Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! When you apply for graduation, you are requesting the Office of the Registrar to review your record and determine that you have satisfied your degree requirements. Your graduation date (also referred to as your degree conferral date) is the day of the term in which you completed these degree requirements, and this is the date recorded on your transcript and diploma. For example, someone who graduates at the end of the Fall term will have a graduation date of December.

Questions regarding graduation should be addressed to registrar@molloy.edu.

Commencement is a ceremony to celebrate those who have had their degrees conferred over a specified time frame. All students whose degrees are conferred December through August are invited to participate in this year’s Commencement Ceremony.

Commencement questions should be directed to commencment@molloy.edu.

Commencement has been scheduled for Monday, May 19, 2025. Graduates must arrive at Noon. The ceremony will begin at 1pm.

Commencement will take place at Nassau Live Center, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, located at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale, NY 11553.

Graduates must arrive by Noon to Nassau Coliseum.

The Molloy University Commencement Ceremony is approximately 2 – 2 ½ hours.

All candidates participating in Commencement must wear their cap, tassel, gown and hood. Candidates should wear dress clothes beneath their academic attire. We do not recommend that you wear high heels, as you will be climbing stairs and walking down the aisle.

Academic Attire can be ordered here: https://molloy.shopoakhalli.com/purchasewizard/Welcome

You are allowed to bring as many guests as you'd like. There will be no tickets required for Commencement. Seating is first come first served.

Yes, the ceremony will be livestreamed, and can be found at www.molloy.edu/student-life/student-affairs/commencement/

Seating is done by the School you are graduating from. For example, if you and your friend are both graduating from the School of Arts and Sciences, you can sit together.

Guests are welcome to take photographs from their seats but may not stand in the aisles or block the view of other guests. Only official photographers will be permitted in the roped off section and platform area. After the ceremony is completed, there will be ample opportunity for individual and family photos.

A commercial photographer from Island Photography will take an individual portrait of each graduate in front of a set backdrop, as well as a photograph of you receiving your diploma cover. The proofs of these pictures will be sent to the graduate. There is no obligation to purchase these pictures. The customer service number for Island Photography is (800) 869-0908.

• Students are eligible to be a graduation candidate when they expect to complete their degree requirements in the current term and submit a graduation application form. Each candidate for graduation is responsible for obtaining clearance for graduation including satisfactorily completing all general education, major, related, minor, residency and the liberal arts and science requirements, and GPA requirements. Please note that degree requirements vary per program and students should consult with their academic advisors to determine specific requirements.

• Students who are eligible to apply for graduation and apply by the specified deadlines are eligible to participate in the Commencement ceremony.

• All Applications for Graduation for Degree Applications

• All Graduation Application for Advanced Certificate-Post Master’s Certificates (only for those graduating from advanced certificate programs only)

No!  There is no fee to apply for graduation. 

However, if you are graduating in a term during which you are not registered for coursework, you will be charged an enrollment fee for that term to keep your record active. 

To ensure that your record is reviewed and that you will receive Commencement information in a timely manner, it is important that you adhere to the graduation application deadlines.  Please refer to the chart below to understand and differentiate the dates pertaining to graduation for the upcoming year:

• October 1st for December/January Graduation – Participate in January Commencement ceremony.

• February 1st for May Graduation – Participate in May Commencement ceremony.

• March 1st for August Graduation – Participate in May Commencement ceremony.

To ensure that your name is included in the Commencement program, it is important to adhere to the above deadlines. 

If you did not complete the online application by the deadline, please contact us at registrar@molloy.edu with the subject line “Late Graduation Application Request” from your Molloy email address. Please include your ID number and the term you are requesting to graduate.

Yes. Students who have completed degree requirements but who have not applied for graduation will not receive a diploma nor will the degree be conferred.

• Yes, but only if you have applied for graduation and your records show you are pursuing the credits needed during the Summer for Spring graduation OR pursuing the credits during Intersession for Fall graduation. This is determined if you are registered for missing courses in Summer or Intersession or are working on Incompletes that are expected.

• The graduation review often occurs after the Commencement ceremony. Attending the ceremony does not mean the student’s degree has been conferred. Students who applied to graduate but have not met the requirements during the term specified on the graduation application will have their graduation term moved to the term in which the missing work will be completed and will be reevaluated during the new term.

• Students who do not meet their degree requirements during the term in which they applied to graduate will be contacted by the Office of the Registrar.  Students will need to re-apply for graduation in the term that they expect to fulfill the missing requirements.

Students with outstanding holds for unpaid bills or equipment will not have confirmations of their degrees released to any outside agencies or employers until cleared with all Molloy University offices.

• No. Diplomas are not available during the Commencement ceremony. A diploma cover is handed out on stage during the ceremony.

• Students will receive an electronic diploma to their Molloy email address and a hard copy of their diploma to their home address on file with Molloy approximately one month after the degree conferral date. If students wish to have their hard copy diploma held for pick-up or sent to another address, please email registration@molloy.edu.

• Transcripts that are requested with “Hold for Degree” will be sent once the degree has been conferred. The degree conferral date as well as any degree distinction will be on the transcript.

Degree distinction applies only to undergraduate students.

To be eligible for any degree distinction (Graduation Honors) students must have earned at least 60 credits at Molloy and achieved the cumulative GPAs listed below. Credits from Challenge examinations and Experiential Learning (EL) are not considered credits earned at Molloy.

Categories of Degree Distinction:

• Cum Laude: index of 3.60 or better
• Magna Cum Laude: index of 3.75 or better
• Summa Cum Laude: index of 3.90 or better

You may use the same cap and gown from Honors Convocation, as long as you have the University attire, and have purchased the hood.

https://molloy.shopoakhalli.com/purchasewizard/Welcome

Rings may be ordered from Jostens Rings, click here.