The Spring 2025 RSVP Portal is Open
Please RSVP by April 13 if you plan to participate in a ceremony.
How to RSVP
The RSVP portal is located in MyUI within the Degrees/Graduation tile by clicking on commencement attendance.
How to RSVP
Step One: Apply for Degree
Graduation and commencement are two related, but separate processes.
You MUST apply for degree via the MyUI portal before you can RSVP for a commencement ceremony.
Applying for a degree will start the process of degree conferral and diploma delivery; RSVPing "I plan to participate" will allow you to be individually recognized during the commencement ceremony you attend.
- Please note: Many students think that once they've applied for a degree they are automatically RSVP'd for the commencement ceremony, this is not true.
Step Two: Tell us your Plans!
The commencement team chose to utilize an opt-in-based solution for the RSVP system. Students must RSVP "I plan to participate" via the RSVP portal located in MyUI within Commencement Attendance to be included. Students are NOT automatically enrolled into the RSVP system. Students must take direct action to be included in the ceremonies.
- Please note: There is an opt-out feature in the RSVP system, but this does not mean anyone has been automatically enrolled. This is only meant to indicate a student's intent not to participate. We highly encourage students to choose an option one way or the other; it allows us to better allocate our resources.
Step Three: Verify Commencement Ceremony Name and Information
The RSVP system in MyUI is tied directly into our student information system which will pull the most up-to-date information we have on file. Students who wish to participate will choose a Commencement Ceremony Name. Students will have up to 3 name options: Official name, First name Last name, and Preferred Name (if the student has on file). The Commencement Ceremony Name chosen will only be used if you attend your ceremony. It will be announced at the ceremony, which will be recorded and posted on the University of Iowa's YouTube channel. It will not impact the name printed on your diploma or listed in the commencement program.
To ensure the highest possibility that your name will be pronounced correctly during the ceremony, all students who RSVP "I plan to participate" will be required to provide name pronunciation information. Guidance for name pronunciation is available.
Please note:
- All graduates are listed in the commencement program according to the time at which they earned or are expected to earn a degree.
- Summer and fall graduate names appear in the fall program even if the student is participating in a spring ceremony.
- Applying for a degree after the degree application deadline may result in the exclusion of the student's name from the commencement program.
- Having a directory restriction may also result in the exclusion of the student's name from the program.
- Students may check their data restriction settings on the Student Data Restriction page in MyUI.
Step Four: Add a Photo! (Optional)
The RSVP system allows students to upload and crop a photo to be used on their individual recognition slide.
You can add or edit a graduation slide photo until April 28, 2025.
Submitting a photo is optional. Slides are for personal use and are not included in the in-person ceremonies.
If you've RSVPd by the deadline, you will have the ability to upload a photo. Degree applicants will be notified of all deadlines via their uiowa.edu email account. If you encounter difficulty uploading your photo, the file may be too big. Please try resizing your photo and attempt to upload it again.
Things to note about photo submissions:
- photo should be of the graduating student and only the student
- student should be the focus of the photo
- use a device larger than a cell phone to verify photo quality
- colleges will individually approve or reject each photo submitted. If a student's photo is not approved, the student will be contacted directly by their college.
Commemorative slides are for personal use and will not be included during in-person commencement ceremonies.
Step 5: Submit Your RSVP!
When filling out the RSVP, students must provide all required information before their RSVP response is saved. If any required information is missed, a message will pop up indicating what required information is needed before their RSVP can be saved.
After submitting the RSVP, students can edit their response information until the RSVP deadline. Upcoming deadlines will be communicated to students via their uiowa.edu email accounts.
Emails will be sent to the student's UI email address when an RSVP is initially submitted and when/if an update is made to the RSVP.
Questions?
Having trouble with the RSVP portal in MyUI? The UI Commencement Team is here to help!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to RSVP for Commencement?
- Students who have submitted a degree application for the current session and one session after the current session can RSVP for commencement in MyUI if the RSVP is open.
- If your degree was conferred during a fall session and your college does not hold a fall ceremony, you are eligible to participate in the next spring ceremony and will have access to the RSVP in MyUI.
- If your degree was conferred by the Graduate College during a fall session, contact the collegiate coordinator to inquire about eligibility to participate in a spring commencement.
- If you will apply for a degree in a future session for which the degree application is not yet available, please contact your collegiate coordinator to discuss participation eligibility.
RSVP responses will no longer be accepted after the RSVP deadline.
Does my ceremony require tickets for guests?
Please visit the ceremonies page and click on the link for your college to determine if tickets are required for guests.
How do students with degrees from multiple colleges RSVP?
Students will only see one RSVP link in MyUI, but they will respond for each ceremony individually. If a student wants to participate in both ceremonies, they can copy their first response into the second response, or they can enter different information (such as a different picture).
Will students receive a confirmation after they RSVP?
Yes. An email from UI-commencement@uiowa.edu will be sent to the student’s uiowa.edu email account when an RSVP is initially submitted and when/if an edit or update is made to the RSVP.
Additionally, RSVP response information can be confirmed in MyUI in two ways:
- A timestamp will appear near the top of the RSVP form after submitting your response. This timestamp will remain even if a student leaves the screen or logs out of MyUI. It will only change if a new response is recorded.
- Your RSVP response will be recorded and visible on the Commencement Attendance Panel directly below your degree information. Response information can be updated until the deadline.
How do I participate early/late in my college's ceremony?
Some students wish to participate in a ceremony during a session before all degree requirements have been met or after their degree has been conferred.
Detailed early/late participation information can be found on the Graduation Checklist under Attend your Ceremony.
Please Note
- Students must have an active degree application on file to RSVP; applying for a degree does not automatically RSVP for a commencement ceremony.
- RSVP opening and closing information will be communicated directly to degree applicants via their uiowa.edu email account.
- Only students who RSVP'd "I plan to participate" will have their names read and displayed at the ceremony and on the ceremony livestream.
- Attending commencement is optional. Degrees are not distributed at commencements. Not attending commencement does not impact your ability to receive your degree.