Degree and certificate conferral information
When you've completed all the required coursework for your degree and/or certificate, you must submit a degree application for your program(s) of study to be awarded. The University of Iowa won't award your degree and/or certificate unless you complete the application. Degree applications are available for the current semester and one future semester. However, you may only have active degree application(s) on file for one semester at a time.
Conferral of the degree and/or certificate(s) is based upon when you complete your program of study requirements. Please see deadlines in the chart below.
If the application is received after the stated deadlines, the Office of the Registrar will assess a $20 late application fee. (The late fee does not apply to certificates.)
If you do not complete degree requirements in the semester in which you apply, the Office of Registrar will require a new degree application and any applicable late fees for that application will be assessed.
Important dates and degree application deadlines
| Degree requirements completion term | degree conferral date | degree application deadlines |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2025 | August 2025 | April 1, 2025* June 13, 2025* |
| Fall 2025 | December 2025 | October 3, 2025* |
| Winter 2025 | May 2026 | February 27, 2026* |
| Spring 2026 | May 2026 | February 27, 2026* |
| Spring GLO (May travel) 2026 | May 2026 | February 27, 2026* |
*Due by 11:59 p.m. CT on the degree application deadline dates noted above.
Degree application process directions
To have your degree conferred and/or certificate(s) awarded, complete a degree application by doing the following:
- Log in to the MyUI - Degree Application page.
- Select all programs of study that you plan to have conferred and/or awarded in the graduating semester.
- A certificate must be a listed program of study on your record for it to appear as a selection option.
- Need to add a certificate as a program of study? Email tippie-gradacademics@uiowa.edu.
- Important: The Business Analytics Certificate and AI & Machine Learning Certificate must be requested to be awarded in the semester the certificate is finished. These certificates cannot be awarded retroactively.
- A certificate must be a listed program of study on your record for it to appear as a selection option.
Questions regarding the degree or certificate application process? Email tippie-gradacademics@uiowa.edu.
For questions as to whether you have met the requirements to graduate, contact your academic advising team.
Additional information
Diplomas and certificates
Diplomas
University of Iowa graduates receive one complimentary diploma per degree earned. The printed degree diploma will be mailed to the address you submitted with your degree application about eight weeks after your graduating session. You'll also receive an email with a link to download your complimentary certified electronic diploma when it's available. See the Office of the Registrar website for details about diplomas.
Certificates
Certified electronic and/or print versions of certificate awards are available for a fee and are not sent out automatically. If you'd like to purchase electronic or print versions of your certificate(s), please refer to the Office of the Registrar website for ordering instructions. Certificates will appear on official transcripts and verification letters.
Please also see the Diploma and Certificate FAQ webpage for frequently asked questions about delivery, shipping, ordering, and more.
Degree audits
The degree audit is an academic planning tool that allows you to track your progress toward completing the requirements for your degree(s) and/or certificate(s). While degree audits are a helpful planning tool, they're not meant to take the place of meeting with an academic advisor.
How do I find my degree audit(s)? Log in to the MyUI - Degree Audit page. Request an audit for your chosen program of study, and make sure to refresh the page to obtain the most recent version.
Occasionally, degree audits need adjustments and are done so based on program of study, degree completion, etc. If you have questions about your degree audit, please contact your advising team to discuss.
Graduate College policies (Business Analytics - MS & Certificate and AI & Machine Learning Certificate)
The Graduate College governs the MS in Business Analytics (MSBA), Business Analytics Certificate, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning Certificate Programs. Therefore, there are a few different policies that apply to students with these programs of study.
You must be enrolled in the semester in which your degree or certificate is to be conferred. It's your responsibility to apply in the semester in which you complete your degree or certificate requirements.
- MSBA students: If a degree application is not completed in the semester your degree is finished, you must enroll in another course and bear the extra credit cost to earn the degree in a subsequent semester. Students accomplish this by enrolling in the BAIS:6999:0EXP Graduation Registration Requirement 1 s.h. course and are responsible for paying for the appropriate credit hour tuition assessed to this course. To request enrollment, contact the Tippie Grad Registration team at tippie-grad-registration@uiowa.edu. (Exception: If you finish your degree in the winter session when degrees are not conferred, the application can be completed for spring conferral with no extra tuition cost.)
- Business Analytics Certificate and AI in Machine Learning Certificate students: If an application is not completed in the semester the final certificate class is taken, it cannot be applied for retroactively.
Commencement
Iowa MBA degree applicants: Iowa MBA Commencement Ceremony
The Iowa MBA Program has one commencement ceremony each academic year in May. Students who confer their degree in the prior fall semester, current spring semester, or future summer semester are eligible to participate in the spring ceremony. Please refer to the Iowa MBA Commencement webpage for details.
MSBA degree applicants: Graduate Master's Commencement Ceremony
MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) students are invited to attend either the fall ceremony (December) or spring ceremony (May) depending on their graduating semester. Students who confer their degree in the summer semester have the choice to participate in the prior spring ceremony or future fall ceremony. These two ceremonies are coordinated by the Graduate College. For more details, please visit the University of Iowa Commencement webpage, then select your ceremony session and Grad College to find the Graduate Masters Commencement Ceremony.
Complete Tippie Career Services Outcomes Survey
During your final semester in the Iowa MBA or MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program, please complete the Tippie Careers Survey. We want to celebrate your success! When Tippie has accurate information about student career outcomes, it helps improve the program's reputation and enhances the market value of your degree.