Graduation Guidelines and Requirements

Graduation Preparation Checklist

• Complete Academic Requirements
  • Senior Audit / Degree Works

• Complete Administrative & Financial Requirements
  • Apply for Graduation
  • Pay Graduation Fee
  • Financial Aid Exit Interviews
  • Ensure you have no Holds on your Banner account (financial, judicial, academic, etc.)

Financial Requirements

The $60.00 Graduation Fee is due when submitting your graduation application.

The deadline to clear all account balances and student fees (telephone balances, parking fines, university loans, and unpaid tuition and fee balances) is the last day of class during each semester.  Please refer to the academic calendar.

If you have not cleared your account balance, you will not receive your diploma or official transcripts until your balance has been paid.

All payments can be made:

• Online via www.vsu.edu/student-accounts/online-payments.php.
• Cashiers Office, visit Gandy Hall in person
• Mail to Cashiers Office, VSU, PO Box 9125, Petersburg, VA 23806)
• Telephone (804-524-5150).

Payments must include the student’s name and V-number.
Instructions for Paying Graduation Fee online:

1. Go to www.vsu.edu/student-accounts/online-payments.php
2. Select Make a One-Time Tuition payment and Fees Payment
3. Select Click here
4. Select the Term (Fall 2022) from the drop down menu
5. Provide your Student Information, 
6. Select Graduation Fee $60.00 from Item Information
7. Click submit
8. Follow instructions to process check or credit card payment  

Exit Interviews - Stafford Loans

Exit Interview Sessions

The U.S. Department of Education requires that all recipients of a Federal Stafford Loan complete a mandatory exit interview with the Office of Financial Aid. Failure to complete the mandatory exit interview will result in you not receiving your diploma. To complete the exit interview, student must do the following:

Complete the on-line Exit Counseling at  studentaid.gov

Deadline please contact Financial Aid Office  (804) 524-5990

We will be notified within 24 hours after submission and Banner is updated weekly once completed.  It is important that you are aware of and understand the various repayment options available to you in managing your student loan debt. Specifically, the Exit Interview will cover the following:

A repayment plan that will fit your circumstances;

Make repaying your loans as simple as possible;

Develop a workable budget for your new life out of school;

Review your rights and responsibilities as a Federal Direct Loan Borrower.

For more information, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at  (800) 823-7214 or  (804) 524-5990.

Exit Interviews - Perkin Loans

The U.S. Department of Education requires that all recipients of a Federal Perkins Loan must complete mandatory exit interviews with the Office of Student Accounts. Failure to complete the mandatory exit interviews will result in you not receiving your diploma.

Federal Perkins Loan Exit Interviews will be done through Heartland (ECSI), our loan servicer. If an exit interview is needed for a Federal Perkins Loan, you will receive notification from Heartland (ECSI), and the VSU Collections Office, along with instructions on how to complete the exit. If you were awarded a Federal Perkins Loan and you do not receive notification or if you have any questions/concerns, please feel free to contact the Office of Student Accounts at  (804) 524-5506.