Frequently Asked Questions

(Please also visit the Commencement General Information section of this website)

2010 Commencement

The information posted on this website pertains to graduates of all NSU schools with the exception of the Health Professions Division (HPD). HPD students should visit the appropriate website or contact the program office for appropriate information.

How and when will I receive detailed information regarding the Commencement Ceremony?

All eligible participants will be mailed a packet of information two months prior to the ceremony date. The packet will include: (1) Invitation to attend memorandum (inclusive of information regarding rings/announcements/frames/deluxe University doctoral regalia); (2) Commencement Participation Form (CPF) to be completed and returned; and (3) postage-paid envelope.

A second (final) packet will be mailed to all students who have returned the CPF indicating their intention to participate in the ceremony. Please allow a minimum of three (3) weeks, after you return the CPF, for the second packet to reach your address. Included in the second packet will be detailed maps and instructions to the graduates regarding the ceremony.

How can I participate in the Ceremony?

There are two possible ways to be formally invited to participate in the ceremony:

1. Students who have achieved degree conferral since the date of the previous year's commencement ceremony, and prior to the current ceremony date, are automatically invited to participate in the ceremony (if you were not invited to the previous year’s ceremony).
2. Each NSU school determines their own “participation requirements”. Please check with your individual school/program or visit the school’s commencement website for clarification on the requirements which must be met in order to be invited to the ceremony.

What if I’m an international F-1 or J-1 student, how do I invite my family members to attend my commencement? What kind of visa will they need?

Contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) at 954-262-7240 and request a letter of invitation for your family members to attend your commencement. Your family members will present the letter to the United States Embassy when they apply for their B1/B2 tourist visas—the visas used for short business or pleasure visits to the United States.

Be prepared to give the OISS representative the following information:

• your NSU ID
• your program name and the degree you will be awarded
• the date and place of your commencement
• the names of your family members and how each is related to you (father, mother, sister, brother, in-law, etc.). Be sure to spell all names correctly and include any titles that your family members may have (Dr., Honorable, Reverend, etc.)
• the city and country of the United States Embassy or United States Consulate your relatives will be using to obtain their tourist visas

If you wish to invite more than one family member, let the OISS know if you want one letter to include all family members, or if you want a separate letter for each family member. It will be the students’ responsibility to mail the letter(s) to their family members.

How do I obtain my cap and gown (regalia)?

The Commencement Participation Form (CPF) is a two-part form available only in the packet of information mailed to eligible graduates prior to the ceremony date. This form must be completed and both parts returned to the University Registrar's Office along with the appropriate fee in the envelope provided. The receipt of the form by NSU serves to reserve your place in the ceremony and to order the standard regalia (cap and gown) from the NSU Bookstore. Faxed forms cannot be accepted. The cap and gown are yours to keep.

How long does the ceremony last?

Each ceremony averages two hours.

Do my guests need tickets?

Tickets are not necessary for your guests. The ceremony facility (Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida) can accommodate several thousand guests. Unlimited guests can attend the ceremony.

I already own regalia from my workplace/previous ceremony/purchased online from another source. Do I still need to send in the Commencement Participation Form (CPF) and fee?

Yes, as stated above, the fee covers both your participation as well as the cost of standard regalia (cap and gown). Submission of the CPF reserves your place in the ceremony. There are subtle differences in the regalia for different degrees, therefore only regalia obtained through NSU may be worn. When you return the CPF your name is added to the commencement database. The database serves to note your intention to participate in the ceremony, and assures that you will be sent the second packet with final instructions.

Is there a rehearsal prior to the ceremony?

No. As graduates attend commencement from not only within, but outside the United States, rehearsal is not held. Graduates are instead asked to arrive at the ceremony no later than one hour prior to start for marching instructions and appropriate placement in the processional.

Where do I obtain an Application for Degree/Diploma Form?

An Application for Degree/Diploma can be obtained online. To access the Online Application for Degree/Diploma, you must first read these important instructions.

When should I complete an Application for Degree/Diploma?

The application should be completed and submitted with the appropriate fee no later than the last term in which your program will be completed. The application can be submitted early and kept on file in order to expedite the process once your program requirements have been met.

I completed and paid for my Application for Degree/Diploma. When will my degree be conferred and reflect on my official transcript of record?

• All program requirements must be complete, all grades must be officially posted on your academic transcript, including transfer of credit/s and all obligations (tuition and fees paid, library books returned, equipment returned, bookstore obligations met, etc.) satisfied in WebSTAR. Should you find any discrepancies, please notify us immediately by sending an email to: nsuregistrar@nsu.nova.edu.  If your address changes after you have applied for your degree, you must update your mailing address in WebSTAR and send an email to Shawn Martin, Coordinator of Degree Conferrals and Diplomas at shawmart@nsu.nova.edu. This will expedite the degree conferral process, and as such, facilitate smoother processing on your behalf.
  
  
• Application for Degree/Diploma is then approved by your program office and submitted to the University Registrar's Office for conferral. The date on which all academic requirements were met appears on the transcript; however, NSU uses the last day of the month in which all requirements were met (which is usually when it is approved by the program office) as the official degree conferral date which appears on the diploma.

What if I owe the University money?

The Office of the Registrar will confer your degree, however, all transcripts and the diploma will be held until all monies owed have been paid in full via ebill at http://www.nova.edu/cwis/bursar/ebill/. For questions, please contact the Bursar’s Office by email or by phone at (954) 262-5200.

When will I receive my diploma?

You will receive a letter notifying you when to expect receipt of the diploma. Diplomas are mailed priority mail for delivery within three to four business days. This does not account for holidays or international mailings. This process takes approximately two (2) to three (3) weeks arrival time. Should you find any discrepancies, please notify us immediately by sending an email to: nsuregistrar@nsu.nova.edu.

How do I order a duplicate diploma?

Please complete the Application for Duplicate Diploma Form (PDF) to submit this request. A $30 payment, per copy, must accompany your request.

The above information is general. There may be additional details specific to your center/school's ceremony.

Acrobat Reader is needed to view any form that is designated with PDF.