Spring graduate Commencement
MAY 7, 2026
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 graduate Commencement ceremony or supporting your graduate, this information will help you prepare for and navigate graduation day.
Announcements
Tickets are required for Graduates. Please see the Tickets for more information.
Regalia Orders are open. Order by February 16 to pick up at the Grad Fair, which will be held April 8 & 9 at the UGA Bookstore.
CLEAR BAG Policy
The CLEAR BAG Policy is in effect for Commencement. Please follow the guidelines in the Permitted/Prohibited Items section.
General
Date: Thursday May 8, 2025
Ceremony Location: Stegeman Coliseum
Ceremony start time
Master’s/Specialist – 10:00a.m. (Doors Open: 8:00 a.m.)
Doctoral – 2:30p.m. (Doors Open: 1:30 p.m.)
Tickets
Tickets are not required for the Spring Graduate Commencement ceremony.
Assembly Instructions
Graduate degree candidates will report to the basketball practice gym on the second floor of the Stegeman Coliseum Training Facility 1.5 hour prior to the ceremony start time. Please enter through the doors closest to the Carlton Street Parking Deck.
Hooding professors for the Doctoral ceremony should also assemble in the basketball practice gym by 12:45 p.m.
New Weapons Detection System
Weapons are not allowed inside Stegeman Coliseum. A weapons detection system has been implemented at Stegeman Coliseum for all events to help enhance safety at the venue. Each guest and graduate will be required to pass through the system prior to entering the coliseum. We encourage you to arrive early to allow time for a smoother entry process. Doors open at 8am.
In addition to weapons, the following items are likely to activate the weapons detection system and could lead to further screening. You are encouraged to leave these items in your vehicle to avoid delaying your entry: sunglasses or eyeglasses cases; Altoids or similar metal cases; metal card holders; cameras; laptops or tablets; laptop chargers; portable phone charger banks; and umbrellas.
Seating Chart
Graduates are seated by degree.
Seating charts will be available one week prior to Commencement.
Viewing Options
In addition to watching the ceremony in person, the graduate ceremonies will be broadcast live on the Commencement homepage starting 5 minutes prior to each ceremony.
Eligibility
Graduate Commencement ceremonies are held in May and December. Students completing graduate and doctoral degree requirements during 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 Graduate Coordinator’s office in your 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.
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 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 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 Graduate Commencement Ceremony.
The names of students who applied to graduate with a master’s or specialist degree in Spring 2026 by March 6 will appear in the program. The names of students who applied to graduate with a doctoral degree in Spring 2026 and submitted their doctoral Commencement information form in GradStatus by March 10 also will appear in the program. The deadline to submit the doctoral commencement information form is March 10.
If you would like to receive a printed copy of the full 2026 Spring Commencement program, please fill out this form by June 5, 2026. Limit is two per graduate. In order to appear in the program, candidates for degrees must remove their FERPA restrictions when applying for graduation.
A summary program featuring the order of events will be handed out at the ceremony.
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 as well as online from Jostens.
Lost & Found
For items believed lost at Stegeman Coliseum, please contact the University of Georgia Police Department at detectives@police.uga.edu.
First Aid
First Aid and ambulance services will be on-site to assist with emergency needs. First Aid is located behind Section NN in the Stegeman Coliseum concourse.
Inclement Weather Policy
Stegeman Coliseum is an indoor arena. In case of inclement (severe) weather affecting UGA’s Graduate Commencement ceremony a notice will be placed on the University’s homepage.
Helpful Tips
- Please follow the Clear Bag Policy.
- Arrive early to allow time for Weapons Detection Screening.
- All guests will pass through weapons detection devices. Here is a list of Weapons Detection Nuisances that are recommended to be left in your car!
- On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. Guests with difficulty walking are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair.
- Graduates should leave purses, coats, and other belongings with family members.
- 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.
- In advance of the ceremony, graduates should pick a place to meet family and friends once the ceremony is completed.
- 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.
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 and will not be accepted by employees or stored at the gates.
The CLEAR BAG POLICY is in effect for Commencement. Please follow the guidelines below.
Weapons Detection Screening: Note: In addition to weapons, the following items are likely to activate the weapons detection system and could lead to further screening. You are encouraged to leave these items in your vehicle to avoid delaying your entry: sunglasses or eyeglasses cases; Altoids or similar metal cases; metal card holders; cameras; laptops or tablets; laptop chargers; portable phone charger banks; and umbrellas.
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. Diaper bags must follow the Clear Bag Policy.
- 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 (must be stored in designated stroller parking 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, banners and posters, or amplification equipment, such as bullhorns or megaphones
- Weapons Detection Nuisances
Parking
Parking for the Graduate 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).
McPhaul Lot (S10) and 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 to Stegeman coliseum.
Main entrances to Stegeman Coliseum along Sanford Drive and Carlton Street are wheelchair accessible.
On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. Guests with difficulty walking 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). The lot is 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 and is first-come first-serve. There are no reservations for disability seating. 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.
Captioning and Interpreting Services
Real time-captioning will be accessible on personal devices via the livestream. Should an individual need assistance with technology, please contact ADARSVP@uga.edu at least two weeks prior to the event.
Individuals who need to request an ASL interpreter may do by contacting ADARSVP@uga.edu. Requests should be made two weeks prior to the event to ensure service is available.
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, May 10, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
If you have any questions, contact Jean Lorrain, interim director of the Equal Opportunity Office at (706) 542‑7912 or ugaeoo@uga.edu.
Academic Regalia (Cap and Gown)
Appropriate academic regalia must be worn to participate in the Graduate Commencement ceremony.
Candidates should wear their tassels on the right side prior to their degree being conferred and on the left side afterward. The mortarboard on the cap should be parallel to the ground.
Program-Specific Colors
The color of the velvet on the hoods worn by PhD candidates is dark blue regardless of academic subject.
The tassel colors associated with 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
Order your University of Georgia Cap & Gown, Personalized Announcements & Diploma Frame at: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1039716/University-of-Georgia/
ORDER DEADLINE FOR PICK UP DURING GRAD FAIR: 2/16
ORDER DEADLINE FOR SHIP TO HOME: 3/19
UGA Grad Fair April 8th & 9th: 10:00am – 5:00 pm
For questions about ordering regalia, please call 706-542-3171 or visit our representatives at the UGA Bookstore.
Please note: If you order your academic regalia from someone other than Jostens, they 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.