Graduation Application for BSW Students
Before submitting your graduation application, be sure to run a degree audit. Use the option that includes “in progress” courses. If your audit does not show 100% completion, please schedule an appointment with BSW Advising
Earning the Degree vs. Participating in Commencement
Degrees are conferred three times a year: at the end of the fall, spring, and summer. To award the degree, students must successfully complete a graduation application in their final semester. Degree certification occurs after all grades for the semester are posted.
The UT School of Social Work hosts commencement ceremonies once a year in May for all students graduating during the academic year – the previous fall, the current spring, and the upcoming summer. Participating in the commencement ceremonies allows students to celebrate their accomplishments. However, participation in commencement does not indicate completion of the degree. The next graduation ceremony will take place in May 2026. We will share additional information as the date approaches
Other Ceremony Information
Students can order graduation regalia at the University Co-Op here.
Apply to Graduate During Final Semester
ALL Students must apply for graduation during their final semester. All degree requirements must be completed or in progress before beginning the graduation process. For coursework in progress, verification of enrollment must be uploaded with the application. If transfer coursework was already completed, contact the Office of Admissions at 512-475-7399 to request credits be posted to your academic record. Please view and clear registration holds before submitting your graduation application.
Students who are not are not currently enrolled at UT Austin and have completed all degree requirements or will complete any lacking requirements during the current semester outside of UT Austin (transfer and University Extension) will need to apply for Graduation in Absentia and complete the request form from BSW Advising.
The Fall 2025 application for in absentia students will be available August 25 to December 8
The Fall 2025 application for currently enrolled students will be available online September 11 to December 8
For any questions please email: bswadvising@austin.utexas.edu
Important Deadlines for Degree Certification
Final exams for University Extension self-paced courses should be taken by December 4.
Transcripts from other institutions must be received December 18.
Degrees will be certified after the semester ends and can be verified here.
Application Status
Diplomas
Tuition Rebate
Tuition rebates are available to undergraduate students if they meet the eligibility requirements. Undergraduate students may be eligible for a tuition rebate of up to $1,000, and students enrolled in the Longhorn Fixed Tuition program are eligible for an additional $2,500 rebate. More information and eligibility requirements for tuition rebate can be found here.
Students can use the same application for both rebates. Students may apply for either one, or both if eligible. Download the application and email the scanned completed tuition rebate form to BSWadvising@austin.utexas.edu.
Download the Tuition Rebate application
Deadline
- Fall 2025 Graduates: December 8, 2025
Criteria:
Students desiring to qualify for a tuition rebate are solely responsible for enrolling only in courses that will qualify them for the rebate.
A student will be eligible for a partial rebate of their undergraduate tuition if ALL the following criteria are met:
1. The student must not have enrolled at any institution of higher education before the Fall 1997 semester.
2. At the time s/he earns a first undergraduate degree, the student must have attempted* no more than three semester hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for the degree.
Hours attempted* include:
- All courses the student has undertaken, such as transfer credit**, credit earned by examination***, study abroad courses****, courses the student dropped or from which the student withdrew after the date the official enrollment count was taken,
- Optional internship and cooperative education courses,
- Courses the student failed,
- Courses the student repeated.
- If the student has earned credit-by-exam for more than nine hours of coursework, the hours in excess of nine are also counted as hours attempted.
3. The student must have been a Texas resident and must have been eligible to pay resident tuition at all times while pursuing the degree.
4. For students who enroll for the first time in the fall 2005 or later, a student must graduate within four calendar years for a four-year degree.
Notes:
* Courses dropped for reasons that are determined by the institution to be totally beyond the control of the student shall not be counted.
** Transfer work that was taken during high school (dual credit) shall not be counted.
*** The first nine (9) hours earned by examination (that is, credit earned on the basis of AP courses, CLEP or credit granted for high SAT or ACT scores) shall not be counted.
**** The first nine (9) hours earned through study abroad shall not be counted.
Earning the Degree vs. Participating in Commencement
Degrees are conferred three times a year: at the end of the fall, spring, and summer. In order to award the degree, students must successfully complete a graduation application in their final semester. Degree certification occurs after all grades for the semester are posted.
Commencement ceremonies are held once a year in the spring to celebrate graduates from the previous fall, current spring, and upcoming summer. In order to participate students must have an approved graduation application for the spring semester or an approved walk list request. Participating in the commencement ceremonies allows students to celebrate their accomplishments. However, participation in commencement does not indicate completion of the degree.
Other Ceremony Information
University-wide commencement: Find information here.
Steve Hicks School commencement: Find the latest information here.
Students can order graduation regalia at the University Co-Op here.
Apply to Graduate During Final Semester
You must apply for graduation in your final semester. All completed coursework must be posted to the official record at the time the graduation application is processed; if concurrently enrolled at another institution, verification of enrollment must be provided in order to apply.
Commencement
The Steve Hicks School of Social Work hosts commencement ceremonies in May for all students graduating during the academic year – the previous fall, the current spring, and the upcoming summer.
If you wish to participate in the spring 2025 commencement ceremony, you must submit one of the following to be added to the list of commencement participants:
· Fall 2024 graduates: apply to the walk list by completing the Spring 2025 graduation walking application via the link below
· Spring 2025 graduates: apply to graduate (currently enrolled / in absentia) during the spring 2025 semester.
· Summer 2025 graduates: apply to the walk list by completing the Spring 2025 graduation walking application via the link below
NOTE: Summer 2025 graduates can have no more than 15 hours of remaining future coursework in order to be eligible to sign the walk list in the spring.
Deadlines
The Spring 2025 application for currently enrolled and in absentia students will be available January 30th to April 28th.
Spring 2025 Graduation Application
Spring 2025 graduation application for all students is available online from January 30th, 2025 until April 28th, 2025.
Tuition Rebate
Tuition rebates are available to undergraduate students if they meet the eligibility requirements. Undergraduate students may be eligible for a tuition rebate of up to $1,000, and students enrolled in the Longhorn Fixed Tuition program are eligible for an additional $2,500 rebate. More information and eligibility requirements for tuition rebate can be found here.
Students can use the same application for both rebates. Students may apply for either one, or both if eligible. Download the application and email the scanned completed tuition rebate form to BSWadvising@austin.utexas.edu.
- Fall 2024 graduates – December 21, 2024
- Spring 2025 graduates – May 10, 2025
- Summer 2025 graduates – August 18, 2025
Criteria:
Students desiring to qualify for a tuition rebate are solely responsible for enrolling only in courses that will qualify them for the rebate.
A student will be eligible for a partial rebate of their undergraduate tuition if ALL the following criteria are met:
1. The student must not have enrolled at any institution of higher education before the Fall 1997 semester.
2. At the time s/he earns a first undergraduate degree, the student must have attempted* no more than three semester hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for the degree.
Hours attempted* include:
- All courses the student has undertaken, such as transfer credit**, credit earned by examination***, study abroad courses****, courses the student dropped or from which the student withdrew after the date the official enrollment count was taken,
- Optional internship and cooperative education courses,
- Courses the student failed,
- Courses the student repeated.
- If the student has earned credit-by-exam for more than nine hours of coursework, the hours in excess of nine are also counted as hours attempted.
3. The student must have been a Texas resident and must have been eligible to pay resident tuition at all times while pursuing the degree.
4. For students who enroll for the first time in the fall 2005 or later, a student must graduate within four calendar years for a four-year degree.
Notes:
* Courses dropped for reasons that are determined by the institution to be totally beyond the control of the student shall not be counted.
** Transfer work that was taken during high school (dual credit) shall not be counted.
*** The first nine (9) hours earned by examination (that is, credit earned on the basis of AP courses, CLEP or credit granted for high SAT or ACT scores) shall not be counted.
**** The first nine (9) hours earned through study abroad shall not be counted.