ISSS webpage for a visitor template to use and further information on what you should do to invite guests.
- Forms for external insurance/loans to provide enrollment verification: please email registrar@seas.upenn.edu.
If you have questions, please email grad-affairs@seas.upenn.edu with your specific request and we’ll let you know how to proceed.