Ready for Graduation?

If you are in your final term at SFU and are completing the final requirements, you may be ready to graduate! To help guide you through the steps, please refer to the information below.

Graduation Preperation Checklist

Click the step for further details. 

Step 1. Generate your advising transcript.

Step 2. On your advising transcript, check to see that you are in the correct program (e.g., CMPT, ENSC, MSE, SEE). Take note of the term you started your program. 

If you have a minor, certificate, or other program that you are not planning to complete, please contact asadvise@sfu.ca to request that this program be removed from your advising transcript. This information can be found on the first page of your advising transcript under your contact information but before your list of courses.

In this section, make a note of the term that you started or were transferred into your Faculty of Applied Sciences program. This information will be under the "Admit Term" section. There will be a four digit code that corresponds to your admit term.The University's student information system uses numeric codes for terms. The first digit represents the 21st century, the second and third digits represent the year, and the final digit represents the term season (1 = Spring, 4 = Summer, 7 = Fall).

For example:    

1197 = Fall 2019
1201 = Spring 2020
1204 = Summer 2020

Step 3. Download your School’s graduation planning form for your program. Please select the appropriate form based on the term that you were admitted into your program.

Step 4. Complete your School’s graduation planning form either electronically or by printing it.

1. Using your advising transcript, clearly mark all the courses you have completed on the form.

2. Please note any approvals you received to appeal, waive, or substitute courses next to the applicable courses. For example, if you received approval to have CMPT 130 and 135 count towards CMPT 120, 125 and 127. Please write this note next to the check boxes for CMPT 120, 125, and 127.

3. If you require an appeal, waiver, or substitution for a course listed on your graduation planning form. Please complete the appropriate form from your School (included below). In the event that there isn’t a form that addresses your specific concern, please submit your School’s general appeal form.

School Webpage Link

Computing Science programs (e.g., CMPT, SOSY)

http://www.sfu.ca/computing/current-students/undergraduate-students/forms.html

Engineering Science

http://www.sfu.ca/engineering/current-students/undergraduate-students/forms-and-resources.html

Mechatronic Systems Engineering

https://www.sfu.ca/mechatronics/current-students/undergraduate-students/student-resources/forms.html

Sustainable Energy Engineering

https://www.sfu.ca/see/current-students/undergraduate-students.html#forms

Bachelor of General Studies

https://www.sfu.ca/fas/current-student/bachelor-general-studies.html


4. Make a note of the following:

  • The number of repeats you have completed during your program.
  • The total number of units you have completed and the total number of upper division units you have completed. This information can be found on the first page of your advising transcript in the top right corner next to the text that reads, “Total Units” and “Total UD Units”. UD stands for Upper Division.
  • Your Cumulative GPA and Upper Division GPA. This information can be found on the first page of your advising transcript in the top right corner next to the text that reads, “Cum GPA”, which stands for cumulative GPA, and “Cum UDGPA”, which stands for Cumulative Upper Division GPA.
  • If applicable, your co-op units completed. This information can be found on the first page of your advising transcript in the top right corner next to the text that reads, “CO-OP Units”. 
  • *Please Note: If you are planning to graduate on a co-op semester, please contact your School’s FAS co-op office as this is NOT permitted: https://www.sfu.ca/fas/current-student/fas-coop.html.

Step 5. Review your calendar graduation requirements and note any discrepancies between your School’s graduation planning form and your calendar graduation requirements. You can find your formal graduation requirements at the following page: https://www.sfu.ca/students/academic-calendar-archive.html.

  1. Select the semester and year that you were admitted into your program. For example, if you were admitted in Computing Science in Spring 2018. Then, I would click on the text, “Spring 2018”.
  2. On the top of the page that opens, click “Academic Faculties, Centres and Institutes”.
  3. On the next page that opens, click “Faculty of Applied Sciences”.
  4. On the following page, click the link associated with your School or Program. For example, if you were a Computing Science student, I would click “School of Computing Science”.
  5. On the page that opens, click the program that you are currently in to see your formal degree requirements.

Step 6. Send your advising transcript, graduation planning form, and notes to asadvise@sfu.ca for review by a FAS academic advisor.

If you require a credential completion letter earlier than when it becomes available to self-generate on goSFU, please indicate this in your email and include the following additional information for consideration: your job offer letter indicating your expected date of employment or if there is an extenuating circumstance for which you require the early credential completion letter.  Please note, if approved, that early credential completion letters will only be avaialble after all of your grades have been submitted and approved.

Step 7. A FAS academic advisor will reply to your email with any additional steps you need to take to prepare for graduation. Once you have completed these steps, you are eligible to graduate, congratulations!

No further information.

Step 8. Review the undergraduate graduation checklist webpage (the FAQs in particular) and follow the steps to apply to graduate. Want to save some money? Make sure to apply to graduate before the early bird deadline.

No further information.

Step 9. Once you have applied to graduate, you will receive additional information from FAS academic advising. Please monitor your inbox for this email.

No further information.

I Have Applied. What Now?

Our Faculty is excited to see where your education will take you. We pieced together some important information as you navigate through the graduation process. It’s highly recommended to review the graduation checklist for further information and for the latest convocation news.

How can I check my graduation status?

You can review your graduation status by downloading a copy of your Advising Transcript

What does my status mean?

  • Applied – Your application has been received. You need to pay the fee.
  • In Review - Application is under review by our faculty. Status will remain "In Review" until shortly before Senate meets (normally, Senate meets early in September)
  • Withdrawn - Your application for graduation was withdrawn, either at your request or for non-payment of the graduation fee. You may re-apply.
  • Approved - Graduation has been approved by your faculty for recommendation to Senate.  It will remain "Approved" for only a few days prior to being "Awarded."
  • Awarded - Senate has granted your degree: You may now participate in the upcoming Convocation ceremony and receive your degree parchment. You will receive a letter from Senate confirming the award of your degree.

Where can I find information about a post-graduate work permit?

A brief overview of the information can be found on SFU’s post-graduate work permit website.

We would recommend reviewing the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship website for further information.

I require proof of my graduation, when will that be available?

Degrees are awarded by the University’s Senate. Senate Letters will be emailed out to students during the month after their final semester.

What happens next?

Our faculty’s next correspondence with you will be the official invite to attend our post-convocation ceremony event. You can expect this invite in September.

If I apply to graduate and my degree is awarded, can I continue on and complete my minor?

No, a minor is attached to a major, so a minor cannot be complete as a stand-alone designation once a degree is awarded. With this said, students can return to SFU to complete a certificate or additional major once they graduate.