Honor Cords

Our office is happy to serve our most distinguished students as they prepare to celebrate Commencement. Honor cords are for undergraduate students who have 60 credit hours in residence at Georgia Tech and meet the GPA requirements listed in the catalog.

Honor Cord Distribution

To collect your honor cord prior to the Commencement ceremony, come to the Tech Tower Lobby (first floor) between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting December 4th, 2023. 

  • December 4th - 15th, 2023 (Monday through Friday only).
    • The Registrar's Office will open at 10:30 on Wednesday, December 6th. 
  • December 15th during the President's Graduation Celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • December 15th - 16th at McCamish Pavilion prior to Commencement ceremony.
    • Limited quantities of honor cords will be available for pick up at the commencement ceremony. Please plan to pick up at the Registrar's Office or at Presidents Graduation Celebration. 

**If you were a Summer 2023 graduate and did not pick up your honor cord, you may pick up at Tech Tower or prior to your ceremony. Buzz Card or Grad Pass will be required.

Types of Honors

The type of honor cord you receive is determined by your final grade-point average (GPA) for the term immediately preceding the final term of enrollment.  For Fall 2023 graduates, honor-cord eligibility is determined by the final Summer 2023 GPA. 

  • For graduation with highest honors, students are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.55. Highest honor cords are signified with white and gold braided cords.
  • For graduation with high honors, students are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.35. High honor cords are signified with gold cords.
  • For graduation with honors, students are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.15. Honor cords are signified with white cords.

Final honors listed on the diploma and final transcript include the GPA for the final term of attendance.  In order to qualify for graduation with honors, all grades or grade corrections affecting the honors designation must be received and certified by the Office of the Registrar no later than noon on Wednesday following Commencement.

Tentative honors at graduation (recognized at Commencement) are determined by the grade-point average (GPA) entering the graduating term and the sum total of graded hours accumulated prior to the graduation term plus graded hours registered for and pending during the graduation term.

Double majors will only receive one cord based on overall GPA.

Summer graduates who are who are approved as early walkers for the Spring commencement ceremonies are not eligible to receive honor cords in the Spring. Cords for Summer graduates may be picked up at the end of Summer term or at the Fall commencement ceremony.

Cords may not be used for any other designation unless by specific permission of the Office of the Provost through the Registrar. Exceptions may be granted for academic (GPA-based), distinguished national honor societies that may issue cords to their graduates.

For more information regarding Commencement: https://commencement.gatech.edu/