Graduation Information

• *Candidates for Spring, Summer, and Fall must submit a graduation application in February of that year.
• *Winter candidates must submit a graduation application by December of the previous year.
• Only matriculated students are eligible to apply for graduation.
• The Office of Records and Registration oversees graduation documents (diplomas and TCNJ certificates). Please allow 4-6 weeks after your commencement date to receive these documents.

• Complete all required coursework
• Reconciliation of financial accounts in PAWS
• Apply for graduation
• Confirm or update the mailing address in PAWS

All M.Ed. and MA candidates are eligible to receive a TCNJ diploma upon program completion. Students apply for graduation through PAWS. The Office of Records and Registration orders diplomas through an outside vendor, which mails them directly to the student’s degree address. Please allow 4-6 weeks after your commencement date to receive this document. Please refer to the Graduation Mailing and Notarized Graduation Documents section below to obtain a notary.

All candidates completing a certificate program (domestic or global) are eligible to receive a TCNJ Certificate, issued by the Office of Records and Registration. Candidates must apply for graduation through PAWS to be eligible to receive a TCNJ Certificate. Please allow 4-6 weeks after your commencement date to receive this document.

The Certificate of Qualification (CQ) is awarded to students (US and NON-US Citizens) who have completed a graduate program in counseling, teaching, or school leadership. The Certificate of Qualification is a TCNJ graduation document developed by the School of Education. While it is a credential widely recognized by international schools, it is not a New Jersey certification, nor does it lead to state licensure in New Jersey.  

Candidates must apply for graduation through PAWS to be eligible to receive a CQ. Please allow 4-6 weeks after your commencement date to receive this document. Please refer to the Graduation Mailing and Notarized Graduation Documents section below to obtain a notary.

Off-Site and Online Programs (OSOP) will send an electronic letter of completion once your degree has been posted. If students need a TCNJ letter of completion, please email osgp@tcnj.edu with your request.

Counseling candidates who are US citizens may apply for certification through the NJDOE upon program completion. For questions concerning certification, please consult your academic advisor.

Students completing an NJ Domestic OSOP Certificate Program (ESL initial certification, Bilingual Endorsement (initial or standard), or EdL Supervisor Certification may be eligible to apply for their certification with TCNJ’s Certification Office. (To ensure you complete the correct application, please consult your academic advisor before completing/submitting it.)

The official transcript is The College of New Jersey’s certified statement of a student’s academic record and can be ordered through PAWS or the Office of Records and Registration. The official transcript features the College seal and the signature of the Director of Records and Registration, listing all enrolled courses, grades, academic terms, programs of study, and conferred degrees.

The Office of Records and Registration orders diplomas through an outside vendor, which will mail diplomas directly to the student’s degree address. OSOP will mail the Certificate of Qualification (CQ), printed internally, separately to the student’s degree address via USPS. Graduation documents should be received roughly 4-6 weeks after the commencement date has been posted to transcripts. No additional fee is required for these one-time mailings.

A student looking to have their diploma and/or CQ notarized must order a duplicate diploma through the Office of Records and Registration. On the duplicate diploma request form, please request that it be delivered to Off-Site and Online Programs. We will retain a notary once our office receives the duplicate diploma (4-6 weeks). Students looking for a CQ to be notarized should contact osgp@tcnj.edu with their request.

OSOP asks students who have already received their CQ or diploma (or who have submitted a duplicate diploma for notary purposes) to incur the shipping and handling expenses. Please create and pay for an express mailing label with eglobalshipping and notify our office, osgp@tcnj.edu.

The Office of Records and Registration orders diplomas through an outside vendor, which will mail diplomas directly to the student’s degree address. Certificates of Qualification (CQ) are printed internally and are mailed separately to the student’s degree address via USPS. Please allow 6-8 weeks after your commencement date to receive your graduation document(s).

A student looking to have their diploma and/or CQ notarized must order a duplicate diploma through the Office of Records and Registration. On the duplicate diploma request form, please request that it be delivered to Off-Site and Online Programs. We will retain a notary once our office receives the duplicate diploma (4-6 weeks). Students looking for a CQ to be notarized should contact osgp@tcnj.edu with their request.

OSOP asks students who have already received their CQ or diploma (or have submitted a duplicate diploma for notary purposes) to incur the shipping and handling expenses. Please create and pay for an express mailing label with eglobalshipping and notify our office, osgp@tcnj.edu.