Graduation

When you have finished all parts of your Master’s programme:

1. Check the deadlines for graduation in the tab 'Graduation application deadlines and ceremony dates' (please note there are two different deadlines: one for your graduation application and one for the graduation ceremony).
2. You can only graduate if your application is completed (all grades are in OSIRIS), and your graduation application form is handed in at the administration office. Make sure you hand in your graduation application form well before the application deadline (see tab 'Graduation application deadlines and ceremony dates'). Each month you delay your graduation request, will cost you a tuition fee.
3. Fill out the GSLS - Graduation Application Form (download and open in Adobe Reader). At this form you can directly apply for one of the graduation ceremonies.*
4. Invite a supervisor, examiner or teacher to address you during the ceremony (a laudatio).
5. Get the form signed by your programme coordinator and, if applicable, your profile coordinator (except for the general research profile).
6. Email the graduation application form to the administration office.**
7. The Board of Examiners will determine whether the composition of the student’s study programme complies with the programme described in the EER.
8. You are informed about the decision of the Board by e-mail within 10 working days after the application deadline (15^thof the month). When this is a positive decision, it will also state the official date of graduation.
9. After the positive decision about your graduation, you still must actively terminate your enrolment at Utrecht University before the 1^st of the month following your graduation application..

^{*It occasionally happens that there is no more room at the graduation ceremony of your preference. If this is the case, you will be informed immediately after your graduation form has been processed.
**Master's students that follow the Epidemiology programme hand in their graduation form at the Epidemiology administrative office at least five working days before the 15th of the month.}

Date of graduation

The date of graduation is the last working day of the month in which the Board of Examiners has approved your graduation application and will be the official date that is mentioned on your diploma. In order to have your graduation application approved on any given month, you need to hand in your grades and graduation application form (download and open in Adobe Reader) at the administration office at the 15th of the month at the latest.*

Application for graduation ceremony

When you hand in your graduation application form you must also fill in which graduation ceremony you would like to attend. You are only able to attend a graduation ceremony that takes place at least 4 weeks after you have handed in your graduation application form (download and open in Adobe Reader) at the administration office. A list of graduation ceremony dates and the deadlines for applying to them can be found below. You will only be assigned to a ceremony session if you have also arranged a speaker to address you during the session (laudatory speech). The graduation ceremony takes place in the Academiegebouw of Utrecht University. Each ceremony has a limited capacity. It may happen that there is no more room at the graduation ceremony of your preference. If this is the case, you will be informed immediately after your graduation form has been processed.

^{*Master's students that follow the Epidemiology programme hand in their graduation form at the Epidemiology administrative office at least five working days before the 15th of the month.}

The 'cum laude' classification will be awarded to the Master’s student if each of the following conditions has been met:

1. A mark of at least 8.5 has been earned for the major research project*.

2. A mark of at least 8.5 has been earned for the minor research project or profile*. 

3. A mark of at least 8.5 has been earned for the writing assignment*.

4. A weighted (to credits) average mark of at least 8.0 has been earned for the other components of the programme. 

5. No re-examinations, substitute or replacement tests were taken.

6. Exemptions that do not count have been obtained for no more than 12 credits.

7. The Board of Examiners has not taken any decision that fraud or plagiarism was committed.

8. The final examination of the Master’s Degree programme was passed within 1,5x the normal study duration.

*For Epidemiology condition 2 is not applicable. For Epidemiology Postgraduate conditions 2 and 3 are not applicable. For Science and Business Management condition 2 is applicable for the business internship, condition 3 is not applicable.

The Master’s programmes are part of accredited degrees registered with the Central Register for Training in Higher Education (CROHO) which have their own CROHO labels. The table below gives an overview of the programmes and the associated CROHO labels. The CROHO label will be presented on your diploma, together with your Master’s programme.

Are you ready to find your first job but unsure where or how to start your search? Up to six months after graduation you can still visit Career Services, join our workshops, fill in online tests, get a resume check and practice a job interview.

Read more information about career services and prospects.

Once you have graduated from one of the Master's programmes of the Graduate School of Life Sciences we would like to welcome you as an alumnus!

Since the Master's programmes are organised by different faculties or departments, most programmes have their own network consisting of current students and alumni.  There are also overarching alumni organisations and as such you could be an alumnus of:

• Biomedical Sciences (programmes: Biofabrication, Biology of Disease, Cancer Genomics and Developmental Biology, Epidemiology, Infection and Immunity, Medical Imaging, Neuroscience and Cognition, One Health, Regenerative Medicine and Technology, Toxicology and Environmental Health)
   
• Faculty of Science (programmes: Bio Inspired Innovation, Bioinformatics and Biocomplexity, Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences, Drug Innovation, Environmental Biology, and Science and Business Management)

Additionally, student associations often also keep in touch with their alumni. For more information on this please check their individual websites, listed here.