Graduation

• Please submit an online graduation application by visiting your myAims student account, selecting 'Graduation' on the right hand side and then selecting 'Graduation Application Deadlines & Application at the bottom of the page. If you have any questions about the application process, please email gradapp@aims.edu from your Aims email account, not your D2L account. 
• Once you submit your application, you will receive an email confirming it was successfully submitted.
• If you applied for graduation in the current term, a follow up email will be sent 10-15 business days after the application has been submitted to give a status on your application. If you applied for a future term, a status report will not be sent until we begin reviewing that terms graduation applications. 
• If there are any outstanding graduation requirements, you and your advisor will receive a detailed email.
• If you need to make any changes to the graduation application after it is submitted (i.e. change in classes, change of major, change of certificate, change of graduation date), please email gradapp@aims.edu with your new plans.
• If your graduation application is denied, it will be your responsibility to follow up with your advisor and re-apply when the outstanding requirements have been resolved.
   

Aims officially graduates students at the end of each semester (Fall, Spring and Summer). Fall 2021, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 graduates are invited to participate in one of the two May 13, 2022 ceremonies, depending on the academic division of their degree and/or certificate program. 

In order to participate in the ceremony you must be on the tentative graduation list prior to the date of the respective commencement ceremonies.  If you have not applied for graduation, your name will not appear in the comment program or on any graduation list. All applications must be submitted and accepted before February 23  in order to have your name included in the commencement program. Any applications submitted after February 23  will not be included in the program, but the student will be able to participate in the ceremony.

Please visit the Commencement Ceremony page for any updated information about the two ceremonies and cap and gown rental and pick-up. The Academic Divisions for the ceremonies are listed below.

May 13, 2022 Ceremonies

• Noon  - Arts & Sciences/Business Technology
• 5 p.m. - Allied Health & Wellness/Public Safety, Transportation & Workforce Development

Any applications received after February 23, 2022 will not be included in the 2022 commencement program.

FALL 2021 Graduation Deadlines

NOTE: The next Commencement Ceremonies will be held on May 13, 2022. Student applying for Fall 2021, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 will be recognized in one of the two ceremonies, based on their academic division. 

• August 27, 2021: Graduation Application Deadline to ensure all requirements are met for graduation with current registration. *
• November 3, 2021: All course subs are due to the Records Office
• December 15, 2021: All grades including final semester are due
• January 7, 2022, 5 p.m.: Official Transcripts from other institutions must be received by 5 p.m. **
• January 7, 2022, 5 p.m.: Final Fall 2021 deadline to complete any missing graduation requirements or last minute graduation applications.**

*Applications received after August 27 will be accepted up until January 7, if all graduation requirements have been satisfied.

**Any tentative Fall 2021 student who has not met all graduation requirements by 5 p.m., January 7 will be moved to the Spring 2022 tentative graduation list.
 

 SPRING 2022 Graduation Deadlines

NOTE: The next Commencement Ceremonies will be held on May 13, 2022. Students applying for Fall 2021, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 will be recognized in one of the two ceremonies, based on their academic division. 

• January 14, 2022: Graduation Application Deadline to ensure all requirements are met for graduation with current registration. *
• April 8, 2022: All course subs are due to the Records Office
• May 16, 2022: All grades including final semester are due
• June 6, 2022, 5 p.m.: Official Transcripts from other institutions must be received by 5 p.m. **
• June 6, 2022, 5 p.m.: Final Spring 2022 deadline to complete any missing graduation requirements or last minute graduation applications.**

*Applications received after January 14 will be accepted up until June 6, if all graduation requirements have been satisfied.

**Any tentative Spring 2022 student who has not met all graduation requirements by 5 p.m., June 6 will be moved to the Summer 2022 tentative graduation list.
 

 SUMMER 2022 Graduation Deadlines

NOTE: The next Commencement Ceremonies will be held on May 13, 2022. Student applying for Fall 2021, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 will be recognized in one of the two ceremonies, based on their academic division. 

• June 2, 2022: Graduation Application Deadline to ensure all requirements are met for graduation with current registration. *
• July 15, 2022: All course subs are due to the Records Office
• August 15, 2022: All grades including final semester are due
• September 1, 2022, 5 p.m.: Official Transcripts from other institutions must be received by 5 p.m. **
• September 1, 2022, 5 p.m.: Final Summer 2022 deadline to complete any missing graduation requirements or last minute graduation applications.**

*Applications received after June 2 will be accepted up until September 1, if all graduation requirements have been satisfied.

**Any tentative Summer 2022 student who has not met all graduation requirements by 5 p.m., September 1 will be moved to the Fall 2022 tentative graduation list.
 

Diploma and Official Transcript Release Dates and Information

*Effective Summer 2019 all diplomas will be mailed to students, diplomas will not be available for pick up.   

Summer 2021

Official transcripts available with degrees and/or certificates on September 14, 2021
Diplomas mailed to students on September 28, 2021

Fall 2021

Official transcripts available with degrees and/or certificates on January 24, 2022
Diplomas mailed to students on February 7, 2022

Spring 2022

Official transcripts available with degrees and/or certificates on June 20, 2022
Diplomas mailed to students on July 5, 2022

Summer 2022

Official transcripts available with degrees and/or certificates on September 12, 2022
Diplomas mailed to students on September 26, 2022

Aims has retained all academic transcripts since it began in 1967. Aims transcripts can be ordered via Parchment by following the steps below. Paper transcripts usually go out within 24 business hours of the receipt of the request; during peak registration times, it may take longer. Electronic transcripts typically get sent within a half hour of your online request. At this time, Aims does not charge for transcripts

Current/Active students:

1. Login to your myAims account.
2. Once logged in as a student, select 'Grades & Academic Records' and select 'Order Transcript.'

Alumni and Former students (current students can also create an account to use once their aims.edu email is inactivated):

1. Create your transcript account here. You will need the exact name you used while attending Aims, your date of birth, either your Aims ID # or Social Security Number, and the answers to security questions you may have set up for your myAims account when you were here.
2. Log in here as a Returning User if you’ve already created your transcript account.

*Replacement diplomas and/or certificates can also be ordered via Parchment and each document will cost $20. Please choose the 'Replacement Diploma' option once logged in. The words reissued will be on the replacement diploma and/or certificate and the current format and signatures will be used. Documents can take 2-6 weeks from the time the order was placed to reach the final destination.

Diplomas and/or Certificates:

If you do not have an active mailing address, your diploma will be held for one year. If no address is provided after one year, you will be required to re-order your diploma and a fee will be required to reissue your diploma. Please see the information above on how to re-order documents.

Your diploma will not be released if you have a hold on your account. If your hold is released after the diploma release date above, please contact the records office so we can release your diploma. Diplomas with holds are only held for one year. If the hold is released after one year, you will be required to re-order your diploma and a fee will be required to reissue your diploma.  

Please contact the Registration & Records Office at 970-339-6404 and select option 3 for 'Graduation' or email gradapp@aims.edu to resolve issues with your diploma. 

Please review the Graduation Policies and Procedures below. 

Graduation Requirements Policy 

Graduation Requirements Procedure

Degree Conferral Policy:

Academic records will be locked upon degree and certificate conferral. Under no circumstances will changes be made to the academic record after degree or certificate conferral.

When all degree requirements have been completed, a degree or certificate must be awarded and completed in the term that it is brought to the attention of the Records Office. Students cannot request a delay in awarding a degree once all degree and/or certificate requirements have been satisfied.

Graduation honors recognize outstanding academic achievement throughout a student’s academic career. Honors are based on a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all grades earned at the 100-level or above at Aims Community College.

Students graduating with a degree who complete at least thirty letter graded (A-F) credits at Aims, and whose grades qualify, will be granted the following designations:

• Cum Laude – 3.50 to 3.69 cumulative Aims GPA
• Magna Cum Laude – 3.70 to 3.99 cumulative Aims GPA
• Summa Cum Laude – 4.00 cumulative Aims GPA 

Students graduating with a certificate who complete at least fifteen letter graded (A-F) credits at Aims Community College, and whose grades qualify, will be granted the following designations:

• Honors – 3.50 to 3.99 cumulative Aims GPA
• High Honors – 4.00 cumulative Aims GPA

In order to be recognized at the Commencement Ceremony, students must meet the graduation honors GPA requirements at the conclusion of the term immediately preceding the ceremony. Spring enrolled hours will count towards the credit requirements.

Graduates participating at the ceremony will receive gold honor cords. If eligible, gold cords will be included in your regalia when you pick it up at the Bookstore. Graduation honors will be noted in the commencement program by the student’s name.

Graduation honors will be recorded on the academic transcript if a student meets the requirements at the completion of the term for which they are certified for graduation.