A commencement ceremony is a formal event held by a school, college, or university to honor students who have completed (or are about to complete) their degree or diploma requirements. The word “commencement” means “beginning,” and the ceremony is meant to mark the start of a graduate’s next chapter rather than simply the end of their studies. It’s the cap-and-gown event most people picture when they think of graduation, but commencement and graduation are technically two different things.
Commencement vs. Graduation
Graduation is an academic milestone. It means you’ve earned the required credits, completed your coursework, finished any internships or service hours, and satisfied every requirement for your degree. Graduation can happen quietly, with no ceremony at all.
Commencement is the public celebration of that achievement. You can graduate without walking in commencement, and at many schools you can walk in commencement before you’ve technically graduated, as long as you’ll finish your remaining requirements shortly afterward. Your degree is conferred when the registrar certifies your academic record, not when you cross the stage.
What Happens During the Ceremony
While every school adds its own traditions, most commencement ceremonies follow a similar structure. The event typically lasts between one and three hours depending on the size of the graduating class.
The ceremony opens with a processional: graduates line up by degree level (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral) and walk into the venue while music plays, often “Pomp and Circumstance.” Faculty and university leadership usually process in as well, wearing their own academic regalia. After the procession, there’s normally a welcome address from a university official, followed by a keynote or commencement speech delivered by an invited guest speaker, a distinguished alumnus, or a university leader.
Student speakers may also address the class. After the speeches, the institution’s president or provost formally confers degrees on the graduating class, often as a group announcement (“By the authority vested in me, I confer upon you the degree of…”). Then comes the part most families are waiting for: individual graduates walk across the stage, hand a name card to an announcer, hear their name read aloud, and receive a diploma cover or case. The actual diploma is typically mailed weeks later. The ceremony closes with a recessional, and graduates file out to meet their families.
What the Cap and Gown Mean
The academic dress worn at commencement, called regalia, follows a standardized system with specific meanings built into each piece.
The gown is considered a symbol of the democracy of scholarship because it covers whatever clothing the wearer has on underneath, erasing outward signs of wealth or social standing. Sleeve style signals the degree level: a long, pointed sleeve indicates a bachelor’s degree, an oblong sleeve with an arc cut and a slit at the wrist signals a master’s degree, and bell-shaped sleeves with velvet bars identify a doctoral degree.
The flat, square cap (called a mortarboard) represents the freedom and dignity of scholarship. Some historians trace its square shape to the shape of a book, while others connect it to the tools of medieval masons’ guilds.
The hood, draped over the shoulders, carries two pieces of information. Its lining shows the official colors of the institution that granted the degree. Its velvet trim indicates the graduate’s academic discipline. Each field has a designated color: orange for engineering, light blue for education, pink for music, drab (a muted brownish tone) for business, kelly green for medicine, and so on through dozens of disciplines.
The Tassel Turn
One of the most recognizable moments in any commencement is the turning of the tassel. Degree candidates wear their tassels on the right side of the mortarboard. After the president or provost officially confers degrees, graduates move the tassel from right to left. That small gesture marks the transition from candidate to degree holder. Tassel color also indicates discipline, matching the same color system used on hoods. Faculty members and others who already hold doctoral degrees may wear a gold tassel.
What Graduates Should Know Beforehand
Most universities ask graduates to arrive at least 30 minutes before the ceremony starts. If you show up after the processional has begun, many schools will not allow you to join the line and march in. You’ll typically be asked to write your name on an index card, sometimes with a phonetic spelling underneath, so the announcer can pronounce it correctly when you cross the stage.
Your regalia should be worn as issued. Schools generally discourage altering the gown’s appearance since the cut and color carry specific academic meaning. Keep in mind that your feet and ankles will be visible below the gown, so dress shoes or other neat footwear are the standard expectation. Jeans, flip-flops, and sneakers are usually considered inappropriate.
What Guests Should Expect
Guest logistics vary by school, but a few practices are common. Many universities require tickets for guests, and the number per graduate is often limited, especially for indoor venues. Guests should plan to arrive well ahead of time. Family members with mobility needs may want to arrive even earlier, as accessible seating is sometimes in a designated area that fills up.
Security at commencement has increased in recent years. Some universities now enforce clear-bag policies, requiring that any bag brought into the venue be transparent plastic no larger than roughly 12 by 12 by 6 inches (or a small clutch). Backpacks and duffel bags may be prohibited entirely. Schools reserve the right to inspect bags for prohibited items.
For guests who can’t attend in person, many universities now livestream at least some of their ceremonies online. Whether livestreaming is available depends on the specific college or department hosting the event, so check the school’s commencement website in advance.
Types of Commencement Events
Large universities often hold more than one ceremony. A university-wide commencement brings the entire graduating class together for a single event, usually featuring the keynote speaker and the formal conferral of degrees. Individual college or department ceremonies are smaller, more personal events where each graduate’s name is read and they cross the stage. Some graduates attend both.
Graduate and professional schools (law, medicine, business) frequently hold their own separate ceremonies with traditions specific to those fields, such as a hooding ceremony for doctoral candidates where a faculty advisor places the hood over the graduate’s shoulders.
High schools hold commencement ceremonies too, following a similar structure on a smaller scale. The core elements are the same: processional, speeches, diploma presentation, tassel turn, and recessional.