We are proud to invite our 2026 doctoral and master’s degree candidates to participate in the University’s May Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 7th, at 10:00 a.m. in the First Horizon Coliseum. To prepare for the 2026 May Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony, follow the checklist below.
We congratulate you on your accomplishment and look forward to seeing you at the ceremony. Please contact commence@uncg.edu if you have questions about the ceremony.
Student Check List
RSVP. All students who plan to participate in the ceremony MUST RSVP. Emails will be sent to your UNCG inbox beginning in February, prompting you to submit your RSVP.
Doctoral and Master’s students must RSVP by April 3rd.
Order Regalia.
All doctoral regalia purchases must be completed online here, or by telephone, 336-334-5563. To ensure on-time receipt of purchased regalia, doctoral graduates/candidates must complete their purchases 6 weeks before the event, by March 20th. Doctoral students have the option to rent their gown, but would still need to purchase tam and hood. Please call the UNCG Bookstore directly to start this process – 336-334-5563.
All Master’s students can purchase their regalia online here from now until April 13th, or directly from the UNCG Bookstore starting March 16th until Commencement day.
Pay the graduation fee. $125.00 must be paid to the Cashiers and Student Accounts Office for Spring 2026 graduate candidates.
Watch your email! Additional messages will be sent as the ceremony date nears. Final instructions will be emailed in April to all students who RSVP that they will attend.
To review protocols and procedures for the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony portion, please click here.
Doctoral Hooding Spring 2022
What to expect the morning of the ceremony
The UNCG Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony is a formal, traditional, academic exercise. The ceremony will begin with a processional of the platform party, followed by greetings and speeches from academic dignitaries, the conferring of degrees, recognition of graduates as names are called, hooding of the doctoral students, and the recessional. The UNCG School of Music will provide music. The ceremony is expected to last about 2 hours.
Participating Students
Arrive at the Special Events Center, West Wing Hall A, no later than 9:00 a.m. for check-in (expect heavy traffic). Click here for a map of your assembly area and entrance.
There is NO rehearsal.
No guest tickets are required.
No parking passes are required at the First Horizon Coliseum. If you arrive after 9:30 a.m., you may not be able to park at the First Horizon Coliseum and should plan to park at UNCG in the Walker Avenue Deck and take the complimentary shuttle on Stirling Street. Parking in the Walker Avenue Deck is complimentary on the day of Commencement.
Shuttle service from the UNCG Walker Avenue Parking Deck will start at 7:00 a.m., and will have shuttles every 30 minutes until an hour after the ceremony concludes. The shuttle will pick up on Stirling Street at the indicated position.
All students will be required to go through a metal detector before entering the lineup area. Please take note of the updated Coliseum Complex bag policy and full list of prohibited items here.
Commencement programs will be provided in a digital, print-ready format and distributed as a PDF on the Commencement Website. Names of the Spring 2026 graduation candidates will be included in the program.
All student names will be called, and students will walk across the stage to be recognized. Doctoral students will be hooded by faculty.
The ceremony begins promptly at 10:00 a.m.
Tips for an Enjoyable Commencement Experience
Eat breakfast! The ceremony will last approximately 2 hours.
Please note: It is recommended to wear shoes that you feel comfortable in for standing on a concrete floor and walking across the stage.
If you, a friend, or family member has a need for ASL interpretation, we ask that you submit requests for accommodations in your RSVP form for yourself, and to email commence@uncg.edu for your guests. All requests will be reviewed by event organizers, and reasonable accommodations will be made. The requester will be notified of approved accommodations. Please contact commence@uncg.edu if you have questions or concerns.
Parking is free and no passes are required for students or guests.
Expect heavy traffic on the day of the Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony.
We will follow University and UNC System COVID-19 protocols that are in place at the time of the ceremony. Closer to the date, please visit the Spartan Safe website for the current protocols.
Security and emergency medical personnel will be available to provide a safe environment for all commencement participants and guests.
All electronic devices should be turned off to help ensure that all guests can hear and enjoy the ceremony.
The Doctoral and Master’s commencement Ceremony will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. and is expected to last approximately 2 hours.
Be sure to come back to Commencement Central on May 7th at 10:00 a.m. to watch the Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony livestream. Following the ceremony, the video will be available on the Commencement YouTube page.
Restricted Mobility
The First Horizon Coliseum is equipped with seating to accommodate guests in wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis. There is limited accessible seating within designated areas, and we ask that only one supporter sit with an ADA guest. When guests arrive at the Coliseum, they should proceed to one of the following restricted mobility seating area sections: 106, 112, 116, 118, 124, or 128 (see map). Guests with restricted mobility should enter the Coliseum from the ground floor of the East Wing of the Special Events Center (see map). ADA drop-off locations are located in front of the ACC Hall of Champions and in front of the Special Events Center (see map). The elevator will be clearly marked. Contact the Guest Services Manager of the First Horizon Coliseum, 336.373.7461, for more information.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Reserved seating for guests who read American Sign Language will be available in section 127; e-mail commence@uncg.edu to reserve seats in this section.
The Coliseum offers Assistive Listening Devices—for those who are hard of hearing but do not read sign language—which work in any area of the Arena. Upon arrival, go to the Guest Services booth on the Concourse at Section 103 to secure an ALD. Guests should be prepared to leave a North Carolina Driver’s License or other form of ID, which will be returned when the device is returned.
For more information about the Greensboro Complex and the ADA standards in place, please visit their website here or contact commence@uncg.edu.
Doctoral AND MASTER’s COMMENCEMENT Livestream
Be sure to come back to Commencement Central on May 7th at 10:00 a.m. to watch the Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony livestream. Following the ceremony, the video will be available on the Commencement YouTube page.
Faculty Information
If you expect to participate in the Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony by hooding a student, you will be contacted by the Commencement Coordinator when your student has submitted their RSVP. These emails will be sent in February.
For questions about faculty participation, please contact commence@uncg.edu.
There is no faculty processional at the Doctoral and Master’s Commencement Ceremony. Faculty and staff attending as guests do not need to wear regalia. No tickets will be required for faculty attending as guests.
Faculty members that are expecting to participate in the ceremony by hooding a students, you will be contacted separately.
For questions about faculty participation, please contact commence@uncg.edu.
Only those doctoral candidates who have successfully defended their dissertation may participate in the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony. Students defending in the spring semester are expected to participate in the May ceremony. Students defending in the fall semester are expected to participate in the December ceremony. Students completing all degree requirements by the end of the Summer Session may participate in either the following December or following May ceremony. Students must apply before required due dates (see Academic Calendars) to graduate, pay the graduation fee, and notify the Graduate School.
Students who plan to defend after the cut-off date for graduation may apply to participate in that semester’s hooding ceremony but will not be listed in the program. These students will be listed in the commencement program during the semester in which they complete all degree requirements. Participation in the hooding ceremony does not presume graduation from the University. Doctoral candidates will not earn degrees nor be graduated from the University until they have completed all degree requirements.
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has core values of Honesty, Fairness, Trust, Respect, and Responsibility. In keeping with our values of Respect and Responsibility, all graduating students are to respect the dignified nature of the ceremony. Formal academic regalia is required for all degree candidates participating in the University of North Carolina at Greensboro commencement ceremonies. It is the responsibility of the degree candidate to secure academic regalia prior to the ceremony from the University Bookstore and to bring it to the ceremony. Only adornments provided and/or approved by the university, such as stoles and cords, are allowed.
Candidates for degrees must wear robes appropriate to their degree.
Graduate candidates for master’s or doctoral degrees wear the appropriate hoods around their necks and down their backs.
Undergraduate degree candidates who will graduate with Commencement Honors wear colored stoles and tassels provided by the university. Only one tassel is worn during the commencement ceremony.
Cords or stoles representing registered student organizations, University recognized honor societies, students with an international affiliation, members of recognized social fraternities and sororities, military and veteran students, and members of athletic teams are allowed.
Undergraduate degree candidates place tassels on the right side of the mortarboard until their degrees are conferred at the commencement ceremonies. The tassels are switched to the left side as a part of the ceremony and are worn on that side any time thereafter.
Mortarboards may be decorated on the top only and must be non-distracting to the ceremony and other graduates.
No modifications may be made to the regalia gown.
FAQ
Diplomas are mailed out approximately 12 weeks after the commencement ceremony. Please contact the Graduate School for questions and information.
Contact the Cashiers and Student Accounts Office at 336.334.5831 or cashier@uncg.edu.
Contact the Graduate School to change your name in our system. Be sure to also enter your preferred name in your commencement RSVP to ensure your name is called correctly at the ceremony.
No, tickets are not required for students or guests.
Yes, students who attend the ceremony will have their name called. Doctoral candidates will be hooded and have their names called.
The Grad Team is pleased to provide this complimentary service for each graduate during the commencement ceremony. Please do not contact the school with inquiries related to photographic service. For information about commencement photographs, go to The Grad Team UNCG webpage.
Please submit this form if you have guest in need of a visa invitation letter for Spring 2026 ceremonies. Some countries have longer wait times for family members to receive appointments for visas, so please contact commence@uncg.edu if you have additional questions.
Click here to view the graduation participation policies.
Doctoral Summer graduates who wish to walk in the Spring ceremony, please contact the Graduate School to confirm eligibility.
School/Department Ceremonies
The following is not a comprehensive schedule of all Spring 2026 school and department ceremonies taking place. Students with questions regarding their school or department ceremony should contact their respective academic department for more information.
Schools or departments that would like their ceremony information to be provided below can contact commence@uncg.edu for assistance.
