Short answer: It’s a mix of myths and reality. There is no universal rule that all current students automatically graduate if a university burns down; in practice, responses depend on the institution’s policies, the extent of damage, and how quickly operations can be restored or reconstituted at other campuses or online. Here’s a structured view.

Immediate effects

• Evacuation and safety priorities take precedence. Fire response, structural assessments, and safeguarding people are the top concerns.

• Physical damages disrupt classes, housing, libraries, and administrative offices, causing temporary closures and shifts to alternative modalities (online lectures, off-site locations) where possible.

Academic continuity options

• Temporary relocation or online delivery: Some universities arrange cross-campus teaching, partnerships, or online courses to maintain progress while facilities are rebuilt.

• Records and transcripts: Institutions typically have backup copies (digital records) or archiving protocols; transfer of records to other institutions is usually possible, albeit sometimes requiring verification steps.

• Graduation eligibility: Degree completion generally requires meeting program requirements and coursework; there is no universal automatic grant of degrees to all current students. Any automatic awarding would be extraordinary and would depend on specific institutional policy, accreditors, and governing rules (and is not standard practice).

Legal and policy considerations

• Accreditation and government oversight influence decisions about continuing education, transfer options, and credential legitimacy during disruptions.

• Many universities have disaster response and continuity of operations plans that include student support, emergency funding, housing alternatives, and communication protocols.

Common myths (urban legends)

• The notion that all current students immediately graduate or that a single catastrophe instantly grants diplomas is widely debunked; it is not how higher education governance works in most jurisdictions.

• Official sources and fact-checks emphasize that automatic degree conferment is not standard practice and that survivors typically navigate transfers, extensions, or resumed study once operations resume.

If you’d like, I can tailor guidance to a specific country or type of institution (public university, private college, or a university with multiple campuses) and outline typical steps students should expect or take under such a disaster scenario.