“Completion” refers to the time  when a student completes all degree requirements. This can technically happen at any time of the year depending on when a student meets all of their degree requirements, such as completion of incomplete courses (INC) or make-up final exams (ABS) but typically refers to when a student’s active status ends in December for midyear completers and in May for May completers. “Graduation” happens in May when degrees are conferred to students who have completed their degree requirements over the course of the current school year.

A midyear completer is any student who completes their degree requirements during the summer or fall of any given school year. Mid-year completers finishing in December are sometimes referred to as 0.5ers.

Brown University only confers degrees once a year, in May, by way of a vote from the Corporation of the University a couple days before May Commencement. Thus, 0.5ers, who have completed all degree requirements, receive their diplomas in May of the following calendar year. All students will receive their diplomas in the mail to the address supplied via the Application to Graduate, and you are highly encouraged to keep your up-to-date address in Banner.

Once you complete all of your degree requirements, you will receive a certificate of completion from the University Registrar, typically in mid-January. This is not your diploma, but it can be used for jobs or graduate school applications to indicate that you will earn your diploma in May after completion of all degree requirements.

The Center for Career Exploration recommends that you write “December ‘23” or “May 2024 (available to work January 1, 2024).”—please update the dates based on the year you complete. Because degrees are conferred in May, in this case, the National Student Clearinghouse would indicate May 2024 for verification for employment or graduate school.

Because you will not officially earn your degree until May, please review the Academic Calendar and ensure that you are meeting the requirements and timeline of May completers. If the outstanding work is not completed by May, then you will earn your degree in May following the completion of all degree requirements. If you are an F-1/J-1 visa holder, please consult with Dean Chia-Ying Pan, Associate Dean of the College for International Students, if you are considering taking an INC or an ABS in your last semester or if your degree completion program is changing, to ensure that you are aware of your options and eligibility for post-graduation work authorization. 

No. Your academic record will become inactive. If you have completed all requirements, you will have an academic status of Enrollment Satisfied-Requirements Complete (ESRC). This is Brown lingo for having completed all requirements and just waiting for degree conferral. If you still have an outstanding requirement, you will be granted an academic status of Enrollment Satisfied-Requirements Pending (ESRP). These active/inactive statuses can be viewed in your Internal Academic Record at the bottom. If you are an F-1 visa holder and have not yet developed your post-graduation plan, please consult with Dean Chia-Ying Pan, Associate Dean of the College for International Student, and OISSS to understand how long you can stay in the U.S. while in ESRP/ESRC status.

Most services you received as a Brown student will no longer be available to you:

• You will be required to vacate your fall on-campus residential housing assignment by 12pm on December 22nd. If you need to extend your departure date, please complete the request form located on your housing portal. If you have questions about moving out of campus housing, please contact Residential Life directly. 
• You will not be eligible for Financial Aid or the e-Gap program once requirements are complete.
• You will not be able to swipe into buildings—though you will be able to enter any publicly open buildings. 
• You will not be able to participate in Brown student clubs, or serve as a member of a club’s executive board or leadership.
• You will not be able to participate in collegiate athletics.
• You will not have access to Health Services, CAPS, or BWell.

There are still some services that are available to you:

• You may attend all public lectures, seminars, performances, and art exhibitions.
• If you are on student insurance (SHIP), you may keep the insurance through the end of the school year. Contact the Insurance Office for information particular to you.
• If you need support completing your degree, you have access to academic deans.
• If you are an F-1/J-1 visa holder, you may contact OISSS if you are interested in post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training (AT).
• You may still work with the Center for Career Exploration to develop career goals and plans.
• If you require library access to complete an INC, please contact college@brown.edu. 
• If you need Canvas access to complete an INC, your instructor can contact Digital Learning and Design by emailing dld@brown.edu with your name, the course number, and the dates that you need access. 
• If you have questions about when eligibility for student loans end or about loan repayment timelines, please contact the Loan Office.

Technically, midyear completers (who are not F-1 visa holders) can work at their on-campus jobs until December 31st, but more realistically, the last day of employment would be the last day of the Fall semester (around December 21st). This includes the peer mentor programs that are paid through the College or Campus Life—please contact your staff supervisor to understand the nuances/details of your particular position. However, if you plan to stay in the area, you are welcome to apply for a regular staff position at Brown through Workday.

If you are an F-1 visa holder, the last day that you can work on campus is December 21st unless you have work authorization (approved post-completion OPT)  and your job is directly related to your concentration. For more information, please contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISSS).

As a midyear completer, you will apply to graduate alongside all diploma candidates for May. The application opens in Banner in mid January. Please watch your Brown-affiliated email address for important information and instructions for how to do so.

Yes, in most cases. Please discuss your timeline to completing your Honors thesis or Honors project with your concentration advisor (or the director of undergraduate studies, depending on the structure of your concentration) as well as your thesis/project advisor early and often to ensure that you meet all of the deadlines and sequence it properly. 

Yes. You will be considered alongside May Completers. More on Honors can be found here.

Yes, you can be considered for either. To be eligible to speak at Midyear, you must have completed during the summer prior or expect to complete requirements that December. To be eligible to speak at Commencement, you must have completed during the past summer, fall, or spring of that academic year. Please pay attention to Today@Brown postings for recruiting speaker nominations (both will go out in the fall semester, Midyear at the end of September and Commencement in late-October), and self-nominations are encouraged. To view past Midyear Completion Speeches, please visit this site.

Typically the ceremony takes place during the first Saturday of December at 4pm. This could vary from year to year so please check midyear.brown.edu for the most up to date information. The date for the upcoming year is typically published in the middle of the summer. Invitations will go to students who have estimated dates of completion of Fall of that particular year in October with an RSVP due in mid-November. If a student misses the RSVP deadline, they can register on site during the day of the event, though this is discouraged so we can know in advance how many students will be attending the ceremony.

Because the Midyear Completion Ceremony takes place before finals period, most students will not have completed their current semester courses. Do not worry. Come to the celebration!

Firstly, you are still welcome to participate in the Midyear Completion Ceremony. Secondly, please contact your CAS advisor or a degree completion dean by emailing degreecompletiondeans@brown.edu. 

Academic regalia is not worn for this event. There is no particular dress code, but because this is a festive and celebratory event, students often wear dresses, skirts, slacks, ties, etc.

Yes. See the question below for more information about participating in Commencement.

You can choose! Some 0.5’er students do more than one. When you start at Brown, you start with a class — you are always considered part of that class. As such, you can participate in the Commencement ceremony of your class, whether you have completed all degree requirements or not. Additionally, you may also participate in the Commencement following the completion of all of your degree requirements, when you officially receive your diploma. Please note: only students who have completed all degree requirements will have their names printed in the University-wide Commencement Bulletin. 

Guidance for Commencement is available on the Brown Commencement website. Students who will complete in the following December should consult with their concentration advisor/director of undergraduate studies, or department or student affairs manager about the possibility of participating in the department's Commencement ceremony.

Simply line up on Waterman Street in regalia with your class on the day of Commencement and process through the Van Wickle Gates to participate in the College Ceremony at the First Baptist Church and the University Ceremony on the College Green. Additionally, you should consult with your concentration advisor/director of undergraduate studies, or department or student affairs manager about the possibility of participating in the department's Commencement ceremony.

OISSS will write an invitation letter for both Midyear Completion Ceremony and Commencement Weekend. Please check out the section on the OISSS webpage entitled “Tourist Visa Application Information for Relatives.” After you have read the information on the aforementioned page (please read carefully), you can fill out the request form.

Students who complete in the current school year will receive all relevant communications from the Registrar’s Office and the Commencement Events team to coordinate receiving information about your family’s attendance, though the University Commencement Ceremony on the Main Green is not ticketed, so your family can come without any barriers for entry. Some of the concentration ceremonies do have tickets, so please ensure that you contact your concentration advisor or the director of undergraduate studies in your concentration to ensure you have followed their guidelines.