Frequently Asked Questions

Right now, Bellevue College does not use the graduation application feature in ctcLink. Instead, apply for graduation via BC forms. If you see a message that says, “You may not be eligible for graduation at this time,” in ctcLink, it does not mean anything. Please ignore it.

You should apply for graduation as soon as you register for your final quarter classes. Please review the application deadlines.

The Graduation Office will review your application after the end of the quarter. It usually takes several weeks after finals to review all degrees. If you are qualified to graduate, your degree will be added to your transcript. You can view your unofficial transcript in your ctcLink account. Click “Academics” in the blue Navigation pane on the left. Then select “View Unofficial Transcript.” Expand the “Degrees” heading to see your degree.

It will take the Graduation Office several weeks after finals to review and award all degrees. Before then, you can meet with your academic advisor to make sure you are on track to graduate. When your degree is awarded, it will appear on your unofficial transcript. Log in to your ctcLink account. Click “Academics” in the blue Navigation pane on the left. Then select “View Unofficial Transcript.” Expand the “Degrees” heading to see your degree.

You can view your unofficial transcript in your ctcLink account. Click “Academics” in the blue Navigation pane on the left. Then select “View Unofficial Transcript.” Expand the “Degrees” heading to see your degree. It usually takes several weeks after the end of the quarter to award all degrees.

If you did not successfully complete your final classes, you can move your graduation to a future quarter. Please fill out another application, and choose the option “I already applied. I need to change my application.” If you change your graduation to the next immediate quarter, there is no additional fee. If you change your application more than one quarter, there may be another application fee. If you did not graduate in Spring quarter, you can move your application to Summer or Fall with no additional fee.

If you missed the application deadline, you can still apply. However, your degree may be delayed by several weeks. If the quarter you need is not on the graduation application anymore, please submit a help request online.

Please submit another graduation application and choose the option “I already applied. I need to change my application.” 

There are both college and specific program requirements you must meet to earn a degree or certificate. The website and the college catalog detail the requirements you must meet to graduate.

• View the specific requirements for your degree.
  • Some degrees change the requirements every few years. Make sure you know what year version you are working on.
• General graduation requirements for all degrees:
  • Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 in all coursework taken at Bellevue College.
  • Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 in all courses applied to the degree/certificate, including credits transferred from other colleges.
  • Complete one-third of the credits required for your degree here at Bellevue College.
    • Bachelor’s degrees only need to complete at least 45 credits here at Bellevue College

Some degrees change every few years. For Professional and Technical degrees, the catalog requirements expire after five years. You must be continuously enrolled to use older degree requirements, and you cannot use requirements from before you started your degree. If you do not complete your degree in five years, you must meet the newer degree requirements. We do not backdate or award degrees with expired requirements.

Students completing transfer degrees should meet the current requirements to ensure their transferability to four-year baccalaureate colleges or universities.

If you need to use credits from another school for your Bellevue College degree, please submit a Transfer Credit Request in addition to your graduation application. You should submit a transfer credit request as soon as you register for your first quarter. Please do not wait.

Please do not use the “Degree Progress” reports in your ctcLink account. They often have outdated information.

Instead, please use the “What-If” report. Ensure you choose the correct degree and catalog requirements year. This will show up-to-date information.

These reports are unofficial and may change without notice. They do not guarantee graduation. Please meet with your Academic Advisor or Program Manager if you have any questions about missing classes or inaccurate reports.

In general, Bellevue College does not award two degrees that are very similar to each other. Below are three categories in which you cannot earn more than one degree:

DTA degrees, such as the Business DTA and the Associate in Arts and Sciences Degree

Degrees with multiple tracks, such as the Science Track transfer degrees

AAS / AAS-T degrees of the same subject, such as the Accounting AAS and the Accounting AAS-T

For more information, please contact the Evaluations Office by asking a question online.

Please meet with your Academic Advisor or Program Manager to plan the courses you need to take to graduate.

To track your progress, you can run a “What-If” report in your ctcLink account. Ensure you choose the correct degree and catalog requirements year. This will show up-to-date information. These reports are unofficial and may change without notice. They do not guarantee graduation.

We add the Honors designation automatically for all degrees and certificates with at least 45 required credits.

The Honors designation is based on your GPA:

• We use your Bellevue College cumulative GPA. This includes every class you took at BC, even the classes you did not use your for your degree. This does not include transfer credit grades.
• You can see your Cumulative GPA on your unofficial transcript in ctcLink.

Honors for Associate Degrees and Certificates of Achievement:

• Distinction: Cumulative GPA between 3.50 and 3.74
• High Distinction: Cumulative GPA between 3.75 and 4.00

Honors for Bachelor Degrees:

• Cum laude: Cumulative GPA between 3.60 and 3.79
• Magna cum laude: Cumulative GPA between 3.80 and 3.99
• Summa cum laude: Cumulative GPA is 4.00

Students who have an honors GPA at the time of the Commencement Ceremony receive honors cords to wear with their caps and gowns. For spring and summer quarter graduates, honors cords are issued based on your GPA at the end of winter quarter.

Honors status is permanent at the time a degree is awarded. If you take additional classes later and your GPA goes up, it will not change the honors for a degree that was awarded previously.

The Commencement Ceremony is optional, and you do not receive your diploma at the ceremony. We mail your diploma after we add your degree to your transcript. The ceremony takes place before final grades are submitted for Spring quarter, and before the start of Summer quarter. This means that even if you participate in the ceremony, your graduation is not official until the degree is added to your official transcript.

We add the Honors designation automatically for all degrees and certificates with at least 45 required credits.

The Honors designation is based on your GPA:

• We use your Bellevue College cumulative GPA. This includes every class you took at BC, even the classes you did not use your for your degree. This does not include transfer credit grades.
• You can see your Cumulative GPA on your unofficial transcript in ctcLink.

Honors for Associate Degrees and Certificates of Achievement:

• Distinction: Cumulative GPA between 3.50 and 3.74
• High Distinction: Cumulative GPA between 3.75 and 4.00

Honors for Bachelor Degrees:

• Cum laude: Cumulative GPA between 3.60 and 3.79
• Magna cum laude: Cumulative GPA between 3.80 and 3.99
• Summa cum laude: Cumulative GPA is 4.00

Students who have an honors GPA at the time of the Commencement Ceremony receive honors cords to wear with their caps and gowns. For spring and summer quarter graduates, honors cords are issued based on your GPA at the end of winter quarter.

You are invited to participate in the Commencement Ceremony if:

• You graduated in Fall or Winter, or
• You applied for graduation in Spring or Summer.

The ceremony takes place before grades are final for Spring, and before the start of Summer quarter. This means Spring and Summer applicants attend the ceremony before their graduation is official.

The Commencement Ceremony is held once each year in June. More information is available on the Commencement Ceremony webpage.

Security restrictions depend on the venue. Specific information will be added to the Commencement Ceremony webpage in spring.

For traditional in-person ceremonies:

Professional photographs are taken at the time you walk across the stage. After the ceremony, you can find your photos on the Grad Images website.

Digital diplomas are issued within two weeks after the degree appears on your transcript. This may be a month or more after the end of the quarter. You will receive an email from Parchment in your BC email inbox. The email will have a link to access your digital diploma. You will have 72 hours to verify your mailing address.

We mail diplomas to the “Home” address type in ctcLink. We do not mail to the “Permanent” or “Mailing” type addresses. Please make sure your Home address type is updated in your ctcLink account.

Submit a Diploma Replacement Request Form online. You can request a digital diploma, paper diploma, or both. Digital diplomas are free. There is a $21.50 fee for paper diplomas.

We do not hand out diplomas at the ceremony. Your diploma will be sent later after your degree is added to your transcript.