Graduation Information
Students who are ready to graduate must submit an Intent to Graduate Application by the published application deadline in the term in which they plan to graduate. The application form is available online. Login to the myEFSC portal to apply for graduation. Visit the EFSC website for up-to-date graduation and ceremony information.
Degrees are not conferred until all grades have been posted and a final verification of the student’s record is completed by the Office of the Registrar. A degree will not be posted if the student has an 'I' grade on their record.
Students must be degree-seeking at EFSC and complete a minimum of 25% of the degree/program requirements through traditional coursework taken at EFSC. See specific degree graduation requirements in the programs section of this catalog. Once a degree or certificate has been awarded at EFSC, all coursework leading to that degree or certificate is considered final and not subject to change.
Once an EFSC degree or certificate is awarded, a hold is placed on the student's record. A major change or an EFSC readmit application (applied one or more years ago and have not completed a course in the past year) must be submitted and processed by a campus admissions office in order to register for courses in subsequent terms following the award of a EFSC degree or certificate.
Diplomas are mailed six (6) to eight (8) business weeks after the end of the full term.
Tutorials are available for how to complete the online application and what to expect at the commencement ceremony on the EFSC graduation website.
Commencement Ceremony
The College holds two commencement ceremonies for graduating students: one in May and another in December. Students who want to participate in a ceremony must complete the commencement registration process. The registration process is in addition to completing the Intent to Graduate Application. If the student is unable to attend their original ceremony, then they are eligible to register for the subsequent term's ceremony.
Summer graduates are invited to participate in the December ceremony and must notify the Office of the Registrar by the published summer application deadline.
Participation in the commencement ceremony does not imply requirements have been met for graduation.
Graduation Applications, Deadlines, and Fees
Students must apply to graduate in the term the program requirements will be or have been met. To receive a diploma, students must pay the nonrefundable $20.00 graduation fee(s) whether or not they plan to attend the commencement ceremony.
Applying by the published deadline ensures the candidate’s name will be published in the commencement booklet and also avoids the additional nonrefundable $20 late fee.
If a student meets the requirements of affiliated certificate(s) prior to completion of the Associate in Science , separate graduation application(s) and fee(s) must be submitted for each certificate.
Students may still apply for graduation after the published deadline and the EFSC Office of the Registrar will make every effort to process documents as quickly as possible. However, students will be assessed applicable late fee(s) and there is no guarantee that students who submit documents after the deadline will be notified of outstanding graduation requirements.
Re-Application Fee
Students who do not complete all graduation requirements in the term of initial application must submit a new Intent to Graduate Application by the published deadline and pay the non-refundable $20 graduation processing fee(s) in the term they complete their requirements.
Tickets for Guests
Tickets are required for family and friends to attend the commencement ceremony due to limited space at the King Center. Each guest, including infants and toddlers, must have a ticket. Summer graduates are invited to participate in the December ceremony and must reserve their guest tickets by the published summer application deadline. Details about tickets are posted on the graduation website each term.
Ticket distribution is based upon the actual number of candidates participating in the ceremony and the seating capacity of the King Center. All seats are general admission.
Duplicate or Replacement Diploma
Duplicate or replacement diploma(s) may be requested at the cost of $20 per diploma. Please note, requests for duplicate or replacement diploma will not be processed until payment has been made or outstanding holds have not been resolved. Allow 6 to 8 business weeks for the processing of duplicate/replacement diplomas.
To request a duplicate or replacement diploma, the student must submit the Duplicate or Replacement Diploma Request Form, along with applicable fees, to the Office of the Registrar.
Note: Duplicate and replacement diplomas contain verbiage indicating they are not originals.
As of July 1, 2013 all replacement diplomas requested are printed as an Eastern Florida State College diploma. Replacement diplomas for degrees originally conferred before the name change from BCC to EFSC include the statement: “Degree granted by Brevard Community College. This institution officially became Eastern Florida State College on July 1, 2013.”
Financial Obligations
EFSC will not release diplomas or official transcripts to students who have outstanding financial obligations to the College.
Graduation with Multiple Degrees
Students may earn more than one degree or certificate from EFSC. They may earn only one Associate in Arts degree from public institutions within the state of Florida.
Transcripts From Other Institutions
Students must satisfy all EFSC admissions requirements before they will be awarded a degree from the College. This may include submission of official high school and college transcripts. If the outstanding transcripts or other admissions requirements are not received, the degree will not be awarded.
Non-Degree and Transient Students
Non-degree and transient students must declare a major at EFSC and submit all official transcripts to be able to graduate with a degree/certificate from EFSC. Degrees/certificates will not be awarded to non-degree and transient students.
Regalia
Students who graduate as members of PTK or with other distinctions such as National Society of Leaderships and Success (NSLS), Honors Program, Citizen Scholar, Veteran, etc. may wear all regalia during the commencement ceremony. Students should obtain the regalia from their sponsor(s) prior to the ceremony.
Students completing an Associate’s degree, College Credit Certificate, Advanced Technical Diploma, or Career & Technical Certificates with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher will graduate with honors. The cumulative GPA includes transfer work from previous institutions prior to January 2013 or without a “T” in front of the grade, and all 1000 to 2000 level coursework completed at EFSC.
Students completing any bachelor’s degree, Advanced Technical Diploma, or Certificate of Completion (EPI) with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher for all 3000 to 4000 level coursework completed at EFSC and 3000 to 4000 level transfer work from previous institutions, will graduate with honors.
Transfer courses with a grade of “T%” do not factor into the GPA.
Students who graduate with honors will be given a white tassel to wear on their cap when they sign in prior to the commencement ceremony.
Students who meet requirements and do not submit an Intent to Graduate application may be auto-graduated via academic action. Auto-graduates are notified by letter of the degree(s)/certificate(s) that have been awarded. Degree(s)/certificate(s) will be posted on the student’s transcript.
To ensure graduation and conferring of the degree, students should apply for graduation. There is no guarantee that a student who does not apply will be auto-graduated.
Academic action graduates who would like a diploma to commemorate the degree(s)/certificate(s) may submit the payment along with the letter to any campus cashier who will then forward to the Office of the Registrar to process. The diploma(s) will be sent within six (6) to eight (8) business weeks after receipt to the address on file. Outstanding financial obligations to the college will prevent the release of any documents.
Academic action graduates do not participate in the commencement ceremony, are not listed in the commencement booklet and may not reserve guest tickets.
A student may request a course waiver or substitution for a degree requirement by submitting a Petition for Course Substitution or Waiver form to the Office of the Registrar. The Office of the Registrar will consult with the appropriate program or cluster chairs to verify that the change will not impact the integrity of the program.
Courses are waived or substituted for specific degrees only. A course that is waived or substituted does not appear on the student’s transcript. Request for course waivers or substitutions must be submitted for each degree. Students with waived or substituted courses must still earn the required number of credits for the degree/certificate.
Degrees and Specializations
EFSC offers several degrees with multiple specializations or pathways, such as the A.S. and B.A.S. degrees and the A.A. degree with pathways. Students may receive a specific degree only one time. While students may take courses from multiple specializations, the degree will be awarded only once.
For example, student earns the A.S. in Engineering Technology, with the Advanced Technology Specialization. Student then completes all courses in the Electronics Specialization. Student will not receive the A.S. in Engineering Technology again. However, student could receive a degree in Graphics Technology when all requirements for that degree are met.
The diploma will be posted with the degree name, not the specialization or pathway. The specialization will be noted on the transcript.
Catalog Year and Continuous Enrollment (Governing Catalog)
The college catalog is the official document that describes the policies, academic programs and requirements for students who are degree seeking attending Eastern Florida State College. Students are held responsible for knowing and adhering to the policies and requirements that affect them.
The governing catalog is the College catalog in effect at the time of admission to the college, readmission or upon a major change. Student will follow the policies and graduation requirements in the governing catalog except when changed by law or by the Board of Trustees, in accordance with the following guidelines.
Continuous enrollment is the completion of at least one course within three consecutive terms. Completion of a course means student earned a grade in the course, including a letter grade, I or W. Spring, summer, and fall are each considered a term. Continuing Education courses do not count toward continuous enrollment.
- The governing catalog term is the same as the catalog in effect at the time of admission to the college, readmission to or upon a major change. To remain in a specific catalog term, student must maintain continuous enrollment.
- The governing catalog is valid for five academic years. The governing catalog for students whose catalog has expired will be the one in effect in the next term of enrollment.
- A student may officially declare any subsequent catalog as their governing catalog and follow the new program requirements provided they have maintained continuous enrollment and the subsequent catalog is not more than 5 years old. To request a catalog year update, a student must complete a Major/Program Change Form by the published deadline date. Student should check if a catalog year change affects financial aid.
- The governing catalog for students pursuing limited access programs will be the catalog in effect when they are accepted into the program and maintains continuous enrollment.
- After three consecutive terms of non-attendance, student will be inactivated and catalog term will be updated upon readmission.
- In all instances, students who return to EFSC after enrolling at another college or university (except for EFSC degree seeking students approved for transient status) must follow the graduation requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of their readmission.