Spring 2025 Guest Newsletter
We encourage guests to sign up for the Spring 2025 Guest Newsletter to receive updates and important information regarding the ceremonies.
Ceremonies and Venues
All collegiate commencement ceremonies will take place in either Carver-Hawkeye Arena or Hancher Auditorium.
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Hancher Auditorium
Information for Guests with Disabilities or Limited Mobility
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the collegiate commencement coordinator of your ceremony.
All ceremonies will have an ASL sign language interpreter present and will be livestreamed with captions enabled.
Fall 2024 Ceremony Livestream Links
Each college hosts its own personalized ceremony, featuring messages from various individuals specifically chosen to honor and address graduates. During these ceremonies, degrees will be conferred, and graduates who have RSVP’d ‘I plan to participate’ will be individually recognized.
Ceremony Information and Livestream Links
Thursday, Dec. 19
College of Education
Undergraduate Commencement and Teacher Education Program Recognition Ceremony - livestream premieres at 4 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 20
Graduate College
Doctoral degree candidates - livestream premieres at 9 a.m.
Master's degree candidates - livestream premieres at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 21
College of Nursing - livestream premieres at 9 a.m.
Tippie College of Business - livestream premieres at 1 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 22
College of Engineering - premieres at noon
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - premieres at 1 p.m.
University College - premieres at 1 p.m.
Find Your Ceremony
All ceremonies will premiere at their scheduled time and day and will be livestreamed with captions enabled.
We recommend finding your college ceremony and bookmarking that page for future reference.
University of Iowa YouTube
All livestreamed commencement ceremonies will be uploaded to the University of Iowa's main YouTube channel after the conclusion of the ceremony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are tickets required?
Tickets are not required for any of the collegiate commencement ceremonies.
What items are allowed/prohibited in the venues?
Each venue has policies regarding what items are allowed.
Collegiate Commencement Venues
Where should I park?
Each venue has specific policies for parking during commencement ceremonies.
Collegiate Commencement Venues
- Carver-Hawkeye Arena
- Hancher Auditorium
How can I watch the ceremony livestream?
Ceremonies will livestream at the date and time listed on the collegiate ceremony page in the Livestream section. A link to the ceremony will be included on the individual ceremony pages. Ceremony links will be provided at least one day before the ceremony is scheduled to premiere.
Detailed information can be found in the How to Livestream section.
How can I receive updates about commencement?
We encourage all guests to sign up for our subscription list. Each session will have a unique subscription specific to those ceremonies.
Can I see past subscription list messages and student correspondence?
All of our subscription list messages and copies of mass communications to graduates can be found in the correspondence section on the home page.
What do I need to know if I'm traveling internationally for a ceremony?
Some guests traveling internationally may need to apply for a temporary visa to attend an in-person event.
Please see more information on the International Programs website.
If a student needs an official verification of enrollment for this process, please contact the Office of the Registrar - Transcripts and Verifications at: registrar-transcripts@uiowa.edu
How does my graduating student RSVP?
Students eligible to be included in commencement will be contacted by the UI Commencement Team, as well as their college (in most cases). To be included in a ceremony, interested students must login to the MyUI RSVP portal to indicate they wish to be included in their college's ceremony. Applying for a degree does note automatically RSVP a student for their commencement ceremony.
For more information about the RSVP, including why students will only be included if they RSVP "Attending", please visit the RSVP page.
How can I find out if my graduating student submitted their RSVP?
To find out if a student has submitted their RSVP, please ask them! Only the student can RSVP, as they must login to MyUI to do so. We wish to recognize as many graduates during commencement as possible, so we ask that you encourage your graduate to RSVP before the deadline!
Getting and Staying Here
Founded in 1847, the University of Iowa campus is located on the banks of the Iowa River and is about 300 miles from Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. The campus is easily accessible off Interstate 80 and Highway 218 by car and is within an hour's drive of two airports. Once in Iowa City there are many hotels to choose from.
By Car
Venue directions and maps by car can be found on the individual venue pages in the "Map" section.
Where to Stay
From downtown Iowa City to the Coralville Landing there are many options to find a place to stay overnight. Commencement weekend is a very busy time so make sure to secure your reservations early!