Graduation vs. Commencement

What is the difference between graduation and commencement?

Commencement is a ceremony held once a year that honors students who just have or will soon graduate, which means completing all requirements of their degree programs. Participating in commencement does not automatically mean that a student has graduated. In order to graduate, a student must complete all requirements of his or her degree program before the end of the summer term.

• When students apply to graduate, advisors and the registrar will check to certify that all programme requirements have been satisfied or will be satisfied within the designated time frame (by the end of the summer term). Once degree audits have taken place, students are informed by the registrar’s office whether they can graduate.
• Participating in commencement is a separate process from graduating. When a student confirms participation in commencement, the University College of the Cayman Islands will reserve a place for the student to ‘walk’ in the ceremony and provide tickets for guests.

The UCCI Commencement Ceremony will be held on July 1, 2025.

The new date for the deadline to apply for graduation, is April 30, 2025. Complete the Graduation Application Form.

Important Note for 2025 applicants:

The commencement ceremony is scheduled for July 1, 2025 and students enrolled in Spring 2025 and/or Summer (1) 2025 should apply to graduate if all classes will be completed by Summer (1) 2025. Degrees/certificates will be conferred after Summer (1) 2025 grades are released. Diplomas will be ordered after that.

Academic Requirements for Graduation

Please note that you must have met all your degree/programme and GPA requirements by the end of the Summer (1) 2025 semester in order to have your degree conferred in 2025. This includes:

• Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
• Minimum credit requirement met (depending on the degree programme)
• All courses completed from programme plan
• Resolution of incomplete grades
• Resolution of Course Substitutions/Waivers
• Resolution of Grade Forgiveness applications
• Resolution of Transfer of Credits
• Resolution of Change of Major
• Resolution of Change of Degree Plan
• No outstanding account balances

Completion of Degree Plans:

Please meet with your advisor to review this before submitting the application to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

To include with your application form:

You must submit the following items with your Graduation Application form:

• Completed degree plan
• Unofficial transcript
• One valid form of identification (passport, birth certificate, driver's license)

Regular graduation fees:

• Attending graduation: $135 CI
• Not attending graduation: $100 CI

Not Approved for graduation:

Students who have applied for graduation but have not met the requirements listed above will be determined to be ineligible and will be contacted and informed of this decision. Students meeting the requirements will be emailed a confirmation and further instructions regarding items such as graduation rehearsal.

Change of name:

Potential graduates who provide identification with a name that is different from the name on their graduation applications, and without supporting documents, will be required to file an affidavit. Students wishing to change the name on their student files should complete a Change of Name Form and submit it with the supporting documents at the time of application.

Making Payments for Graduation

Option 1
Payment by debit or credit card through the online payment portal: https://ucci.caymangateway.com/. Under ‘Service Category’ select General Fees and then choose Graduation (Walking) or Graduation (Not Walking)

Option 2
In person cash payments can be made at the Grand Cayman One-Stop Centre or the Cayman Brac Campus. Hours of operation: Monday-Thursday 8:30am-5:00pm and Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.

Option 3
Students can make payments directly at a CNB through online bill payments or RBC bank branch through online bill payments or over-the-counter payments. Please ensure that your full name, Graduation 2025 and student ID are included in the payment reference for UCCI to properly apply against your account.

• If online select University College of the Cayman Islands as the Beneficiary Account/Bill Payee.
• If you are paying in person, provide them with your name, Student ID number and the amount that you would like to pay to the UCCI account. You can opt to pay in KYD through UCCI’s RBC and Cayman National Bank accounts.
  1. RBC KYD A/C: 069751130293
  2. CNB KYD A/C: 011-11277
• If you make a physical or online payment, please take a picture or send a screenshot to registrar@ucci.edu.ky to alert the Registrar’s Office.

Submitting the Graduation Application Form

Please submit completed forms, along with supporting documentation or via the online form, by April 30, 2025. If paying online/over the phone, please do so before submitting the documentation. If paying in person, it can be done at the same time.

Important: Submission and payment of a graduation application does not equate to approval. Students will receive approval via email from the registrar’s office 3-4 weeks after the deadline.

NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER APRIL 30, 2025.

Thank you!

Office of the Registrar

Updated January 9, 2025