Office of the Registrar

Commencement Ceremony Instructions

1. Arrive 45 minutes before your ceremony is to begin. Be sure to bring the printed name card with you to the ceremony. For ceremony location and times, see the Graduation page.
2. Locate the area designated for your major.
3. Place your tassel on the right side of your cap. You will be told by the University President when to move it to the left.
4. Honors medallions for honors candidates will be distributed by the Undergraduate Dean to students in line in the hallway 30 minutes prior to the ceremony. Honors candidates should line up at the front of their group.
5. When you are led into the auditorium and directed to a row, take the next available seat and be seated immediately. Do not leave empty seats.
6. When it is time to go on stage, the entire row in which you are seated will stand and move to the area beside the stage. A Ceremony Official will take your name card and hand it to the Reader when it is time for your name to be called.
7. Cross the stage, shake hands with the President and the Dean of your school, go down the stairs and return to your seat.
8. Doctoral students will stop at center stage to be hooded, go down the stairs and return to their seats.

Rules & Appropriate Attire

Appropriate attire is business casual. Female candidates may wish to bring safety pins and/or bobby pins for their graduation caps. Please note the white collars with the gowns are optional. You will be going up and down steps as you cross the stage at the ceremony so please choose your shoes carefully.

Infant carriers and strollers will not be allowed into the auditorium during the ceremony.

You will not be allowed to take anything with you on stage. So, remember to leave purses, cell phones, coats, stuffed animals, flowers, etc. with family and friends.

No embellishment are allowed with any student's cap and gown except for honors medallions.

After the Ceremony

All doctoral regalia, except the hoods, are to be returned to the UT Dallas Bookstore representative. Doctoral hoods are a gift of the President's Associates.

Only doctoral students receive their diplomas on stage. Bachelors and masters students, please read the Diploma Distribution page.