Brief Overview of ETD Approval and Graduation

1. Vireo Status

• Approved = File is completely done and ready for UNT Libraries pick-up. No further student input is needed. NO, REALLY!  There is nothing further students need to do.  Just be patient.  Please do not send or make "just checking" emails or phone calls.  If you are concerned about commencement and/or graduation and/or diplomas, keep reading...
• Pending = Library has the file and is performing the final QA/QC.You will receive an automated Vireo email when the library has picked up the file; in addition, your status in Vireo will be updated.
• Published = Library has released the file for publication to the Digital Library ETD Collection website. You will receive an automated Vireo email when this occurs, and your status in Vireo will be updated. This is also when the UNT Libraries will send the files to ProQuest, for those students who have opted in. It can take a while for ProQuest to process the files and make them available in the database. Please be patient.
  
  IMPORTANT:  The UNT Libraries cannot begin processing files until after TGS has released approved candidate files to the Registrar (usually 2 weeks after the last day of the term). Then, it can take a few weeks more for the library to finish their QA/QC review, and to publish the files.  Please be patient.

2. Deadline for Revision

Deadline for corrected files to be submitted is always the last class day of the semester. For more information, please visit TGS Graduation.

3. Commencement Ceremonies

Commencement ceremonies occur twice a year, May and December. Here are some links you may find helpful, but you are strongly encouraged to visit the entire Commencement website regularly, for the latest and most accurate information: 

• Schedule (Dates, times, and venues)
• Info ("Participating in Commencement/Doctoral and Master's Convocation")
• UNT Bookstore (Regalia)

4. Graduation

"Graduation" is not the same thing as "commencement" (Item 3). Graduation occurs 3 times a year - May, August, and December.  Graduation is when the Registrar posts degrees to student records, i.e., transcripts.  

The Registrar cannot post degrees until professors assign final grade to thesis or dissertation hours, based on the merits of the students' research. The professor's grade has nothing to do with the format review/approval process that takes place after you have submitted your paper to the Graduate School.  However, the professor cannot assign grades until AFTER the semester's finals are over, for the entire campus.

Once all grades have been posted, then the Registrar begins the process of posting degrees to student records for the entire student body - this takes a while!  Do not expect to see your degree posted to your student records for at least 4-6 weeks following the end of the semester.  If there are problems with degree posting, you will be contacted.

5. Transcripts and Diplomas

• Transcripts: Degrees are posted to each student record, one by one. This is why it can take up to 4-6 weeks for all degrees to get posted to all transcripts. To check whether your degree has been posted yet, please check the student portal, my.unt.edu. If you have questions about your transcript, contact the Registrar directly: Registrar or 940-565-2111.

• Diplomas: The Registrar waits until all degrees have been posted (see above), then sends the diploma order to Jostens. Jostens prints the diplomas and mails them directly to students, using addresses the Registrar provides. Once Jostens receives the order, it can take 4-6 weeks for students to receive diplomas in the mail. The addresses come directly from what students have entered in the portal, my.unt.edu, so please take a moment now to check it's the one you want the diploma sent to.

All requests for graduation documentation (other than transcript and/or diploma) should be sent directly to graduation@unt.edu.