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Petitioning to Graduate

Everyone who receives a bachelor's degree from Weinberg College must first submit a a Petition to Graduate to the Northwestern's Office of the Registrar. Completing your Petition to Graduate is important for making sure that you haven’t overlooked or misunderstood any graduation requirements—and that you understand how your courses fit department, college, and university rules. It is also a good opportunity to think about how you’d like to spend your final year as an undergraduate student.

When should I petition to graduate?

Detailed information on the petition process, including submission deadlines, is available through the Registrar’s main Graduation website. There are also special instructions for Weinberg students.

  • The deadline to petition to graduate for a given term is on the Registrar’s website. If you miss the deadline, it can delay your graduation.
  • If you plan to graduate early, submit your petition a calendar year before your expected graduation date. This may enable you to register with the highest-priority group for your final three quarters; see the registration information (under"What if I'm graduating next year?") posted by the Registrar's Office for details and/or talk with your College Adviser.

Completing the Graduation Petition

1. Fill out the online petition.

The petition to graduate is an online form that you can access with your NetID and password. The Registrar’s Office has detailed instructions for accessing and completing the form.

2. Direct the petition to each department or program in which you have a major, minor, or certificate.

Part of the purpose of the petition to graduate is to ensure that you have completed or have a plan to complete all your major/minor/certificate requirements. As part of the process, your petition will be reviewed by every department or program in which you have a major, minor, or certificate. This may involve you meeting with a department/program adviser. The Registrar maintains a list of these departments/programs in their petition to graduate information. 

3. After department/program approval, you need to take action!

After your department/program has approved your petition to graduate, you will receive an email telling you either to log back in and submit your petition to graduate to the Office of the Registrar for review, or to add additional major/minors/certificates and repeat the process until you have petitioned for everything. Your petition will not receive its final review—nor will you have an expected graduation term added in CAESAR—until you submit it to the Office of the Registrar.

Changes to your graduation plans

What if you file a petition saying you plan to graduate at the end of a certain quarter and then you decide to graduate later? Be sure to notify the degree auditors in the Office of the Registrar at roda@northwestern.edu. Postponement usually presents no problems, but you need to keep people informed.