Graduation Preparation

Caps, gowns and hoods may be purchased online from Jostens.  Please click the button below for purchasing information. Announcements can be ordered online from Jostens.

Important Dates

Order by 10/25/26.  Regalia will be shipped to your home.

Please note: If you order your academic regalia from a different vendor, Jostens will not be able to assist you with missing or replacement items.

Deadline for graduate student to apply for Fall 2026 graduation – September 4, 2026

Deadline for doctoral students to submit dissertation information for the commencement program – October 16, 2026

Tickets are not required for the Fall 2026 Graduate Commencement ceremony.

Graduate commencement ceremonies are held in May and December. Students completing graduate and doctoral degree requirements during the summer must participate in the Fall Graduate Commencement ceremony.

For general information regarding graduation requirements, consult the Graduate Bulletin. To ensure that all the requirements for graduation have been met, contact the  Director of Graduate Studies office in the relevant academic department or email gradinfo@uga.edu.

Graduate Recognition

Master’s/Specialist degree candidates will cross the stage when their name is called.

Doctoral degree candidates will be hooded on stage by their major professor. Doctoral candidates sit in the doctoral graduate section along with their hooding professor.

The information submitted through Tassel will be used during the ceremony on the video boards in Stegeman Coliseum in recognition of the graduates’ achievements.

The University of Georgia understands that not everyone will be able to attend the ceremony in person. Graduates who are not attending the ceremony will not have their name shown or read during the event.

In order for a graduate’s information to be included in the ceremony, they must remove their FERPA restrictions.

Graduates who submit their information to Tassel by the deadline (TBA) will have their information displayed on the video boards. Recognitions will be grouped by degree.

• Please follow the Clear Bag Policy.
• Weapons Detection Nuisances: leave in your car!
• On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. If a guest has with difficulty walking, they are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair. 
• Graduates should leave purses, coats, and other belongings with family members.
• In advance of the ceremony, graduates should pick a place to meet family and friends once the ceremony is completed.
• Graduates are expected to remain standing in front of their seats during the entire procession of the Platform Party. They should not block the aisles.
• Please be respectful of those around you and the fact that this is a formal academic ceremony.  Beach balls, air horns, and other similar distractions may be confiscated.
• Alcoholic beverages are not permitted at any UGA Commencement ceremony.

Visitors with disability concerns are strongly encouraged to arrive early to Stegeman Coliseum. Doors open one hour prior to the start of the ceremony.

Main entrances to Stegeman Coliseum along Sanford Drive and Carlton Street are wheelchair-accessible.

On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. If a guest has with difficulty walking, they are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair. Wheelchairs are commonly available for short-term rental from medical supply stores and some pharmacies.

Disability Parking

Parking for guests with disabilities is available in the Hoke Smith Annex Lot (S12) adjacent to Stegeman Coliseum. The main entrances to Stegeman Coliseum along Sanford Drive and Carlton Street are wheelchair-accessible.

Disability Seating

Seating for guests in wheelchairs is very limited in Stegeman Coliseum. Disability and companion seating is located along the top row of the lower level. Disability seating allows access for one person in a wheelchair and one companion. Additional family members will need to sit separately in general seating. Please plan accordingly.

The Arch

For University of Georgia alumni with mobility impairments who choose to pass through the Arch after graduation, the University will have a temporary platform in place on Saturday, December 12 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For related questions, contact Qiana Wilson, director of the Equal Opportunity Office, at (706) 542‑7912 or ugaeoo@uga.edu.