Graduation Information - TCAT
All graduation ceremonies for TCAT students will be held in the HPF building (gymnasium) on the main (Amnicola Highway) campus.
SPRING: May 1, 2025 (2:00pm)
Students should arrive at 12:30 PM for check-in.
SUMMER: August 7, 2025 (10:00am)
Students should arrive at 8:30 AM for check-in.
FALL: December 11, 2025 (2:00pm)
Students should arrive at 12:30 PM for check-in.
Chattanooga State’s live stream will update with each individual campus event.
Graduation Ceremony
Each participating graduate may receive up to eight (8) guest tickets to their ceremony. Tickets are issued for a specific ceremony time, not for a specific seat. Ticketed guests may sit in any available seat. We recommend and request that groups of guests arrive together, enter together, and sit together. We expect that all seats will be used at each ceremony, and we have not allocated "buffer seats" between groups of guests.
Location, Arrival Time, & Duration
TCAT Graduation will be in the Gymnasium (HPF Building) on the main (Amnicola Highway) campus. Please arrive one hour before your scheduled ceremony time, and come dressed in your regalia (cap, gown, cords/medals, etc.). Ceremonies will start promptly at the published time and will likely last around 45 minutes. Graduates should line up in Branch Center lobby no later than 12:30pm
Photos
Professional photographs will be taken, and you will have the opportunity to order prints through the photography company. You will receive more details at the ceremony.
Parking & Access
Graduates and guests should park in Lot P1, the Visitor Parking Lot. All ceremonies will be held in the Gymnasium (HPF) building, which is number 4 on the campus map.
Accessibility & Accommodations
If you or any of your guests have accessibility needs or wish to request accommodations, please email:
Dr. Kristi Strode, Director of the Center for Access & Disability Services
(Typical requests might include that you or your guests cannot navigate stairs or need to sit in view of the live captioning.Note that the planned route for graduates includes a few stairs.)
Cap, Gown, & Guest Ticket Pickup
Join us for a fun drop in event to celebrate your graduation. Staff from the Educational Opportunity Center and Career Services will be available.
- Order: March 3, 2025 - March 21, 2025
- Pick Up: April 23, 2025 - April 25, 2025 (8:00am - 4:30pm EST)
Designating Someone Else to Pick Up Your Cap and Gown
If you’re unable to attend, you can designate someone to pick up your items. Here's how:
- Send a request to [email protected].
- Your designee will need to:
- Know your A# (student ID).
- Present a photo ID that matches their name.
- Fill out the Photograph form on your behalf for graduation photos.
Intent to Graduate Forms
Submission of the form will initiate the graduation process. To receive your degree or certificate, participate in graduation or receive a printed diploma, this form must be submitted, signed by your instructor and processed.
Please note that it is the responsibility of each student, along with your program instructor, to ensure all necessary requirements have been met for diploma/certificate completion. Closely review all Graduation Requirements before submitting an intent to graduate form. Each student must meet with their instructor to complete an Intent to Graduate form. Submission of the form will initiate an invitation to participate in graduation, posting your credential on your transcript and printing your diploma. Intent to Graduate Forms are available in TigerWeb under Student Forms. In the lefthand menu select “Admissions & Records”, then select "Student Forms.
Exit Counseling for Student Loan Recipients
If you have received a student loan through Chattanooga State's Financial Aid Office, you should complete an online exit interview to review your loan amounts and servicer information.
After you graduate, you start the six month grace period for student loans, and at the end of six months you will begin repayment. It’s important to stay in contact with your federal student loan servicer(s) so that your loans do not become delinquent or go into default. If you get behind or default on your student loan payments, it can impact your credit score, or the Department of Education can garnish your wages or take payments out of your tax return each year. Student loan delinquency or default can also affect your ability to borrow other loans for important things like a home or auto.
Diplomas, Replacements, and Transcripts
Diplomas
Questions regarding diplomas can be sent to [email protected]. Diplomas will be mailed each term approximately 6-8 weeks after final grades are posted. They are sent to the mailing address on file with the following schedule:
- Spring graduates: July
- Summer graduates: October
- Fall graduates: February
Replacements
A diploma/certificate replacement can be obtained free of charge. Any holds will need to be cleared before we can print the replacement. Original signatures will not be on replacement diplomas. Please allow 3-4 weeks for replacement diplomas/certificates to be processed/mailed. Requests should be emailed to [email protected] and include:
- Name while attending
- Current Name if different
- Name you wish to have on your diploma
- Student ID/A# (if known)
- Date of Birth (month, date, year)
- Degree or Certificate
- Program Name
- Year graduated
- Mailing Address
- Phone #
Transcripts
Once you have been awarded your degree an email will be sent from [email protected] with detailed instructions on ordering your transcript through The National Student Clearing House. Under Processing Details, select “Current Transcript-Process As Is” and allow 3-4 days for processing.
Questions?
If you have questions or need additional information, please email [email protected].