All graduates are expected to wear academic regalia at their ceremonies. Required for all College of Liberals Arts and Sciences graduates: Bachelor Gown, Cap, and White Tassel.

Ordering information and a link to the apparel portal can be found on the Apparel page.

All regalia must be in hand prior to your commencement ceremony. Regalia will not be available to purchase or rent at the ceremonies.

Complementary parking for commencement is available at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Traffic congestion around Carver-Hawkeye Arena is expected during commencement, so please allow extra time for your travel and parking.

Lot information and accessible parking details can be found on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena venue page.

Detailed security information including allowed and prohibited items can be found on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena venue page. All graduates and guests will be expected to adhere to the Carver clear bag policy and all venue security policies. Campus Safety officials will search all bags brought into the building. 

Graduates arriving with a coat or purse should plan to leave these items their guests. Graduates will be expected to open their robes when entering the arena.

Doors to Carver-Hawkeye Arena will open one hour prior to the start of the ceremony. 

Graduates and guests may use the south or west doors, the east doors are reserved for Graduate Express Entrance only. 

Please Note: The north doors are closed to the public and are only open for staff, volunteers, and platform officials. 

Graduates should arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony. 

Guests are encouraged to arrive as early as they can to ensure they are in their seat by the start of the ceremony.

Printed commencement programs will be available for the graduates on their chairs on the arena floor. Inclusion in the program is not tied to participation in the ceremony. 

A downloadable version of the program is available for all guests on the program page the week of commencement ceremonies. 

Order of events will be available for guests near the South and West doors.

Graduating students should proceed down to the arena floor and find the name card table for their last name. Volunteers can assist with name card location. 

Hold onto your name card; it will be scanned and then handed to the name reader prior to crossing the stage.

After getting their name card, graduates should find their seat on the arena floor. Graduates are arranged by last name. Volunteers and marshals will be available to assist in finding a seat.

Graduates should not have anything in their hands other than a name card throughout the ceremony. Cell phones should be silenced or turned off.

There are no tickets required, no limit to the number of guests, and no assigned seating for guests at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. There is no public elevator use during commencement, so guests are encouraged only to go down into the arena bowl as far as they are able to get back up. Accessible seating is available in sections K–N as well as the Feller Club Room. 

Detailed information on accessible seating and the elevator policy can be found on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena venue page. 

All graduates and guests should be in their seats at the start of the ceremony. After a brief video and remarks from speakers, the individual recognition of graduates will begin. 

Marshals will begin leading graduates to right side of the stage, graduates should have their name cards in hand. Graduates will have a portrait photo taken by Flash Photography and then will proceed to have their name card scanned to be displayed on the Jumbotron and livestream. 

Graduates will then hand their card to the name card reader who will individually recognize the graduate. After having their name read the graduate will shake the hand of the dean/president and continue crossing the stage, returning to their original seat.

After all graduates have been recognized there will be a few more remarks and the class will be recognized as a group and the ceremony will conclude.

The ceremony is expected to last around 90 minutes.

Commencement is the culminating event of university study for students who choose to attend. An appropriate and dignified academic atmosphere is absolutely expected so that you and your guests may enjoy this important gathering. 

The following rules of behavior will be enforced at all ceremonies:

• No alcoholic beverages of any kind.
• Inappropriate dress and costumes worn under gowns will not be allowed.
• Cell phones must be turned off or silenced in the graduate seating area.
• No flowers, purses, gifts, balloons, or bags will be allowed in the student seating area.
• Marshals and security staff will be looking for intoxicated persons. Inebriated students are not permitted to participate.

With everyone’s cooperation, this occasion will become a proud and happy memory of your academic achievement at the University of Iowa.