Fall Undergraduate Commencement
DECEMBER 12, 2025
STEGEMAN COLISEUM
As the birthplace of public higher education, the University of Georgia has fostered a tradition of academic excellence, intellectual inquiry, and service to others since 1785. For our graduates, Commencement is a beginning, the start of the next chapter in their lives.
Whether you’re participating in the undergraduate Commencement ceremony or supporting your graduate, this information will help you prepare for and navigate graduation day.
Announcements
Regalia Orders – Order online by Friday, October 24.
CLEAR BAG Policy
The CLEAR BAG Policy is in effect for Commencement. Please follow the guidelines in the Permitted/Prohibited Items section.
General
Ceremony Location: Stegeman Coliseum
Ceremony start time: 2:30 p.m. Graduates and faculty should arrive by 12:45 p.m.
Guest Doors Open: 1:30 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets are not required for the Fall 2025 Graduate Commencement ceremony.
Assembly Instructions
Graduate degree candidates will report to the practice gym on the second floor of the Stegeman Coliseum Training Facility by 12:45 p.m. Enter through the doors closest to the Carlton Street Parking Deck on Smith Street.
Hooding professors also should assemble in the practice gym by 12:45 p.m. and enter through glass doors closest to the Carlton Street Parking Deck on Smith Street.
Seating Chart
Graduates will be seated by degree.
Seating charts will be available one week prior to Commencement.
Viewing Options
In addition to watching the ceremony in person, the Fall 2025 Graduate Commencement ceremony will be broadcast live on the Commencement homepage starting at 1:55 p.m.
Eligibility
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
All graduate degree candidates will cross the stage, and doctoral degree candidates will be hooded on stage by their major 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. Doctoral candidates sit in the doctoral graduate section along with their hooding professors.
Graduates’ personalized slides will not be displayed but will instead be available for download on the commencement website for personal use.
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. However, they will still be able to create and download a slide for personal use, and they may view the livestream of the ceremony.
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 of November 13th will have their information displayed on the video boards. Recognitions will be grouped by degree.
Keepsakes
Programs
Digital programs will be available to download for the Fall 2025 Graduate Commencement ceremony.
The names of fall 2025 master’s or specialist degree candidates who apply to graduate by October 1 will appear in the program. Fall 2025 doctoral candidates who apply to graduate and submit their doctoral commencement information form in GradStatus by October 10 also will appear in the program. The deadline to submit the doctoral commencement information form is October 10
If you would like to receive a printed copy of the full Fall 2025 Graduate Commencement program, please fill out this form by January 9, 2026. Each graduate can order up to two copies.
A summary program featuring the order of events will be handed out at the ceremony.
In order to appear in the program, candidates for degrees must remove their FERPA restrictions when applying for graduation.
Photos
Photos from the Graduate Commencement ceremony are available through GradImages.
Diploma Frames and UGA Merchandise
UGA merchandise, including diploma frames, can be purchased from the University of Georgia Bookstore located next to Sanford Stadium, the Tate Student Center, and the Zell B. Miller Learning Center and through Jostens.
Lost & Found
For items believed to have been lost in Stegeman Coliseum, please contact the University of Georgia Police Department at detectives@police.uga.edu.
First Aid
First Aid and ambulance services will be onsite to assist with emergency needs. First Aid is located behind Section L in the Stegeman Coliseum concourse.
Inclement Weather Policy
Stegeman Coliseum is an indoor arena. In case of inclement (severe) weather affecting UGA’s Undergraduate Commencement ceremony, a notice will be placed on the University’s homepage.
Helpful Tips
- Please follow the Clear Bag Policy.
- On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. If a guest has 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.First Aid and ambulance services will be onsite to assist with emergency needs. First Aid is located behind Section L in the Stegeman Coliseum concourse.
Permitted/Prohibited Items
Security has the right to inspect any item at any time for the purpose of safety.
Prohibited items must be returned to cars or disposed of before entering Stegeman Coliseum and will not be accepted by employees nor stored at the gates.
The CLEAR BAG POLICY is in effect for Fall 2025 Commencement. Please follow the guidelines below.
Permitted Items
- Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and do not exceed 12″x 6″x 12″
- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags
- Small clutch bags, with or without a handle or strap, that do not exceed 4.5″ x 6.5″
- Bags that contain necessary medical items, which must be inspected and approved at a designated gate
- Food: items must fit inside the permitted-sized bags
- Beverages, including water, in sealed plastic bottles; items must fit inside the permitted-sized bag
- Umbrellas
- Cameras and video recorders (Clear Bag Policy applies to camera bags)
- Strollers may be stored in designated areas in the concourse but are not allowed in the seating areas.
Prohibited Items
For the safety, security, and experience of all guests, the following items are prohibited:
- Backpacks
- Diaper bags
- Wrapped gifts or packages wherein the contents are not visible
- Alcohol
- Glass and aluminum containers
- Tobacco: UGA is a tobacco-free campus.
- Large items, such as balloons, flags, banners and posters, or amplification equipment, such as bullhorns or megaphones
Parking
Parking for the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Suggested parking areas include South Campus Deck (S11), Carlton Street Deck (S15) and Foley Field Lot (S14).
The McPhaul Lot (S10) and the Coverdell Lot (S16) are reserved for designated participants by permit only.
For disability parking, see disability access.
For additional parking questions, please contact Parking Services at 706‑542‑7275.
Disability Access
Visitors with disability concerns are strongly encouraged to arrive early at 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 guests has 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 and Transportation
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 13 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.
Academic Regalia (Cap and Gown)
Program-Specific Colors
With the exception of the honors tassels, the color of tassels are indicative of the academic subject area.
The color of the velvet on the hoods worn by PhD candidates is dark blue regardless of academic subject.
The colors associated with these subject areas are as follows:
| Subject Area | Color |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | maize |
| Arts, Letters, Humanities | white |
| Business and Accountancy | drab |
| Education | light blue |
| Engineering | orange |
| Fine Arts and Landscape Architecture | brown |
| Forestry and Natural Resources | russet |
| Family and Consumer Sciences | maroon |
| Journalism and Mass Communication | crimson |
| Law | purple |
| Music | pink |
| Pharmacy | olive green |
| Public Administration | peacock blue |
| Public Health | salmon pink |
| Science | golden yellow |
| Social Work | citron |
| Veterinary Science | gray |
Regalia Orders
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.
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.
Diplomas
Students will be issued a printed diploma that will be mailed to the student’s provided address as well as a Certified Electronic Diploma, or CeDiploma, to their UGA email account. Both the printed diploma and CeDiploma will be issued approximately 8-10 weeks following the official graduation date. Please see the Registrar’s Office website for complete information regarding applying to graduate and diplomas.