PhD Application to Graduate Instructions

  1. Log into Grad Forms using your Ohio State username and password.
  2. Select “Graduation and Examination Forms.” Locate the “Application to Graduate” and then click on the green “+Create New Application to Graduate” button.
  3. Select the term you plan to graduate. Do not check the “End of Semester” box unless specifically instructed.
  4. Select the appropriate Graduation Level: Doctoral
  5. Select the appropriate Graduation Plan: NURSING-PH
  6. Select the appropriate Graduation Degree: PhD
  7. Complete the Commencement section:
    • If you authorize someone to pick-up your diploma in your place, put their full legal name in the space provided.
    • If you plan to have the diploma mailed to your permanent address, confirm the address that appears once you select this option. If the address is not correct, visit your student center through BuckeyeLink and make the necessary corrections.
  8. Complete the Committee Section
    • Type in your advisor’s last name and wait for a drop-down menu to appear. Find your advisor’s name from the generated list and click on it.
      • Repeat this process for all “Committee Members”. PhD students should submit the names of their dissertation committee.
    • If you have an external committee member who is not part of the Ohio State Graduate Faculty, follow these steps to complete the Committee Section:
      • Input the person’s name and email address in the spaces provided under “External Members” and click “Add".
    • If you have more than one external member, repeat this process as needed. In addition to submitting the external committee members on this form, you must also submit the “Committee and Examination Petition” form through Grad Forms for each external committee member. External committee members do not count towards the minimum number of required graduate faculty committee members, as they are included in addition to these requirements for a valid committee.
  9. Save and submit your application.
    • You can take the following actions on your application:
      • “Save” your application for further review and discussion, or
      • Click “Save and Continue” for the next steps.
      • Note: The application must still be submitted after this step.
    • After clicking “Save and Continue” click “Submit” to officially submit your application to graduate. Be sure to submit your application to graduate early in order to allow sufficient time for your faculty advisor and program to review and act on your application prior to the deadline.
    • Your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School after the deadline to apply to graduate has passed. Approval of your form only places your name on the Graduation List and is not a guarantee that you will graduate.
      • If the designation/status = Pending, it is awaiting action by someone in the College of Nursing (usually an advisor). 
      • Your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School after the deadline to apply to graduate has passed, and will remain as "Pending GS" (pending Graduate School approval) until this time. If there is anything incorrect regarding your application, you will receive notification from the Student Data Manager.