Commencement Resources for Students
Information and Resources for Students
Must Know Info
- ALL Guest entrance doors will close at the start of the ceremony to allow space for the graduates to enter the arena. Guests will be held in the lobby until the graduate procession is completed. Please plan to arrive early to avoid missing your graduate walking in.
- All Ceremonies will take place inside the Bank of Colorado Arena
- Graduates will line up in the Campus Recreation Center Large Gym.
- All graduates should arrive at least 45 minutes before their ceremony start time to pick up their reader card and line up for the procession. Please leave personal items with family or friends.
- The ceremony process of graduating students will leave the lineup area before the ceremony start time.
- Guest tickets are required for entry into the Bank of Colorado Arena. Visit the ticket section for more info.
- Doors open for guests one hour prior to each ceremony.
Schedule of Ceremonies
- Friday, May 9: Graduate Commencement
- 6 p.m.
- Doctoral, Specialist and Master’s students
- 6 p.m.
- Saturday, May 10: Undergraduate Commencement
- 9 a.m.
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business
- 12:30 p.m.
- College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
- College of Performing and Visual Arts
- 3:30 p.m.
- College of Natural and Health Sciences
- 9 a.m.
New Photo Opportunities
The University Events team is constantly striving to enhance the UNC Commencement experience. We’ll be setting up photo backdrops during the week leading up to commencement to give you the chance to capture your memories and celebrate your success!
Backdrops will be located on the main level of the Campus Commons.
Use #UNCBearGrad when you share your graduation posts and images on social media!
Tickets
Tickets are required for entry.
Tickets are required for guests to attend the Commencement Ceremonies. Graduating students do not require a ticket. Tickets are assigned to specific ceremonies, are general admission and valid for one guest per ticket. Tickets are issued at no charge and sale of tickets is prohibited. Tickets will be distributed to graduates electronically via BearMail accounts. Guests must obtain tickets from their graduates in advance of the ceremony.
Tickets will not be available at the ceremony entrance door.
Requesting Tickets
- In order to request tickets, a student must first submit their application and be approved for graduation. Students who are eligible to graduate this semester, will receive an email with application instructions from the Registrar (undergraduate students) or the Graduate School (graduate students).
- Graduating students may submit a request to claim UP TO 6 TICKETS prior to the initial ticket request deadline.
- We have implemented a new system for commencement ticketing. Instructions for requesting tickets will be emailed to students at 5 p.m. on February 28. After the initial ticket request deadline, availability of additional tickets will be determined based on the total number of tickets requested compared to the seating capacity of the venue.
- Students who are approved for graduation after the ticket deadline will still need to request tickets through the link they receive in their BearMail. While UNC will make every effort to ensure ticket availability for all graduating students, guest tickets cannot be guaranteed if requested after the initial deadline.
- If additional tickets are available following the initial ticket request deadline, graduating students will receive an email with instructions for requesting additional tickets and the total tickets remaining for their ceremony. Additional tickets may be requested until all remaining tickets are claimed.
- For students who are approved for graduation after the initial ticket deadline, they will receive a ticket request email when their application is reported as approved from Registrar/Graduate School to University Events. Once the student information is uploaded, the student will receive a confirmation email from the ticketing system.
- Graduating students will receive an email when there are no remaining tickets available for their ceremony.
Accessing Tickets
Students who have been approved to graduate will receive ceremony ticket information when their data is uploaded into the ticketing system. This will occur by the end of the following business day after it is received by University Events from Registrar/Graduate School. The email will include instructions to create an account and claim their guest tickets.
Please visit the Commencement FAQ page for more details.
Ticketing Timeline
- February 28: Ticket request details emailed at 5 p.m. to students who have applied for graduation.
- March 31: Deadline at 11:59 p.m. MDT for ticket request with initial allotment of up to 6 tickets/graduating student.
- April 1: Availability of additional tickets emailed at 5 p.m. MDT to students who have applied for graduation. (Dependent upon number of tickets requested by Monday, March 31 deadline.)
- May 1: If a final allotment of tickets remainsavailable, this will be emailed at 5 p.m. MDT to students who have been approved for graduation. (Dependent upon number of tickets requested by April 30.) This potential final allotment is not guaranteed.
- Graduate Ceremony
- Up to 2 additional tickets (10 total), based on availability
- Undergraduate Ceremonies
- 9 a.m. HSS/MCB: Up to 1 additional ticket (9 total), based on availability
- 12:30 p.m. EBS/PVA: Up to 2 additional tickets (11 total), based on availability
- 3:30 p.m. NHS: Up to 2 additional tickets (11 total), based on availability
- Graduate Ceremony
- May 9: Final ticket request deadline at Noon MDT, based on ticket availability.
Line Up Location and Parking
- Both Friday and Saturday’s graduating students will line up in the Campus Recreation Large Gym.
- Graduating students not arriving with guests should park on the West side of LOT J. Guest parking will be in LOTS L, M and Y.
- Campus parking is free and open to the public during Commencement weekend. Parking permits are not required. Graduates and guests are asked to use official university parking lots. Parking in or near private residential areas is not permitted.
Order/Rent Regalia
Your years of hard work are almost complete, and your cap and gown are important symbols of your achievement!
Online orders are now closed. You can place a walk up order during Cap and Gown Distribution.
Bachelors’ Regalia
Masters’ Regalia
Doctoral Regalia
Cap and Gown Distribution (If not picked up at Commencement Fair or shipped to your home.)
- Thursday, May 8: 3 – 6 p.m.
- Friday, May 9: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Campus Recreation Center Small Gym
1300 23rd Street
Gowns and hoods must be returned to on-site reps NEAR THE WEST EXITS AT BANK OF COLORADO ARENA following the commencement ceremony. Caps and stoles are yours to keep! Check out our FAQ page for details on decorating your cap!
Regalia Rental Policies
UNC Partners with Herff Jones to provide regalia rental to all graduates. Please see their policies below.
- Caps, Tassels, Gowns, and Regalia Accessories (i.e. Stoles): A refund will be provided so long as the product is unused and unopened. Refunds must be requested within two weeks after the ceremony. Keeper products being returned by students are returned at their expense. Certain customized and year dated products are not eligible for refund or return. Please reach out to Herff Jones customer service if you have specific questions.
- Announcements and Fine Paper Accessories: All sales are final. Please review proofs carefully before finalizing orders.
- Frames: Refund must be requested within 1 month of the product being delivered to the customer.
- Class Rings: All sales are final.
We stand by our products and will offer refunds on any product if a manufacturing or material defect is present.
Latin Honors
Graduation with honors for undergraduate students is determined by your cumulative grade point average, of at least 56 UNC semester hours, at the time of degree completion.
If you meet the qualifications, including grades earned during your final semester, you will have Latin Honors designated on your diploma and official transcript.
**The Graduate School and graduate students do not receive Latin Honors.
- Summa Cum Laude: 3.9 – 4.0
- Magna Cum Laude: 3.8 – 3.89
- Cum Laude: 3.7 – 3.79
After Graduation
Once you’ve walked across the stage, you’re almost done!
The only things left are to receive your diploma and request your transcripts.