Digital Diplomas

New graduates will receive their diploma electronically. Once degrees have been processed, students will receive an email notification with instructions on how to claim their digital diploma.

Once you receive your digital diploma, it will always be accessible through your Parchment account. You can login and download or share it at no cost.

Your digital diploma will be sent to your preferred email address on your CUNYfirst account. For information on how to update your preferred email address, click here.

Along with your digital copy, Parchment will ship a paper copy to your home address on your CUNYfirst account within 6-8 weeks after your conferral date. For information on how to update your home address, click here.

Effective Spring 2025 CUNY now allows students to choose a Diploma Name in CUNYfirst.

What You Need to Know

• You may choose a different First and/or Middle name for your diploma.
• Your Last name must match your Legal Name, unless you provide official documentation to change your Last Name through the Office of the Registrar.
• No documentation is required to select a Diploma Name.
• Your Diploma Name:
• Does not change your Legal Name
• Does not affect financial aid or enrollment records
• Does not change your transcript

• Selection of a Preferred Name does not modify the name on the Diploma or the Legal name on the record.
• The Legal Name on file is the default diploma name if no other name is selected.
• Students who graduated before Spring 2025 cannot request a different name on a replacement diploma due to the effective date of April 23, 2025 of the policy change.
• Offensive or inappropriate entries are not permitted.

How to Select Your Diploma Name

You can enter or update your Diploma Name in CUNYfirst in either your Student Center or Graduation Application.

• You may update your Diploma Name at any time until your graduation application status becomes “APPROVED.” After “APPROVED” status, changes are no longer permitted.

• To ensure your Diploma Name appears correctly in commencement publications, please submit it at least 30 days before the Conferral Date. Submissions received after this deadline may not be included in commencement materials in time for publication.

Important Considerations Before Choosing a Diploma Name

While many students may want to use a different Diploma Name, you may want to carefully consider your choice if:

• You plan to live, work, or study outside the United States, where your diploma is acknowledged as an official legal document.
• You are in a professional program that leads to licensure, where your Diploma Name may need to match your Legal Name.
• You expect to request an Apostille for your diploma. Apostilles are issued only under your Legal Name, not your Diploma Name.

If you are unsure whether using a Diploma Name is right for you, please contact the Office of the Registrar at graduation.audit@lehman.cuny.edu before submitting your request.Top of Form

Diplomas were mailed to the permanent address listed on CUNYfirst. Students who graduated between January 2020 and January 2021 and have a question regarding their diploma should contact the Office of the Registrar via email at Graduation.Audit@lehman.cuny.edu.

If you did not pick up your original diploma, you may obtain your diploma through the following method:

• Students may email us a request to have their diploma mailed to their permanent address. Please email us a completed Diploma Mailing Request with a copy of a government issued ID to graduation.audit@lehman.cuny.edu.

If you graduated prior to 2007 and did not pick up your diploma, unfortunately we no longer have your physical diploma. You have to order a replacement diploma. Kindly follow the steps indicated under Replacement Diplomas.

If your original diploma has been damaged or lost, you can order a new diploma. Effective August 2nd, 2022, Lehman College in collaboration with CUNY now provides Diploma Reorders through Parchment. Students may place a diploma reorder online through their Parchment account.

• Click here for a video guide on how to create an account with Parchment.
• Click here for a video guide on how to order a replacement diploma with Parchment.

Please be mindful of the following:

• Ensure your graduation status on CUNYfirst is listed as “Awarded” before placing a Diploma Replacement request. Orders made prior to your conferral date will be cancelled. For instructions on how to view your graduation status, you may click here.
• $30 Payment for a replacement diploma covers one degree type (i.e., Bachelor or Master degree)
• If you graduated prior to 2012 your order may take longer to process
• Plan ahead and submit your Diploma Reorder request with enough time to meet your deadlines
• Contact a Parchment Learner Support Representative for payment discrepancies