The Application for Certificate Completion form is required for students enrolled in approved graduate certificate programs. It is used to formally notify your academic program and the Graduate School of your intent to complete the certificate. Submission of this form initiates the final review to verify that all certificate requirements have been met.
Important Notes:
- Certificate programs must be formally approved by the Graduate School and noted in your student record to be eligible for this form.
- The application must be submitted and approved by the certificate program and received in the Graduate School by the posted deadline for the term in which you intend to complete the certificate.
- Refer to the Graduate School Calendar for deadline information.
Submission Instructions:
Step 1: Log in to GradForms.
Step 2: Navigate to Forms > Graduation/Examination.
Step 3: Click “Create New” next to Application for Certificate Completion.
Step 4: Student Information:
- This section is for informational purposes only. Consult Buckeyelink for the most up to date information about your academic record. If the “Missing Grades” field shows “Yes”, review your advising report on Buckeyelink.
Step 5: Select the Term during which you will complete all certificate requirements.
- If the application deadline has passed, select the End of Semester checkbox. EOS means that the certificate will be officially awarded the following semester.
Step 6: Certificate Plan Selection:
- Choose the specific certificate program from the dropdown list.
Step 7: Certificate Coursework
- For each course in the certificate provide Department Name, Course Number, Course Title, and Credit Hours.
- Ensure that all listed courses and requirements for the certificate are complete or in progress for the selected term.
Step 8: When complete, either:
- Click Save to return later, or
- Click Submit to start the approval process.
Approval Workflow:
- Initial Review: The form is routed to the program coordinator of the certificate for verification and approval.
- Grad School Review: The Graduate School reviews the application and confirms that the certificate completion requirements have been satisfied.
After Submission:
- View the form status under the Home page > Active Forms or use Search > Forms.
- Use the History tab to see the status of approvals.
- The form status will eventually update to Completed once the certificate is officially awarded and recorded.
- A hard copy certificate will be mailed to your permanent address as listed on Buckeyelink, usually within a few weeks after the end of the semester.
Common Issues and Tips:
- All coursework must meet the certificate program GPA and grade requirements. These are typically set at a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 with no grades lower than B-.
- Make sure to submit by the application deadline in the semester of completing the certificate program.
GRADFORMS Support
GRADFORMS Help Page
Alternatively, you can reach out to:
The Ohio State University Graduate School
250 University Hall, 230 N Oval Mall, Columbus OH 43210
Phone: 614-292-6031 | Fax: 614-292-3656
Graduation Services Email: Grad-SchoolGraduationServices@osu.edu
Registration Services Email: Grad-SchoolRegistrationServices@osu.edu