The diploma name must match the legal first and last name on file with the University and on record in the Student Link. Your diploma name will default to the Student Link name and once you have been made a ‘tentative’ or ‘official’ graduate by your school/college, you can review your diploma name via the Student Link > Academics > Diploma & Graduation tab.
To change a legal first and/or last name on the diploma and the University record, you must submit a Name Change Form with supporting legal documentation (driver’s license, marriage certificate, passport, etc.) by fax or email to the Office of the University Registrar. Please submit updates as soon as possible. Once diplomas are produced you will not be able to make any changes without purchasing another copy.
The Registrar’s office will email students who are non-compliant with our diploma name policies, and any diploma name that does not match the legal first and last name on the record will be reverted to match the record. Please also keep in mind:
- Middle names are not controlled; you can add, remove, abbreviate, or expand your legal middle name as necessary.
- Suffixes are permissible (ex: Jr., III)
- Periods (.) are not automatically placed after all middle initials. If you want a period after your middle initial(s) make sure to include it.
- To insert a special diacritical mark or accent, please copy and paste the character from Microsoft Word into the diploma name field in the Student Link.
- Names that are in all capital letters will be reverted to lowercase (only the first letter of each name is capitalized).
International Students
International students must match their diploma name to the exact name as it appears on their passport; for visa, insurance, and other official verification purposes. Various international governments and verification agencies will not accept a student’s diploma as an official document if the name does not match the name on their University record and passport.