Graduation

To have your name listed in the commencement program, you must have your graduation applications in by the deadlines provided under "Commencement" and "Graduation Deadlines."

• You must submit a Graduation Application through Workday. Please review the Student Workday Resources page  > Registration and Records > Graduation. If you have any questions about the application process, please email gradapp@aims.edu, from your Aims email account, not your D2L account or personal email 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 to your aims.edu email, including information about your graduation status. 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 stating you are not cleared for graduation, with a list of the specific requirements that remain. You must respond to that email, within 10 business days, in order to have your application reviewed again and potentially be approved. If you do not respond to the email by the deadline given, your graduation application will be denied.
• 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, via your aims.edu email account, 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 graduates are only invited to participate in the Fall ceremony. Spring & Summer graduates are only invited to participate in the Spring ceremony. 

For Spring & Summer graduates, students will be invited to one of the two Ceremonies held, based on their Academic Division of their program(s). Students will be sent the specific Commencement Registration Form for the Academic Division their program falls under. 

Spring 2024 Ceremonies & Academic Divisions: 

The May 2024 ceremonies will be held on May 10, 2024

• 11:00 am - Arts & Sciences/Business & Technology
• 3:00 pm - Allied Health & Wellness/Public Safety, Education & Transportation

In order to participate in the ceremony, students must be on the tentative graduation list, by submitting a graduation application and being cleared by showing that all requirements of the program are being fulfilled. Prior to the date of the respective commencement ceremonies, students must order a Cap & Gown and register for the ceremony by the deadlines provided, once available.

For the Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremonies, all graduation applications must be submitted and accepted before February 27, 2024 at 5:00pm, in order to have their name included in the Commencement Program. Students who submit graduation applications after that deadline will not have their name included in the program, but can still attend the ceremony, if they are cleared for graduation.

Please visit the Commencement Ceremony page for any updated information about the ceremonies, Cap and Gown ordering and pick-up, once information is available.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be no exceptions made for students to switch their ceremony term (or times for the two Spring ceremonies). All Fall graduates will only be invited to attend the Fall ceremony and all Spring & Summer graduates will only be invited to attend one of the Spring ceremonies.

Any graduation applications (student's name & program) received after February 27, 2024 will not be reflected in the May 2024 Commencement Program.  

Spring 2024 Graduation Deadlines

NOTE: The Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremonies will be held on May 10, 2024. Students applying for Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 will be recognized in one of the two ceremonies, based on their academic division.

• February 27, 2024: All graduation applications must be submitted by February 27, 2024 in order for your name to be included in the Spring 2024 commencement program. *
• January 22, 2024: Graduation Application Deadline to ensure all requirements are met for graduation with current registration, before the add deadline. **
• May 13, 2024: All grades including final semester are due
• May 31, 2024, 5 p.m.: Official Transcripts from other institutions must be received by 5 p.m. ***
• May 31, 2024, 5 p.m.: Final Spring 2024 deadline to complete any missing graduation requirements or submit last minute graduation applications.**

* Graduation applications will be accepted after February 27, 2024, however, your name and any programs applied for after that date will not be included in the commencement program.

** Applications received after January 22nd will be accepted until May 31st, if all graduation requirements have been satisfied.

*** Any tentative Spring 2024 student who has not met all graduation requirements by 5 p.m., May 31st will be moved to the Summer 2024 tentative graduation list, if requirements are being met for that term.

Summer 2024 Graduation Deadlines

NOTE: The Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremonies will be held on May 10, 2024. Students applying for Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 will be recognized in one of the two ceremonies, based on their academic division.

• February 27, 2024: All graduation applications must be submitted by February 27, 2024 in order for your name to be included in the Spring 2024 commencement program. *
• May 30, 2024: Graduation Application Deadline to ensure all requirements are met for graduation with current registration, before the add deadline. **
• August 12, 2024: All grades including final semester are due
• August 30, 2024, 5 p.m.: Official Transcripts from other institutions must be received by 5 p.m. ***
• August 30, 2024, 5 p.m.: Final Summer 2024 deadline to complete any missing graduation requirements or submit last minute graduation applications.**

* Graduation applications will be accepted after February 27, 2024, however, your name and any programs applied for after that date will not be included in the commencement program.

** Applications received after May 30th will be accepted until August 31st, if all graduation requirements have been satisfied.

*** Any tentative Summer 2024 student who has not met all graduation requirements by 5 p.m., August 30th will be moved to the Fall 2024 tentative graduation list, if requirements are being met for that term.

Fall 2024 Graduation Deadlines

NOTE: The Fall 2024 Commencement Ceremony will be held on December 13, 2024.

• October 4, 2024: All graduation applications must be submitted by October 4, 2024 in order for your name to be included in the Fall 2024 commencement program. *
• August 30, 2024: Graduation Application Deadline to ensure all requirements are met for graduation with current registration, before the add deadline. **
• December 18, 2024: All grades including final semester are due
• January 10, 2025, 5 p.m.: Official Transcripts from other institutions must be received by 5 p.m. ***
• January 10, 2025, 5 p.m.: Final Fall 2024 deadline to complete any missing graduation requirements or submit last minute graduation applications.**

* Graduation applications will be accepted after October 4, 2024, however, your name and any programs applied for after that date will not be included in the commencement program.

** Applications received after August 30th will be accepted until January 10th, if all graduation requirements have been satisfied.

*** Any tentative Fall 2024 student who has not met all graduation requirements by 5 p.m., January 10th will be moved to the Spring 2025 tentative graduation list, if requirements are being met for that term.

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.   

Spring 2024

• Official transcripts available with degrees and/or certificates on June 17, 2024
• Diplomas tentatively mailed to students on July 1, 2024

Summer 2024

• Official transcripts available with degrees and/or certificates on September 9, 2024
• Diplomas tentatively mailed to students on September 23, 2024

Fall 2024

• Official transcripts available with degrees and/or certificates on January 27, 2025
• Diplomas tentatively mailed to students on February 10, 2025

For information on how to order your official transcript please visit our Transcripts page.

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:

Do not submit an order for a replacement diploma if you were just awarded a program and are waiting for the original copy to be mailed. The order will be cancelled as the original order is free.

Aims does not house High School Diplomas or GED information - please do not order a replacement diploma for GED or HS Diplomas. Call 970-339-6404 or email records@aims.edu to receive additional information on how to obtain those records.

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 cumulative GPA requirements at the conclusion of the term immediately preceding the ceremony (i.e. if attending the Fall 2023 ceremony - you must meet the cumulative GPA hours from the last term you took classes, before Fall).  Fall enrolled hours will count towards the credit requirements for Fall students. Spring enrolled hours will count towards the credit requirements for Spring and Summer students. 

Eligible graduates, participating at the ceremony, will receive gold honor cords included in their regalia when it's picked 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.