Congratulations, Summer Gator graduates!

To help you prepare for this special weekend, please read this page of important information, links, and deadlines.

Cap & Gown

Regalia ordering will be available on June 2. Orders placed after June 28 will incur a late fee.
Regalia pick-up is August 7-12. 
Doctoral regalia must be returned by August 13 at 6pm at the UF Bookstore.

For details about regalia, including orders, pickup, and more, contact the UF Bookstore directly:

Please note, the commencement office cannot assist with regalia orders, they must go through the UF Bookstore. 

Application for Graduation

Students graduating in a given semester must apply to graduate. The deadlines for applications for the Summer 2023 semester can be found in the catalog of the Registrar's Office https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/dates-deadlines/2022-2023/#summerac23text 

The application for graduation can be found in a student's OneUF. More information can be found here: https://registrar.ufl.edu/services/degree-application 

In the application there is a box that asks the degree applicant whether UF has permission to print their name in the commencement program. If the box is not marked "yes" by the applicant, we cannot print the name of the candidate in the commencement program.

Please note, due to printing deadlines, we gather names for the commencement program the week after the degree application deadline. This time frame is also when we look at the honors status of our candidates (cum laude, etc.). If a candidate does not apply for graduation on time, we cannot guarantee their name will be included in the commencement program.

Commencement Instructions

90 MINUTES BEFORE THE POSTED CEREMONY TIME - Arrive at Gate 4 of the O’Connell Center

  • Check in at Gate 4 wearing your cap and gown and carrying your name card (you get your name card when you pick up your regalia from the bookstore).
  • Doctoral candidates- wear your tassel on your left (you don't move your tassel during the ceremony, only undergraduates do that). Carry your hood, draping it over your left arm.
  • Master's and Specialist’s degree candidates- wear your hood, wear your tassel on your left (you don’t move your tassel during the ceremony, only undergraduates do that)
  • Bachelor’s degree candidates- wear your tassels on the right.

Families can begin entering the O'Connell Center 90 minutes before the ceremony, entering through Gates 1 and 3.

20-30 MINUTES BEFORE THE POSTED CEREMONY TIME - Candidate processional line will start to move

  • College by college, you’ll be moved out of your line-up rooms and start to enter the arena floor to be seated. All seating will be completed 5 minutes prior to the posted ceremony time.

NOTE: If your college processes and you are not in line, you will not process with your college and will not be seated with your college. There will be no seat-saving permitted by candidates during the processional and seating.

5 MINUTES BEFORE THE POSTED CEREMONY TIME - Platform processional line

  • Those who will be on the stage will enter the arena, including the university president, deans of the colleges, etc.

NOTE: It is appropriate for candidates and guests to stand at this time.

POSTED CEREMONY TIME

Ceremony will officially start on the stage at the posted ceremony time, beginning with the National Anthem.

2 HOURS AFTER THE CEREMONY BEGINS (approx.)

No ceremony will last longer than two hours past the posted stage start time.

Doctoral Graduates: Following the platform recessional, there will be a formal recessional led by the faculty marshals who led you in.

Master’s, Specialist's, and Bachelor’s Graduates: Following the platform recessional, you will exit the arena through the gates you entered. There is no formal recessional.

HINT: Due to large crowds leaving the arena at once, plan to give yourselves plenty of time and establish a meeting point. Select less-common locations to meet your party. The Bull Gator or Heisman Trophy statues are where most people choose to meet.

Diploma information

Diplomas are ordered for all graduates by the Office of the University Registrar at the end of the semester after grades have been posted. It takes approximately 8 weeks for diplomas to arrive to the DIPLOMA MAILING ADDRESS after the close of the semester.

Diplomas are mailed to the graduate's DIPLOMA MAILING ADDRESS as it appears in ONE.UF. Candidates are responsible for correcting or updating their address as necessary.

Name cards

One of the biggest highlights of the ceremony is being recognized by the platform party as your name is read aloud. The name card provides your name information for individual recognition.

You will receive your name card when you pick up your regalia from the bookstore. Please complete the front and back of the card in legible handwriting so our name readers and photographers can best use the information you provide.

Printed programs

Candidates will receive two copies of the printed university commencement program when they pick up their regalia from the bookstore. These keepsake programs have the names of all students graduating this semester.

(please note this may not be a fully exhaustive list, as it reflects applications turned in by the application deadline. Academic honors designations in the program are also based on their GPAs at that point in the semester. We understand students may apply to graduate after the initial deadline, and that GPAs may fluctuate during the course of the semester, but due to the printing timeline, we must use this as our deadline.)

Additional copies of the program will be available for purchase at the bookstore for $1; proceeds go to a scholarship fund for future first generation college students from low-income families.

Approximately two weeks before graduation weekend, the full PDF of the program will be available online at https://commencement.ufl.edu/past-programs/. This version can be viewed and/or downloaded at any time after it appears.

VISA for international guests

If you are an international student who may need assistance with the proper documents for family or friends to come to your ceremony, you should contact UF’s International Center for assistance.