Graduation Services

For graduation questions or concerns, email graduation@wiregrass.edu.

Congratulations!

Your program completion is near and it’s time to apply for graduation. The staff members of Wiregrass are proud of your accomplishments and welcome this opportunity to assist you in achieving your educational and career goals. Applying for graduation is the first step.

Students must apply for graduation to be awarded and for graduation status to be indicated on the academic transcript. Commencement Ceremony participation is optional. If you would like to participate in the Graduation Ceremony, please see the Commencement Ceremony Deadlines below.

To apply for graduation, click to complete the ONLINE Graduation Application. Individual forms and documents may be found under “Graduation Documents” at the bottom of this page. For more information about the day of Commencement, please read the following letters:

Parchment Dates: Degrees, diplomas and technical certiﬁcates will be processed by Parchment Services. Students will receive an email from Parchment to confirm their credentials. Awards for late applicants or those who have not paid the graduation fee will not be immediately available. Please check your student email on the dates below for conﬁrmation that your credential is being processed. Each graduate must be verified for completion of their program manually, and therefore, this process takes time. If you are in need of a letter of completion for employment or certification purposes, please contact graduation@wiregrass.edu.

Fall 2025: February 5, 2026
Spring 2026: June 11, 2026
Summer 2026: September 10, 2026

Requirements to Graduate

In order to be eligible for a degree, diploma, or technical certificate of credit, you must meet all of the following requirements:

Complete the ONLINE Graduation Application form. Submit the form when you are advised for your final semester of classes. Students will only receive their degree, diploma, or technical certificate of credit if they submit the Online Graduation Application.
Complete all occupational courses with a “C” or better within the last 120 months. *Note: Some programs require core courses to be completed with a “C” or better.
Meet the required credit hours required by the department and catalog curriculum in effect the semester you were admitted into program.
Students who have a break in enrollment will be entered under a new catalog term. Course substitutions or waivers must be approved by the Program Coordinator or Academic Dean of the course area.
Have a cumulative Graduation Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 in your program.
Please Note: Graduation GPA is calculated using final grades. Your honor status for commencement will reflect all of your final grades at the time of commencement and may not reflect expected semester final grades, grade changes or IPs. Transient grades and transfer credit do not affect your grade point average but may be required to graduate. Students who have a Graduation GPA (average of all courses specifically applied toward your graduation for the major) or at least 3.5 will graduate with honors.
Have an academic standing that is not Academic Dismissal.
Complete at least 25% of program credit hours at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.
Satisfy all financial obligations to the College and reconcile any holds.
Complete the Follow-Up Survey & Evaluation Questionnaire at the end of the Graduation Form.

Graduation Application & Commencement Ceremony Deadlines

Credit students choosing to participate in the Commencement Ceremony must complete the Commencement Participation section on the Graduation Application. HSE and CPH students must complete the Commencement Participation form with the bookstore and pay the Graduation fee. Credit students choosing to participate in the Commencement Ceremony must complete the Commencement Participation section on the Graduation Application. HSE and CPH students must complete the Commencement Participation form. provided by Adult Education Staff or the CPH Coordinator. This form must be turned into the bookstore, and the $40 graduation fee should be paid at that time.

Graduation Definitions and Information:

Adult Education: Provides services for students that did not graduate high school. They offer the High School Equivalency (HSE) programs: GED and HiSET, which have free classes towards obtaining a HSE diploma. They also have CPH, which is an alternative route to earning a high school diploma through Wiregrass. HSE graduates will receive their credentials through the state office. CPH students will receive theirs through Parchment.

Credit Students/Credit Programs: These are students that enroll in traditional Wiregrass programs/courses, such as Barbering, Nursing, Culinary, and many more. Dual Enrollment students are those that are taking courses while enrolled in a local high school. For graduation purposes, they are also considered credit students and must follow the same graduation guidelines. All credit students receive their credentials through Parchment.

Deadlines for Graduation Applications and Commencement participation forms are as follows:

Fall Graduates –Thursday, October 23, 2025
Fall HSE/CPH Graduates – Thursday, October 30, 2025
Spring Graduates - Thursday, March 12, 2026
Spring HSE/CPH Graduates - Thursday, March 19, 2026

Applications received after the Graduation/Commencement Ceremony deadlines for your graduation term will prevent your name from being listed in the commencement program. Confidentiality status on your record will also prevent your name from being listed on the commencement program. Late applicants may also experience a delay in receiving their degree, diploma, or technical certificate of credit. In order for credit students to participate in the graduation ceremony, their graduation applications must be received 3 weeks before the Commencement Ceremony date. Anyone applying after that time period may be eligible to receive credentials but are not eligible to walk in the upcoming ceremony. HSE and CPH participation forms must be received 1 week prior to the Commencement Ceremony date. Any turned in after that time must wait to participate in the next Commencement Ceremony.

Graduation & Commencement Related Fees

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College will charge a $40.00 non-refundable Graduation Fee to graduate candidates and award credentials. If you apply for graduation early, the fee can be paid with your financial aid award! The fee will be applied once per individual program and will cover the cost of Parchment Credentialing Services. The Graduation fee can be paid at your campus bookstore or online through your Ellucian Experience account.

Fees for transcripts and commencement are separate. Directions to order a transcript can be found here: https://www.wiregrass.edu/registrar/transcript-request.

Participating in the Commencement Ceremony is optional. In order to participate in the Commencement ceremony, students will need to have submitted the application or form before the deadlines listed above. Publication deadlines will stand, and students that apply after the deadline will not be featured in the commencement program. Caps, Gowns, and Tassels are to be purchased by students separately through Josten’s/J&S Campus Supply here: gagrad.com.

Graduation Regalia & Grad Days

As stated previously, WGTC regalia to be worn during the WGTC sponsored Commencement Ceremony shall be purchased by students, through Josten’s.

Here are instructions for students to order graduation regalia:

Once clicking on gagrad.com, students will select the tab “Order & Pay for Graduation Supplies/Cap & Gown”
Next, select the state, city (this will be the city of the campus to which you want your regalia shipped; ex. Fitzgerald, Douglas, or Valdosta), and school (HSE/CPH Program Wiregrass Tech or Wiregrass Tech (for credit students).
*Note: If a credit student orders an HSE/CPH cap and gown package, it will be pulled for non-payment, and the student will have to wait for graduation day to purchase and receive another one.
Once done selecting the school, it will redirect you to the package option. Select the applicable package and place it in the cart.
Proceed to checkout. It will ask for height and weight at checkout for sizing purposes.
Tassels will come with Josten’s cap and gown purchases. If you only need the tassel, you can purchase one through Josten’s website. A WGTC Tassel is a part of the proper attire for Commencement and is required.
Josten’s return policy: There will be a $5.00 charge to cancel or return unused regalia.
In the event you have trouble ordering cap and gown through the website, Josten’s will take calls to this number: (229) 435-1809 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM, Tuesday through Friday.

If purchased by the deadline, the regalia will ship to your home WGTC campus with free shipping. After the deadline, only home ship options are available with an additional shipping cost. Notifications will be sent when regalia is available for pickup in the campus bookstores. Your Student ID is required to pick up your regalia in the bookstore. After both deadlines have been reached, the only way to obtain regalia will be at the Commencement Ceremony, and only exact cash or card will be accepted. At that time, the price of the cap and gown may be higher than what was offered on the website.

Grad Day Events

Grad Days are a celebration for current WGTC Credit and HSE/CPH graduates. Students graduating, even if not participating in commencement, are eligible to attend Grad Day. Each graduate will receive a special graduate gift that will not be given out any other time. Food, festivities, and fun are also happening during Grad Days. Some club cords, honor cords, and other WGTC stoles will be given out to eligible students. Each club advisor decides when to give out club cords. If honor cords and associate hoods are not picked during Grad Days, they will only be available for distribution at the ceremony. *Note: Only WGTC-approved cords and stoles can be worn during the commencement ceremony. Also, students that do not participate in the ceremony will not receive cords, stoles, tassels, or associate hoods. They may still order a tassel through Josten’s. Cap decorating guidelines are located on the graduate letters

Graduation Documents

Commencement Ceremony Guest Ticket Information

Guest tickets are no longer required for entry. However, due to limited seating, we ask that graduates invite no more than six guests to the ceremony. Small children that can sit in a lap, and should do so if seating becomes an issue. Students or guests with accommodation needs should be indicated on the student's Graduation Application. More information on accommodations is listed in the graduate letter.

Please be courteous and kind to your fellow graduates and respect the request to limit guests. If seating becomes an issue, tickets may be used again in the future. The event is also livestreamed on social media for anyone to enjoy. Students should also encourage their guests to arrive at least 15 minutes before the ceremony begins (10 a.m.). Doors will be blocked and unseated guests will be halted when it is time for the graduates to enter.

Lost items such as cords, stoles, etc. will not be replaced. Students assume the responsibility for ordering regalia, obtaining eligible cords/stoles, and keeping up with items needed for commencement. Continuously check your student email for important updates.. Personal belongings should not be left unattended at any time. If you do not want to carry an item, such as a purse, please leave with your guests or in your car.

Once the ceremony is over, graduates will exit first. Graduates will need to plan on meeting their guests outside. All non-WGTC personnel will be asked to go outside to prevent overcrowding. Continuously check your student email for important updates.

Upcoming Commencement Ceremonies

Fall Commencement Ceremony
Thursday, December 11, 2025
10:00 AM - HSE/CPH and Credit Programs

John Hunt Auditorium
UGA Conference Center
15 RDC Road
Tifton, GA 31793

Monitor your student email for updates. Contact graduation@wiregrass.edu with any questions or concerns.

FUTURE DATES:

Spring 2026: Thursday, April 30, 2026 – Time TBA
Summer 2026: Thursday, July 30, 2026 – Time TBA