The university will hold its spring graduate commencement ceremony, for students receiving Doctoral Degrees, Master’s Degrees, Sixth Year Professional Diplomas, Post-Master Certificates, and Graduate Certificates.
All Graduate Commencement ceremonies will take place at the John Lyman Center for Performing Arts
501 Crescent St, New Haven, CT
Monday, May 18 | 2:00–4:00 p.m.
College of Arts & Sciences | School of Business
Graduates will receive a minimum of 2 tickets, with additional tickets to be released once registration numbers are confirmed.
Monday, May 18 | 7:00–9:00 p.m.
College of Health & Human Services
Graduates will receive a minimum of 2 tickets, with additional tickets to be released once registration numbers are confirmed.
Tuesday, May 19 | 7:00–9:00 p.m.
College of Education
Graduates will receive a minimum of 2 tickets, with additional tickets to be released once registration numbers are confirmed.
Commencement Guide
Participation Eligibility
Students who complete their degree or diploma requirements in the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 semesters are eligible to participate.
Students who are completing the final credits of coursework towards their degree during the Summer Session 2026 are also eligible to participate in graduate commencement. All degree requirements must be completed before August 31, 2026. Doctoral students should consult their advisors for any additional requirements.
Please note that participation in commencement is not a confirmation of graduation from your program and diplomas are not issued at the event.
Students must have completed an online Commencement Participation Form before February 2nd to walk in their commencement ceremony. All communications pertaining to Graduate Commencement will be sent to their Southern email address. Please check your account for updates. If you did not receive the Commencement Participation Form, please email GPSinfo@SouthernCT.edu
Check your Academic Progress
Log into your Student Portal to review your degree evaluation and confirm any outstanding requirements. If you have questions about your eligibility, speak with your academic advisor or program coordinator to ensure all requirements can be met on time.
Next Steps
1. Confirming Participation and Claiming Tickets – Due April 1, 2026
On March 18, 2026, eligible graduate students who have completed the commencement participation form before the Feb. 2 deadline received additional information at their Southern email address from noreply@commencement.southernct.edu .
In the email, graduates are asked to create an account on Tassel, the online commencement registration system. Once completed, they can confirm participation, select and distribute guest tickets (numbers will vary according to size of ceremony), and verify the pronunciation of their name for the ceremony.
All participants must complete the Tassel registration and claim tickets by April 1, 2026. This is a firm deadline that ensures that the university can determine whether additional tickets can be released to those who complete the request form on the confirmation screen and confirmation email. If a response is not received by the deadline, it will be assumed that you do not wish to participate in the graduation ceremony and your tickets will be forfeited. Your diploma will be mailed to you.
Additional details about logistics will be communicated here on the graduate commencement website later this spring. Please note that this message and all future information regarding Graduate Commencement will go to Southern email addresses only. If students are having trouble accessing their Southern email account, please contact the IT Help Desk.
Questions can be directed to gpsinfo@southernct.edu.
2. Secure Your Regalia
3. Diplomas
Please remember to verify that your name and mailing address are correct by checking your student portal.
Guest Tickets
Due to capacity constraints, each candidate may claim a minimum of two digital tickets designated for each ceremony. Guests may use either the printed ticket or the mobile version. Each guest ticket is unique and will be scanned at the ceremony before entry, so a single ticket cannot be shared with multiple guests. If there are remaining tickets after the first allocation, they will be distributed at a later date.
Once registered, guest tickets can be claimed through Tassel.
Live-streaming
Commencement will be streamed on YouTube for friends and family who are unable to attend the ceremony.
Academic Regalia
All graduates must wear appropriate academic regalia. Master’s and Doctoral Degree students wear cap, tassel, gown, and hood. Sixth Year Diploma students wear cap, tassel, gown, hood, and stole. Post-Master’s and Graduate Certificate students wear cap, tassel, gown, and cord.
Sixth Year Diploma candidates may wear the master’s level academic regalia they wore at previous graduate level commencements, but they still need to purchase the special Sixth Year Diploma stole. Post-Master’s and Graduate Certificate candidates may wear the master’s level academic regalia they wore at previous graduate level commencements, but they still need to purchase the certificate cord.
These can be purchased in-store starting April 1st. Online ordering has closed. They are made from the same material the Undergraduate regalia is – a lightweight, durable, 100% woven matte finish polyester material.
In-person shopping at the University Bookstore, located in the Michael J. Adanti Student Center, will commence on April 1, 2026 and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for size until May 21, 2026. For students who are unable to visit during the week, the University Bookstore is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The bookstore will also be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on 5/18 and 5/19 to accommodate Graduate Ceremonies being held on campus.
Graduate Regalia
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Gown (includes Cap, Gown, 2026* Tassel) | $64.98 |
| Hood | $45.98 |
| 6th Year Certificate Stole | $42.98 |
| Post Masters & Graduate Certificate Cord | $19.98 |
*We will have limited stock of 2025 Tassels available
EdD & DSW Regalia
The SCSU Bookstore carries limited stock of souvenir-grade regalia in-store. These can be purchased in-store starting 4/1. They are made from the same material the Undergraduate and Master regalia is – a lightweight, durable, 100% woven matte finish polyester material. This is a great option for those that are participating in their commencement ceremony but are unlikely to wear again.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Gown | $57.78 |
| Hood | $60.98 |
| Tam & Tassel | $81.98 |
Custom Regalia
Some students that will participate in commencement ceremonies throughout their career prefer to invest in custom-made regalia fit to their measurements.
These pieces require 10+ weeks to be created in Salem, Virginia by Oak Hall. Please place your order no later than the first week of March.
Doctoral Students looking to purchase custom, fine-quality regalia should reach out directly to Oak Hall (1-800-223-0429) to place their order.
Robe Styles
The Jefferson
Designed with simplicity and comfort in mind, the Jefferson features fully lined bell sleeves, and a zipper closure
The Madison
Fine pleating frames the velvet panels from the hemline and features a zipper closure and fully lined bell sleeves, which are finished off with a cuff at the wrist. A pocket slit is added to allow access to clothing beneath the robe.
The scholar in blue is wearing the Jefferson, the scholar in black is wearing the Madison
Fabric Options
How to Order Custom Regalia
First, obtain the following measurements:
- Height with shoes _________ in. (Top of head to floor)
- Approximate weight _________ lbs.
- Chest measurement _________ in.
- Shirt sleeve length _________ in (Measure from center-back base of neck, over the top of the shoulder and along the outer arm to desired length. Should correspond to men’s shirt sleeve length.)
- Neck size _________ in.
- Floor clearance desired _________ in. (If not specified, robes will be sized approximately 8” from floor.)
- Tam size _________ in. (Measure around the head approximately 1 inch above the brow, pulling the tape measure snugly. Give measurement in inches)
Doctoral Students looking to purchase custom, fine-quality regalia should reach out directly to Oak Hall (1-800-223-0429) to place their order.
Commencement Photographs
GradImages® is proud to support one of the biggest moments in a graduate’s life: walking across the stage and into the next chapter. With over 40 years of experience, we understand the importance of this moment and the desire to preserve these memories for a lifetime. Finding your/your graduate’s photos after the ceremony is easy. Visit GradImages to view and purchase custom photo products like prints, plaques, specialty gifts, and more.
If have any questions or concerns regarding your photos, please contact the GradImages Customer Service Department at (800) 261-2576, online at www.gradimages.com, or email ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. We have a large team of customer care representatives ready to help graduates and family members with anything they may need.
No Longer Participating?
If your plans change and you will no longer be participating in the ceremony, please email us at GPSinfo@southernct.edu.
Can’t Find Something?
This page will be updated throughout the semester leading up to commencement. If you cannot currently find the information you’re looking for, check back at a later date or email commencement@southernct.edu.
FAQ
Student Speaker Competition
We are excited to announce the Graduate Commencement Student Speaker Competition for this academic year! Each graduate commencement will feature an esteemed graduate student from their school/college to deliver an inspirational speech to their fellow graduate students at their Commencement this May. (The Arts and Sciences/Business ceremony will have a graduate student speaker from each school).
Qualifications
- Must complete all graduation requirements by August 2026
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
- Must be skilled in public speaking, with the ability to deliver a coherent and captivating speech within 2-3 minutes.
- Must be deemed eligible to walk in commencement by university and program.
- Must have completed the Commencement Participation form before Feb. 2nd, 2026.
Application Process
- Share a short personal statement (around 250 words) explaining why you would like to be the Commencement student speaker.
- Submit a written 2-3 minute speech*, along with a short video of you delivering this speech.
- Attach a copy of your resume.*
*Students are prohibited from using generative AI software for any and all submitted materials. Any speech or application that is found to have used AI will be disqualified from this competition
The final selection will be made by a graduate commencement speaker committee. Once chosen, each speaker will work with a coach to rehearse and perfect the delivery of their speech.
Compensation for the selected speaker includes:
- Full regalia for the Commencement Ceremony.*
- A diploma frame to commemorate your achievement.
- VIP status/exclusive seating for your family and friends at Graduate Commencement.
*Since regalia must be ordered ahead of time and the speaker won’t be decided until April, we will reimburse the cost of full standard (non-custom) regalia (up to $300) to the student that is selected. (Please make sure you save a copy of your receipt!)
Deadline
Please submit your application and all materials by April 3, 2026.
