Graduation FAQs

Regalia, Photography, and Diplomas

Those participating in the Moody College Graduation ceremony are expected to wear academic regalia, which are the traditional dress for degree candidates participating in college, school and department graduation ceremonies, as well as the university-wide commencement ceremony.

Ordering and Purchasing Regalia

Important information and deadlines for purchase and rental of regalia are available at the University Co-op’s website or at the following Co-op location:

University Co-op
Graduation Department (main level)
2246 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78705
800-255-1896 - Option 2

The University of Texas contracts with Flash Photography, to take photographs of each candidate during commencement. Graduates opt-in to sharing their information with Flash Photography when they RSVP for the ceremony. After the conclusion of the ceremony, Flash Photography connects directly with graduates for purchasing and proofs. Graduates are not required to purchase photos or share their information with Flash Photography. 

The University of Texas at Austin is not responsible for Flash Photography or it's affiliates. Issues with your photos or orders should be addressed directly with Flash Photography. 

No. Students receive a paper wishing them congratulations from Moody College, but diploma's are mailed directly to students after degree's have been certified. The graduation ceremony and being considered graduated are two separate processes. Physical copies of graduates diplomas are mailed to them 5-10 business days after certification occurs. 

The University of Texas at Austin is excited to now offer graduates from Fall 2023 and forward a digital and free version of their diploma! Intended graduates will receive an email from Paradigm on how to access their Certified Electronic Diploma (CeDiploma).  More information on this validation process and CeDiplomas can be found on the new UT CeDiploma webpage. 

Graduates can use the MyReorder system for diploma replacement orders. 

To be eligible to graduate with University honors, an undergraduate must have completed at least sixty semester hours at the University of Texas at Austin. Graduation with University honors is based on the average of all grades earned in courses taken in residence at the University, whether the courses were passed, failed, or repeated. Courses taken pass/fail are counted in the sixty-hour minimum, but only letter grades (including Fs in pass/fail courses) are used to determine the grade point average.

The grade point averages established for May graduates are applied to the following August and December classes to determine honors, high honors, and highest honors.

Honors Rank: top 20%
High Honors Rank: top 10%
Highest Honors Rank: top 4%

2024 GPA REQUIREMENTS

Honors: 3.9052
High Honors Rank: 3.9600
Highest Honors Rank: 3.9896

Please note honors and degrees announced at spring commencement ceremonies and presented in corresponding programs are projections based on the previous year's minimums and students' GPAs after the fall semester. Actual honors and credentials earned are determined during degree certification which occurs after commencement weekend. 

University Honors are separate from the Honors Day designation. Please review the Honors Day website for further information. 

No. Moody College does not hand out diploma boards at the graduation ceremony. 

Please see more information through Texas One Stop on how to change your diploma name.

Eligibility and Registration

All undergraduates who complete their degree requirements in Fall will be invited to participate in the May graduation ceremony of the same academic year. For example, if you completed your degree in Fall 2023 you will be invited to participate in the May 2024 graduation ceremony.

Note: students who have already participated in a ceremony for their degree may not participate in a second ceremony. For example, if you participated in the Spring 2023 ceremony and intended to complete your degree in Summer 2023, but did not complete it until Fall 2023 or Spring 2024, you will not be allowed to walk again.

Those who have 12 or fewer hours of remaining coursework to complete during the Summer term are eligible for walker participation in the May graduation ceremony of the same academic year.

Students completing their degree requirements in Summer and who wish to participated in the Spring Graduation Ceremony are REQUIRED to meet with a Moody College Academic Advisor to discus eligibility. 

Note: students who have already participated in a ceremony for their degree may not participate in a second ceremony. For example, if you participated in the Spring 2023 ceremony and intended to complete your degree in Summer 2023, but did not complete it until Fall 2023 or Spring 2024, you will not be allowed to walk again.

Participating in the ceremony does not mean that a candidate has completed the requirements for graduation.
 
Graduating (receiving a diploma) and participating (walking across the stage) in the commencement ceremony are two distinctly different things. Graduates will be considered graduated when they have officially met all of the following:
  1. have applied to graduate
  2. have completed all degree requirements
  3. have cleared all holds
  4. have had their degree certified
Ultimately, the final awarding of degrees, honors, and mailing of the diplomas is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of the appropriate requirements by each candidate and the Dean’s final certification.

Approved graduates will receive information via email on how to access MarchingOrder. MarchingOrder will be the graduate hub for tickets, information, name updates, communication, and noting your intent to participate. 

Please ensure you are receiving our emails by keeping your contact information updated. 

Ceremony

Yes! The ceremony can be viewed anywhere through our livestream. The link will become available on the Graduation Ceremony page the day of the event. 

Graduates are expected to stay for the entirety of the event. Disruptions will not be tolerated. 

Please email moodycollegegraduation@austin.utexas.edu for support. Guests and family should navigate below the the Moody Center for information regarding accessibility to watch the ceremony.

There will be a special section for individuals who need an ASL interpreter during the event. Please email moodycollegegraduation@austin.utexas.edu for further information. 

This event will take place rain or shine. Should this change, communication will be relayed to graduates through email, text, and social media. 

Doors open approximately one hour prior to the ceremony. 

The ceremony is anticipated to last from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. ct. 

With the order subject to change, the following mark stages of the graduation ceremony:

  • Opening with the procession of faculty
  • Remarks by the Moody College Dean
  • The calling of graduates by degree
  • Keynote speaker
  • Conclusion

No, there will not be a graduate rehearsal. 

Yes. Graduates will be given an opportunity to record their names as they are pronounced through MarchingOrder. Please see your email for further instructions. 

Tickets

All Moody graduates are allocated up to eight (8) tickets. We ask that graduates only claim the number of tickets they need. If additional tickets are available then a re-release will be scheduled after the closure of the RSVP deadline, April 12th. 

All tickets are managed through MarchingOrder. Graduates are solely responsible for the distribution of their tickets to their guests. The Moody College Graduation team will not release tickets directly to family/guests. 

Graduates are not required to have a ticket and should not include themselves in the count. 

The solicitation of tickets is strictly prohibited. 

Yes. All guests (two years and older) will be required to present a ticket to enter the Moody Center. Ticket count per graduate is determined by the capacity and number of graduates. Students MUST claim tickets on behalf of their guests and share them via email or by printing them. Each ticket has a unique code, duplicate codes witll be rejected. 

The Moody College Graduation team is unable to provide tickets directly to family or guests. Tickets are associated with student UT EID's and MUST be claimed during the RSVP process. 

Ticket release will end when all tickets are claimed or no later than Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Tickets will not be distributed the day of the event. 

No, all tickets are free of charge. The solicitation of tickets is strictly prohibited and could result in disciplinary action towards the solicitor. 

No! Graduates should bring and provide a valid ID (e.g. a driver's license or a UT student ID)

TEXAS Global has instructions regarding documentation for visa applications. Note that the University does not provide letters of invitation. 

Yes! Tickets are shared from graduates to guests directly through MarchingOrder. Tickets may be printed or shown on a mobile device.