Important Note: Students who will complete requirements for a degree in a given semester must complete the online application for graduation. “Applying to graduate” means you want your degree conferred and officially recorded on your academic transcript (whether or not you attend the commencement ceremony).
Important Dates to Remember
| Graduation application available online for Aiken campus students who wish to graduate in Spring | Dec. 15 - Jan. 31 |
| Graduation application deadline for Aiken campus students who wish to graduate in Spring; online application available in Self Service Carolina under "Apply to Graduate" | Jan. 31 |
| Early Recognition request deadline for Aiken campus students graduating in August; Summer graduation candidates wishing to be recognized at the May Commencement Ceremony MUST complete the Early/Late Commencement Participation Form | Jan. 31 |
| Graduation clearance forms deadline for May graduates – Advisors only | Mar. 1 |
| GCF reviews completed, students emailed reminders | Mar. 15 |
| Possible honors calculated for May and Early Walk grads using only grades entered on or before this date, students emailed, | Mar. 30 |
| Grad Fest | Apr. 20 |
| Name change forms due | Apr. 1 |
| Commencement program due for printing | Apr. 12 |
| Spring Commencement | May 5 |
| All spring candidates are approved or disapproved | On or before June 14 |
| Diplomas mailed by the University of South Carolina Columbia | On or before Aug. 12 |
| Graduation application available online for Aiken campus students who wish to graduate in Summer | May 15 -June 15 |
| Graduation application deadline for Aiken campus students who wish to graduate in Summer; online application available in Self Service Carolina under "Apply to Graduate" | June 15 |
| Graduation clearance forms deadline for August graduates – Advisors only | June 22 |
| GCF reviews completed, students emailed reminder about late walk in Dec. | July 1 |
| All summer degree candidates are approved or disapproved | On or before Sept. 15 |
| Diplomas mailed by the University of South Carolina Columbia | On or before Nov. 15 |
| Graduation application available online for Aiken campus students who wish to graduate in Fall | July 15 - Aug. 31 |
| Graduation application deadline for Aiken campus students who wish to graduate in Fall; online application available in Self Service Carolina under "Apply to Graduate" | Aug. 31 |
| Late Recognition request deadline for Aiken campus students graduating in August; Summer graduation candidates wishing to be recognized at the December Commencement Ceremony MUST complete the Early/Late Commencement Participation Form | Aug. 31 |
| Graduation clearance forms deadline for December graduates – Advisors only | Oct. 1 |
| GCF reviews completed, students emailed reminders | Oct. 15 |
| Possible honors calculated for December and Late Walk grads using only grades entered on or before this date, students emailed, | Oct. 15 |
| Name change forms due | Oct. 23 |
| Commencement program due for printing | Nov. 2 |
| Grad Fest | Nov. 4 |
| Commencement | Dec. 9 |
| All fall candidates are approved or disapproved | Jan. 25 |
| Diplomas mailed by the University of South Carolina Columbia | On or before Mar. 18 |
Preparing for Graduation
Students wishing to receive a degree from the University of South Carolina Aiken must use the online graduation application on Self Service Carolina (SSC). The online application will not be available after the posted deadline.
Failure to apply for graduation by the deadline will delay your application until another term.
- May (Online Application available from December 15 - January 31)
- August (Online Application available from May 15 - June 15)
- December (Online Application available from July 18 - August 31)
If you experience difficulty with the online graduation application, contact the Office of the Registrar at (803) 641-3550 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Additional Information for August Graduates
Any August graduate who wishes to participate in the May ceremony must complete this form no later than January 31 in order to receive recognition in the UofSC Aiken Commencement program.
If you would like to check on your application, follow these steps:
- Log into SSC
- Click on "Student"
- Click on "Student Profile"
- You should see "Graduation Information: Graduation Applications"
- Click on "Active (1)" to go to a graduation application information page. From here you can check your diploma name, diploma mailing address, and degree status. Please note that your status will remain pending until final grades are entered.
Cap and gown orders are currently being taken through the Pacer Shoppe website. You can have your regalia shipped directly to your home or set it to be picked up at the Pacer Shoppe and will be notified of your order’s progress via email including any relevant tracking information.
Here are the current prices:
Bachelor Set (includes cap, gown, tassel and diploma cover): $80.00
Masters Set (includes cap, gown, tassel, Master’s hood and diploma cover): $124.00
If you elect to have your items shipped, please make sure to place your order by Monday, April 19, 2021 to ensure timely arrival before the ceremony. You may also purchase your cap and gown by visiting the campus bookstore during our normal business hours.
If you have any questions regarding cap and gown orders, please give the Pacer Shoppe a call at 803-641-3457.
Regalia for Honor or Service Organizations
Only students who are members of recognized UofSC Aiken honor or service organizations are allowed to wear the regalia of these organizations. A list of those organizations is below. The Division of Student Affairs will be working on contacting those organizations and collecting the regalia for graduates which they can pick up at a table during the rehearsal in August. Please make sure your organizational advisor knows you are graduating and should receive the regalia.
View list of student organization advisors
| Organization | Cord or Stole | Color(s) |
| African American Student Alliance | Stole | Black |
| Alpha Kappa Alpha | Stole | Green & Pink |
| Alpha Omicron Pi | Stole | Red |
| Alpha Psi Omega (Theatrical Honor Society) | Cord | Blue & Gold |
| Alpha Sigma Lambda | Stole | Cream |
| Baptist Collegiate Ministry | Cord | Burgundy & White |
| Beta Gamma Sigma (Business Honor Society) | Stole | Blue & Gold |
| Broken Ink | Cord | Pink & White |
| Circle K | Stole | Navy |
| CURLS | Cord | Coral, Chocolate & White |
| Delta Sigma Phi | Stole | White |
| Delta Sigma Theta | Stole | Black, Red & White |
| Gamma Beta Phi | Stole | Gold |
| Habitat for Humanity | Stole | White |
| Kappa Alpha Psi | Stole | Red & White |
| Kappa Delta Pi (Education Honor Society) | Medallion & Cord | Teal & Purple |
| Lambda Chi Alpha | Stole | Green |
| Lambda Pi Eta (Communication Honor Society) | Cord | Red & White |
| MAP Mentors | Stole | Black, Green, Red & Yellow |
| NAACP | Stole | Navy |
| National Society of Leadership and Success: Sigma Alpha Pi | Stole | Silver |
| Omega Phi Alpha Service Sorority | Stole | Blue |
| Omega Psi Phi | Stole | Purple |
| Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership Honor Society) | Cord | Black, Blue & White |
| Order of Omega (Greek Honors) | Cord | Gold & Ivory |
| Pacer Accounting Club | Cord | Navy, Maroon & Silver |
| Pacer Spirit | Cord | Navy & Silver |
| Pacer Times | Cord | Burgundy & Silver |
| Pacesetters | Cord | Grey & Crimson |
| Phi Beta Sigma | Stole | Blue & White |
| Phi Mu | Stole | Pink |
| Pi Gamma Mu (Science Honor Society) | Cord | Navy & White |
| Psi Chi (Psychology Honor Society) | Medallion | Blue & Gold |
| Resident Student Association | Stole | Blue |
| Rotaract Club | Stole | Red & Yellow |
| Shutgun Team | Stole | Burgundy |
| Sigma Gamma Rho | Stole | Blue |
| Sigma Tau Delta (English Honor Society) | Cord | Black & Red |
| Sigma Theta Tau International (Nursing Honor Society) | Cord | Lavendar & White |
| Sign Language Club | Cord | Pink & Black |
| Student Athletic Advisory Committee | Stole | White |
| Student Government Association | Cord | Red & Navy |
| Student Nurses' Asociation | Cord | Blue & White |
| Student Nursing Government | Stole | Burgundy & Gold |
| Tau Kappa Epsilon | Stole | White |
| Tri Beta (Biology Honor Society) | Cord | Green & Red |
| UNITY! | Cord | Purple |
| Veteran Honor Society | Cord | Red, White & Blue |
| Zeta Phi Beta | Stole | Blue & White |
| Zeta Tau Alpha | Stole | Silver |
The Chancellor's Medal
Degree candidates who qualify for graduation with honors from the university will wear the Chancellor's Medal. This medal is a gift from the university to those students who have achieved the highest level of academic excellence. If you have been notified that you are likely to graduate with honors, please pick up your medal from the Records Office or the morning of Commencement. For more information , please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
See email forwarded by Ahmed to you about Organizations and Stoles Chart.
Pacer Pursuit Medallion
The Pacer Pursuit Medallion will be distributed by the Division of Student Affairs. For more information, contact Ahmed Samaha, Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement and Inclusivity, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Each student must complete a Graduation Update Form in order to participate in the ceremony. You must complete the form found at the link below and return it to the Alumni Office in the Alumni House (Pickens-Salley House).
Typically, tickets for guests are not required for Fall Commencement. However, a final decision about tickets will be made on October 22 based on COVID-19 conditions.
For May and August Graduates
Tickets pick-up dates and times are TBD.
Graduates will need to complete the Graduation Update Form in order to get their tickets. Graduates will receive 4 tickets each.
With a $25 donation, graduates will receive an alumni t-shirt, a special gift and one year membership to the Alumni Association. To participate, complete the form below and bring both the form and your donation to the Alumni Relations Office in the Alumni House (Pickens-Salley House).
The brunch for the December 2021 commencement is TBD.
Yes. The session will be held at the Convocation Center at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 9.
On the day of graduation there will be an opportunity for students to practice the pronunciation of their names with the commencement speakers. The speakers will phonetically spell out the names to ensure correct pronunciation. This is highly recommended if you think there is even small a chance of mispronunciation. More details about time and location will be provided once the time of the ceremony is set.
Name changes must be turned in 4 weeks prior to to commencement in order to appear on your diploma. Please contact the Registrar's Office for more information.
Students receiving bachelor's or master's degrees wear black gowns and caps. The color of your tassel is determined by your degree. These items should have been purchased at Grad Finale.
Women are strongly encouraged to wear flat or very low-heeled shoes. Some women wear dresses while others wear dress slacks. Men generally wear dress slacks, dress shirt and tie, and dress shoes.
The Graduation Ceremony
Degree candidates should enter the front side entrance of the Convocation Center as marked with green arrows.
View a Map of the Convocation Center
Please note the candidate entrance, seating and line-up locations all designated in green. The candidate Check In area is in black.
All degree candidates (as well as guests) will be participating in a security check, and candidates should arrive at 4:30pm to allow enough time to complete the process and allow you to check in by the 5pm deadline. By 5 p.m., you should already be wearing your cap and gown and be prepared to begin the line-up.
5 p.m. is the deadline for checking in - not a suggested time or arrival.
If you miss the Information Session, make sure you know your degree name and approximately where you will be in the order of degree candidates.
Guests must be on time and seated no later than 5:45 p.m. The doors to the arena area will close at 5:50 p.m. for the processional. The ceremony will begin at 6:00 p.m.
If a member of your party needs a sign language interpreter for hearing impairment reasons, please contact Ahmed Samaha, Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement and Inclusivity, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 803-641-3411.
If an interpreter is requested, there will be a special area of the Convocation Center offering unobstructed views of the sign language interpreter.
Family and friends who are unable to attend can still be part of the event by watching a live stream of the entire ceremony. By the evening of commencement, there will be a link to the broadcast on the home page of our website: www.usca.edu. This live stream will begin about 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.
Send Letter or Message to Your Graduate
Parents who are unable to attend may send their graduate a special letter or message through our Office of Parents and Family Relations.
Unfortunately we will not be able to deliver items other than letters or cards. Please include your graduate's first name, last name, and middle initial and submit it to the Office of Parents and Family Relations by August 5, 2020. If they will be attending the ceremony, we will make sure it is delivered on the day of graduation. Submissions after that date are not guaranteed to be delivered.
Families can email the message to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or send via US Postal Service to:
Parent and Family RelationsYour graduate’s name
UofSC Aiken SAC Room 158
471 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801
Food and beverages are strictly prohibited.
Noise Reduction
Please turn off your cellular phones and/or pagers. Cowbells, air horns, whistles, and other loud artificial noise makers are not allowed.
Families are asked to withhold applause or loud celebrations during the announcement of graduate names so that we don’t prevent any family’s ability to hear clearly, and to refrain from using any noise making items or from causing distractions that would prevent others from enjoying the ceremony. We’ll join together to congratulate all of the graduates collectively after all names have been read.
As a courtesy to other audience members, please be aware that sound reverberates in a gymnasium and that even the slightest noise is magnified. Please keep movement to a minimum.
We respectfully ask that younger children not be brought to the ceremony at all since they can become restless and disruptive. Also, no baby strollers are permitted inside the Convocation Center.
Photography
Please do not to step into the aisle during the processional or recessional or rush across the stage in order to take photographs. The marshals will be instructed to send guests back to their seats if they attempt to do this. There will be a photographer taking photos of each graduate during the ceremony.
During Commencement, professional photographers from Grad Images will take photographs throughout the evening. Multiple individual shots of graduates will be taken during the ceremony, which graduates will have the opportunity to purchase at a later date. The Alumni Office is pleased to provide a complimentary photograph of graduate which will be mailed approximately 4 weeks after the ceremony.
Additional photos will be available for purchase online at www.gradimages.com.
After Graduation
Regular student email accounts are removed after one year of non-activity as a student, but once you switch to your Alumni account, it’s yours for life!