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Information and Procedures

Congratulations, Graduates!

We look forward to honoring our graduates on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the Deborah F. Stanley Arena and Convocation Hall in the Marano Campus Center.

The traditional academic procession will line up 45 minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to begin.

Undergraduate candidates should report to Laker Landing in the Marano Campus Center and line up behind the appropriate sign for their college. Master’s candidates will assemble in the Marano Campus Center Auditorium.

Below is important information each graduate should take note of.

Undergraduate Degree Application

To graduate, a student must have applied online. Students who are eligible to graduate and have not yet filed online should contact the Registrar’s graduation area, 301 Culkin Hall. Detailed information regarding this process with all pertinent deadline dates is also available at Applying to Graduate.

Deadlines for the submission of the online degree application and for your name to be printed in the commencement program are or were as follows:

  • May graduation: October 1, 2025
  • August graduation:  Feb 1, 2026

Senior Check Form

Senior Check forms are generated when the student applies to graduate. The forms are then available online via each students’ Degree Works audit, and are required for all major(s) and minor(s). It is the student’s responsibility to make an appointment to review academic records with their advisor(s) to be sure graduation requirements have been met. Completed forms are required and must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office before seniors will be eligible to graduate. The deadlines for the return of the Senior Check forms are or were as follows:

  • May graduation: December 1, 2025
  • August graduation:  Apr 1, 2026

Master's Degree Form

It is the final responsibility of the graduate student to file an application for the advanced degree and/or certificate. Master's graduates must be sure they have applied for candidacy if your program requires it — you can check your Degree Works to see if it is required. To graduate, a student must have applied online. Students who are eligible to graduate and missed the online application should contact the Registrar’s Office in 301 Culkin Hall, or call 315-312-2235. Deadlines for your name to be printed in the commencement program are or were as follows:

  • May and August graduation: February 15, 2026

Final confirmation is initiated by the filing of the degree and/or certificate application.

General Information

Tickets

In accordance with established maximum occupancy regulations, there will be a limit of six guest tickets for graduating candidates. Tickets are included with the purchase of your cap and gown at The College Store.

Name Cards

Name cards for having your name read at commencement and detailed procedures for commencement day must be picked up at The College Store with your cap and gown.

Signs

Signs, other than those used by the event organizer, that are larger than 8.5"x11" or signs that are made of anything other than cloth, paper, foam core or cardboard are prohibited at all events.

Photographs

SUNY Oswego requests that guests remain seated during the ceremony. Professional photographers will be taking pictures of the graduates as they cross the stage. Preorder Graduation pictures online at geneseephoto.com. Graduates will be emailed a link from Genesee Photo Systems to view their photos. 

Commencement Reception

All graduating students, as well as parents, guests, faculty and staff are invited to attend a reception following the ceremony, in the tent located in Lot 31 just west of the Food Activity Court in Marano Campus Center Arena.

Diplomas

The cost of the diploma is paid by SUNY Oswego. Diplomas will be mailed to the address on the degree application. Any change of address should be reported to the Registrar’s Office. All obligations need to be cleared. Mailings take place following the final confirmation of candidates’ records: 

  • May graduates: By early-July
  • August graduates: By mid-September

Accommodations for Guests with Disabilities

If you or a member of your family attending commencement requires special seating, areas are reserved on both the arena floor and upper levels. There is no need to make additional requests. Please see an usher and they will assist you.

Reserved seating for our hearing-impaired guests is available and live captioning will be provided. To reserve seats in this area please complete the Special Needs Form by Friday, May 8, 2026. Modified restrooms are located on both levels.

Accessible Parking: An accessible drop-off area is available on the west side of Marano Campus Center. Handicapped parking is located in Lot 31 (west side of Penfield Library) as well as the lower level of Lot 17 and Lot 10. Once inside the building, please contact an usher for assistance with accessible seating. Guests requesting accessible seating or parking should arrive at least 45 minutes before the start of the ceremony.

Graduates waiting in line to cross the stage

Dress and Decorum

Wearing of the traditional academic gown and mortar board is part of participation in commencement. Suitable attire to wear with a cap and gown are dark shoes and clothing. Pocketbooks are not to be carried. Corsages and jewelry are not to be worn with academic gowns; other attachments deemed not appropriate may be removed by the staff before the processional if necessary.

Reminder: There will be no alcoholic beverages or air horns permitted at the ceremony. Violators may be asked to leave. To provide a safer environment for the public and to expedite entry into the Marano Campus Center, University Police reserves the right to inspect bags and purses as necessary.

New York State Teaching Certificate

All graduating students who are eligible for teacher certification should visit our Certification page for information on how to apply for New York State teacher certification. The application can be completed before graduation. All eligible education candidates will receive an authorization form after degree verification. This form must be returned in order to be recommended by the university for teacher certification.

Commencement Honors

Honors listed in the commencement program are determined by grades earned at Oswego prior to the semester preceding graduation. An undergraduate student qualifies to be listed for honors in the commencement program if they have already earned at least 45 semester hours at Oswego prior to the spring semester and has a cumulative index of at least 3.30 based upon hours earned at Oswego. Honors designations are as follows:

  • Summa Cum Laude 3.80-4.00
  • Magna Cum Laude 3.60-3.79
  • Cum Laude 3.30-3.59

Honors indicated on diplomas and final transcripts include grades earned during the student’s final semester. Graduate students are not eligible to graduate with honors.

Three graduates posing outside, in their regalia and wearing sunglasses

Alumni Association Message

Upon graduation, the main connection with SUNY Oswego will be through the Oswego Alumni Association. The Alumni Association offers a wide variety of programs and services for recent graduates, including:

  • Networking
  • Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) social programming
  • Lifelong career resources and services
  • Reunions
  • Financial benefits
  • Virtual and regional events
  • Discounted auto and homeowners insurance

The Alumni Association also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for recent graduates to remain connected to SUNY Oswego. Join our online community to tap into a powerful network of more than 96,000 alumni to build your professional contacts, to find classmates, register for events, promote your business and more.

Graduates have the option to keep oswego.edu email addresses forever, so as not to miss the latest SUNY Oswego news, invitations to events, OSWEGO Alumni Magazine and monthly Lake E-ffect alumni e-newsletter. Keep an eye out for a subscription email near the end of each year to let us know that you are still utilizing your email account.

Visit our Alumni site for more information on all alumni programs and links to Oswego Alumni Association’s social media channels. Activities for Commencement Eve will be announced separately. Contact the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement at 315-312-3003 or [email protected] for more information.

Career Services

Discovering the life you are meant to live and implementing strategies to successfully compete for that life — that is what Career Services is all about. A comprehensive resource portfolio and a team of professionals with a caring heart, unbeatable skills, and an “always aim higher” attitude work together to maximize student and alumni success.

Their cutting edge career community model is one of the first in the SUNY system. They have categorized the world of work into several areas that include:

  • Business
  • Healthcare and STEM
  • Communication, Media and the Arts
  • Education, Public and Human Services
  • Exploratory
  • Undeclared

Within each of these areas, they have a highly capable staff member creating a sphere of support for our students that spans the entire career development cycle and brings together faculty, alumni, employers, graduate school representatives, and much more. This results in more meaningful assistance and expertise for our students, better employer and graduate school connections, and tailored on and offline resources.

Every resource they have, on and offline, is available to alumni for free, for life. The office offers the best career exploration and job search resources available on the market today, a robust and engaged network of alumni and employer connections, a LinkedIn photo studio to enable your professionalism to shine, and so much more.

Reminders

Before leaving the campus, graduates should make certain of the following:

  1. A Senior Check Form has been completed with each advisor (undergraduates only) and must be on file in the Registrar’s Graduation Office prior to the final graduation confirmation.
  2. Correct address is on file for mailing of diploma.
  3. All obligations, financial and otherwise, have been satisfied. Failure to satisfy all obligations will withhold the mailing of your diploma.