Doctoral Ceremony

Doctoral students who have applied to graduate will receive an email invitation to register for the Graduate School Convocation. 

To participate, you must complete the registration process outlined in the email. 

Upon registering, you will be able to claim your allotted number of digital guest tickets. For the doctoral ceremony, each graduate will receive up to 5 tickets.

If extra tickets become available after the registration deadline on April 11, 2025, at 5 p.m., registered graduates will be notified by email with instructions on how to claim additional tickets. 

Graduates are responsible for obtaining their guests' digital tickets, although these can also be printed if needed. 

All participants in the ceremony are required to wear regalia, which can be purchased through the University Co-op. 

Please be sure to place your order by the deadline specified on the University Co-Op website. 

If you are unable to purchase regalia, please contact the Graduate School Convocation team via email or reach out to the UT Outpost for assistance. 

Doctoral PURCHASE Deadline: March 7, 2025
Doctoral & Faculty RENTAL Deadline: March 26, 2025 
Doctoral & Faculty Rental Return Deadline: May 18, 2025 

Doctoral graduates will receive up to 5 tickets after registering. We ask that graduates only claim the number of digital guest tickets needed. 

Graduates MUST be registered for Convocation in order to claim tickets for your guests. 

Tickets are required for all guests (two years and older) attending the Graduate School Convocation ceremony. 

Graduates are responsible for claiming and emailing the tickets to their guests—guests cannot secure tickets directly. 

Guest tickets are general admission and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Saving seats is not permitted. 

Tickets are free of charge. 

Livestream
For any guest without a ticket, the ceremony will also be streamed online. We will post the link on the day of the ceremony.

Arrival at Bass Concert Hall:
Check-in begins at 10 a.m. Graduates arriving after 11:15 am will be seated backstage.

Participation in walking across the stage during the ceremony is limited to graduates, except in cases where assistance is required, and an approved accommodation has been granted through the Office for Students with Disabilities.

Please plan for road closures and heavy traffic. There will be multiple ceremonies happening across campus. For the latest updates to campus parking, please visit the university commencement page. 

Regalia must be carried into the Bass Concert Hall, not worn. Do not bring your regalia on a hanger. During check in and security scanning, regalia must be shaken to demonstrate no prohibited items on person.

Graduates cannot bring personal items such as backpacks, purses or coats to Bass Concert Hall. There is no secure area in which to leave them. We recommended carrying cell phones and keys on wrist bands or clothing with pockets underneath regalia.

Parking
Complimentary parking will be offered in all university parking garages and on most surface lots. The closest parking garage is the San Jacinto Garage located at 2400 San Jacinto Blvd. Accessible parking is available in all UT Austin garages for those displaying a valid state-issued ADA placard or license plate.

For a comprehensive overview of road closures, drop-off locations and traffic flow around Bass Concert Hall, please refer to the link here.

The University arranges for professional photos of each graduate as they walk across the stage to receive congratulations during the ceremony. Graduates and their families have the option to purchase these photographs, but there is no obligation to do so. Photography provides complimentary color proofs to each graduate, which are sent to their permanent address within two weeks of graduation. In the event that you do not receive your proof or if you prefer to place your order by phone or email, please contact Flash Photography at 1-800-410-8070 or visit flashphotography.com.  

If your guests require wheelchair access or have other special needs, please refer to the accessibility webpage on Bass Concert Hall's website. For any specific accommodations needed during the ceremony, please reach out to the Graduate School staff. While every effort will be made to accommodate requests, please be aware that last-minute requests may be challenging for us to fulfill.  

Accessibility at Bass Performance Hall

ADA Parking 
Complimentary parking will be offered in all university parking garages and on most surface lots. Recommended parking is in Lots 37-39 or San Jacinto Garage (SJG). Lots 37-39 and San Jacinto Garage are a short walking distance from Bass Concert Hall. A limited amount of ADA parking spots are available at both locations.

Guests with limited mobility are encouraged to park at East Campus Garage and ride the free, ADA-accessible shuttle, which stops at Bass Concert Hall. To view a campus map, please access the "May 11 Ceremonies Map (Daytime)" here.

Seating 
Bass Concert Hall offers wheelchair-accessible and low-mobility seating options in specific sections and rows for your convenience. These include Orchestra: Row S, First Balcony: Row L, and Second Balcony: Row N. Please note that seating in these areas is available on a first-come, first-served basis as tickets are unassigned.

Language Accessibility 
Live interpretation services will be provided for both Spanish language and American Sign Language during the ceremony. A limited number of headsets will be available for checkout for Spanish language interpretation. Individuals requiring access to American Sign Language interpreters are encouraged to contact the Graduate School staff in advance to make necessary arrangements. 

Parking
Complimentary parking will be offered in all university parking garages and on most surface lots. The closest parking garage is the San Jacinto Garage located at 2400 San Jacinto Blvd. Accessible parking is available in all UT Austin garages for those displaying a valid state-issued ADA placard or license plate.

For information about UT Austin parking garages and surface lots available for parking, please refer to the university Commencement Weekend Parking page.

Rideshare
The pick-up and drop-off point for guests and rideshare services to Bass Concert Hall is on DeLoss Dodds Way in front of the venue.

An updated Security and Attendee Protocol is in place for all Commencement events. Please follow the safety procedures to ensure a seamless graduation experience.

Review the Bass Concert Hall website for more venue policies and a list of prohibited items.

Doors will open for guests at Bass Concert Hall at 10:45 a.m. Guests may enter Bass Concert Hall through the main entrance on 23rd Street (facing Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium).  

Please plan for road closures and heavy traffic. There will be multiple ceremonies happening across campus. For the latest updates to campus parking, please visit the university commencement page. 

Graduates MUST be registered for Convocation in order to claim tickets for your guests. 

Tickets are required for all guests (two years and older) attending the Graduate School Convocation ceremony. 

Graduates are responsible for claiming and emailing the tickets to their guests—guests cannot secure tickets directly. 

Guest tickets are general admission, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Saving seats is not permitted. 

Tickets are free of charge. 

All tickets will be electronic. Guests should present tickets, preferably in electronic form, at Bass Concert Hall.

1. Will my name be read out loud?
Yes, during the ceremony, the names of attending graduates will be read aloud. Additionally, doctoral graduates will be hooded by their dissertation supervisor or dean. All graduates will have the opportunity to walk across the stage.

2. Are extra tickets available?
Convocation tickets will be released in phases. After all graduates have registered to participate and claimed their initial allotted number of guest tickets, any additional tickets available will be communicated via email to all registered participants on approximately April 11, 2025.

3. What if I forget to register for convocation by April 11, 2025? 
Contact the Graduate School at GS.Commencement@austin.utexas.edu.

4. May I participate in the ceremony if I do not complete all requirements for my degree during the spring semester? 
No, participation in the ceremony requires the completion of all degree requirements, including the dissertation defense and submission of final paperwork, by the end of the spring semester.

5. May I participate in convocation if I completed all my degree requirements in a previous semester? 
Yes, graduates who have completed all degree requirements in a previous semester are welcome to participate in Convocation. Please ensure to register for the ceremony by April 11, 2025.

6. Will I receive my diploma at the ceremony?
No, diplomas will not be distributed at the ceremony. Approximately six weeks after the graduation date, your diploma will be mailed to the permanent address listed in your University of Texas at Austin directory information. If you prefer to pick up your diploma in person, please contact the Texas One Stop at 512-232-6988 to make arrangements or visit their office in Room 1 of the Main Building. To verify or update your address, please click here.

7. What should I bring to the ceremony?
Personal items such as backpacks, purses, or coats cannot be brought into the venue, and there is no secure area available for storage. To ensure convenience, we recommend carrying cell phones and keys on wristbands or utilizing clothing with pockets beneath the regalia.

8. Which colors should I choose for my academic hood and tassel?
The University Co-op has charts to determine the colors of your college or school. The University of Texas at Austin uses the “Academic Costume Code and Ceremony Guide” by the American Council on Education. Click here to view the chart.

9. My family can’t make it to the ceremony. Can they watch it online? 
Yes, we will be live streaming the ceremony, allowing your family to participate remotely. On the day of the event, the Graduate School will provide a link to view the ceremony on our website.

10. How can I find hotels for my guests? 
The Austin area offers an abundance of lodging options for visitors. Visit Austin has information to help you plan your trip. Note that Commencement brings thousands of visitors to the city; we recommend making lodging plans sooner rather than later.

11. Where can I get graduation announcements?
Invitations and announcements may be ordered from the University Co-op.

12. I am an international student and I need a letter signed by the Graduate School to assist my family in obtaining a visa to attend my graduation ceremony. How do I get this?
To obtain a letter signed by the Graduate School to assist your family in obtaining a visa for your graduation ceremony, please complete the online form. Once submitted, the Graduate School will process your request and provide you with the necessary letter.

13. Will my guests need to print their digital tickets?
Guests have the option of printing their digital tickets and bringing them to the ceremony, or can save the digital version on a mobile device. Staff will scan the QR code on each ticket for entry.

14. Am I required to attend the Graduate School Convocation ceremony?
No, students have the option for which ceremonies they attend. As a reminder, the University’s colleges and schools will host individual convocation ceremonies. Some departments within the larger colleges and schools may host individual ceremonies based on the size of their graduating class. There will also be the University-Wide Commencement Ceremony where deans of each college and school will recognize graduates as a group.

The University-Wide Ceremony will be held May 10, 2025, at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. Separate procession tickets are required for degree candidates to participate and for guests attending the university-wide ceremony. 

The University-Wide Commencement Ceremony is hosted by the President and is the formal ceremony at which graduates of all colleges and schools at UT Austin are recognized as a group. The ceremony includes remarks from university leadership, the student body president, and the commencement speaker, as well as the official conferral of degrees by the university president. The ceremony begins with a procession of all graduates, followed by faculty and university leadership. It concludes with a fireworks display.