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

Honor cords are available for pickup at the Registrar's Office (225 North Avenue, Evans Administration Building) during the following times: 

December 4, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

December 5, 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm

December 6, 9:00 am-4:00 pm

Monday, December 9-Friday, December 13, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

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.  A minimum of 60 credit hours must be earned at Georgia Tech to be eligible for honors consideration. For Fall 2024 graduates, honor-cord eligibility is determined by the final GPA at the conclusion of the Summer 2024 term. 

  • 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, grade corrections, and grade substitutions 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.

Appeals to override the GPA and in-residence hours requirements are not accepted. 

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

Graduates who are who are approved as early walkers for commencement are not eligible to receive honor cords for the ceremony. Cords for graduates who choose to walk early may be picked up at the end of the final term of the degree.

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/