Spring Graduate Ceremony

We are committed to a culture of personal accountability as part of our community-wide effort to combat COVID-19. If you are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, we ask that you do not attend the ceremony. Face coverings (worn over the nose and mouth) are required for all guests.

For those who cannot attend in person, a livestream of the ceremony is available at commencement.uga.edu. Anyone deemed at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 by public health officials is strongly encouraged to view the livestream rather than attend the ceremony in person.

Tickets are REQUIRED. Upon receipt, tickets must be printed at home and presented at the gate.

The CLEAR BAG policy is in effect for Commencement. Please follow the guidelines in the Permitted/Prohibited Items section.

Ceremony Location:
Sanford Stadium

Ceremony Start Time:
10:00 a.m.

Gates Open:
8:00 a.m.

To be announced.

Registration will be available soon. Graduate degree recipients for Spring 2021 are eligible to register for 4 tickets (1 graduate ticket and 3 guest tickets).* Tickets are required for ALL attendees. Tickets will need to be presented the day of the ceremony. Registration requires a Spring  degree recipient UGA ID number.

We sincerely wish we could accommodate more guests, but in light of current public health guidance on social distancing, seating is limited in Sanford Stadium. The pandemic conditions make this ceremony different than traditional ceremonies previously held. For these reasons, each graduate is limited to 3 guests.

For those who cannot attend in person, a livestream of the ceremony will be available at commencement.uga.edu.

Anyone deemed at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 by public health officials is strongly encouraged to view the livestream rather than attend the ceremony in person.

Tickets are for general admission. Available seats are designated by red chair backs or vinyl wrappers. Graduates will sit in the stands with their guests and should proceed directly to any open red seats upon entering the gates. Gates open at 8:00 a.m. on the day of your ceremony, and the ceremony will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. There will be no formal processional.

Most red seats are set in groups of 4. Please do not sit with other parties. Graduates and guests may not sit on unmarked bleachers. Please note that if you are seated on the bleachers rather than designated red seats, you will be asked to relocate.

If you or any of your guests need wheelchair seating accommodations, additional registration will be required. Everyone in your party must have a general admission ticket. Reservations in wheelchair seating accommodations are not in addition to the 4 general admission tickets. Reservations are for one person in a wheelchair and one companion (two individuals per reservation). Additional family members will be directed to separate seating in the general seating area. Sanford Stadium does not provide wheelchairs on-site. Guests with mobility concerns are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair or elect to view the livestream. 

Please note that due to COVID-19, the University will not be providing transportation from remote parking lots to the Stadium. Visitors should be prepared to walk significant distances, up to 1 mile, from parking and throughout the Stadium.

*If ticket registrations are low, extra tickets may be made available. Announcements for additional tickets will be sent to graduate UGA email addresses; however, there is no guarantee there will be additional tickets available.

Your UGA ID number can be found by logging into “ATHENA” and clicking the “Financial Aid” button and then “Financial Aid Status.” You will see your UGA ID number in front of your name in the upper right corner of the page.

Parking for Commencement is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Suggested parking areas include, Hull Deck (W05), South Campus Deck (S11), East Campus Deck (E04), and Performing Arts Center Deck (E20).

For disability parking, see disability access.

If you have additional parking questions, please contact Parking Services at 706‑542‑7275.

Parking Map

Graduates and/or guests requiring wheelchair accessible seating are required to register in advance. Registration will be available shortly.  Please check back soon to register.

Please contact Commencement Reservations with any questions at rsvpcomm@uga.edu.

Everyone in your party must have a general admission ticket. Reservations in wheelchair accessible seating accommodations are not in addition to the 4 general admission tickets.

Wheelchair Accessible Seating Reservations allows access for one person in a wheelchair and one companion (two individuals per reservation).  Additional family members will need to sit separately in general seating. Please plan accordingly.

Visitors with mobility concerns but who do not require wheelchair accessible seating reservations should arrive early to sit in the general admission seats and be prepared for the exertion of the day. Stadium Gates open 2 hours prior to the start of the ceremony.

Visitors with other ADA accommodations, please contact rsvpcomm@uga.edu.

On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. Guests with mobility concerns are strongly encouraged to view the livestream or bring their own wheelchair and register for wheelchair seating. Wheelchairs are commonly available for short-term rental from medical supply stores and some pharmacies.

Anyone deemed at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 by public health officials is strongly encouraged to view the livestream rather than attend the ceremony in person.

Parking for guests with disabilities is available in the Tate Center Parking Deck located at 705 South Lumpkin Street. Disability Parking Permits are required to park in the Tate Center Parking Deck.

Personal vehicle drop-offs are NOT permitted near the stadium. Please plan accordingly. 

On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. Guests with difficulty walking are strongly encouraged to view the livestream or bring their own wheelchair and register for wheelchair seating.

Parking Map

Seating chart will be available soon.

Face coverings (over the nose and mouth) are required for all guests. Guests are required to have face coverings for ingress, egress, and movement throughout the stadium, as well as any time guests are unable to maintain the recommended physical distance from others who are not in their same household.

Stadium workers and staff should wear face coverings at all times.

Face coverings are not a substitute for social distancing, and guests are asked to keep a safe distance between their party and others while inside and outside of Sanford Stadium.

• Gates 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 will be open.
• Face coverings are required for entrance to the stadium.
• Every other lane will be open at all entry gates to help promote social distancing.
• Decals will be placed at gate entry to facilitate social distancing.
• All patrons are allowed to bring in one, unopened bottle of water.
• The Clear Bag Policy is still in effect.

All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at Sanford Stadium will be contactless and cashless (Credit/Debit Cards Only – Mastercard, Visa, Amex and Discover – all will be accepted). All souvenir stands will have $25 Visa gift cards available for cash purchase. These cards can be used at any concessions stand at Sanford Stadium, as well as merchants nationwide.

Guests are permitted to bring in one, unopened bottle of water and food items. Food items must fit inside the permitted-sized bags.

Concessions will be available.

Concessions teams have implemented a number of measures to provide a clean and safe experience at concession locations in Sanford Stadium:

• Concessions will include grab-n-go items. Menu offerings will be limited to the most highly-demanded.
• Face coverings will be required to be worn by all customers and staff at all times; concessions staff will also wear gloves.
• Condiment stands on the concourses will be eliminated. Pre-packaged condiments and napkins will be distributed upon request.
• Food items will be wrapped or pre-packaged and offered in easy-to-carry trays along with packaged utensils.
• All transactions will be cashless and contactless.
• Social distancing floor decals have been installed to properly queue lines and maintain social distancing. Guests waiting in line will be asked to maintain at least six feet distance from other customers.

We encourage those that are unable/unwilling to attend the in-person ceremony to view the ceremony online.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on the Commencement homepage starting at 9:55 a.m.

Those eligible for tickets include graduate degree recipients for Spring 2021 and their guests.

Graduate Commencement exercises are held in May and December.  Students completing Graduate and Doctoral degree requirements during Summer will have the option to participate in the Fall graduation ceremony.

For general information regarding graduation requirements, consult the Graduation Bulletin. To ensure that you have met all the requirements for graduation, contact the Graduate Coordinator's Office in your academic department or email gradinfo@uga.edu. 

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 nor stored at the gates.

• Decals will be placed on the ground to promote social distancing.
• Attendants will be assigned to every restroom, continuously disinfecting touch points.
• All restrooms will be disinfected with an electrostatic sprayer before the ceremony.

• The following areas will be disinfected with an electrostatic sprayer before each ceremony:
  • all stadium restrooms,
  • locker rooms,
  • first aid rooms,
  • and other common areas.
• Hand sanitizers will be deployed throughout the stadium.
• All public water fountains will be disabled.

The Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be held rain or shine and will only be rescheduled in the event of severe weather.  Severe weather is defined as rain accompanied by high wind, thunder, and lightning. If necessary, the alternate ceremony time will be announced on this website.

If it is raining on the morning of Commencement, but not declared severe weather, the ceremony will be held as planned in the stadium. 

Any changes to the Commencement ceremony will be announced by 5:00 p.m. the day before Commencement, and the information will be placed on the UGA homepage by 5:30 p.m.

If weather is a concern for you or a member of your party, you may wish to consider a different viewing option.

The ceremony will have open captioning in Sanford Stadium. A live streaming transcription of the audio portion of the ceremony will be displayed on the large reader boards for guests.

Information regarding hooding and recognition will be announced soon.