PhD, Professional Doctor, Juris Doctor and Master's Candidates

Commencement and Convocation

All college convocations, all special interest convocation events and both University Commencement events require an RSVP for participation. Please contact the dean's office of your college to ask about the RSVP policy for your college convocation event. For information about special interest convocation activities, please contact the University Ceremonies Office.

For questions about Graduate Commencement, please email commence-rsvp@asu.edu

University Commencement for Graduate Students will be held Monday, May 11, 10:30 am in Wells Fargo Arena.

May 2015: In order to RSVP for the ceremony, you must have paid your graduation fee which will then give you the link in your My ASU page.  Submit your RSVP through your My ASU page by clicking on the link under the Graduation Tab to indicate your participation at University Graduate Commencement.  PhD students must also submit the name of their mentor or hooder (the faculty member attending with you).  For Doctoral students, the link will appear after you have been advance to Candidacy by the Graduate Education Office, applied for graduation and paid your fees.  RSVPs will be accepted through Tuesday, April 28.

Please be aware that Doctoral candidates must complete all degree requirements in order to participate in the commencement ceremony as outlined on the Graduate Education Office Deadlines.  For more information about the deadlines and procedures for graduation, please click here.

Tickets are NOT required for events held in Wells Fargo Arena for May 2015.  Students must apply and pay their graduation fees on or before February 16, 2015 in order to have the RSVP link for graduation ceremonies placed on your My ASU page. The link will appear under the Graduation Tab on your My ASU page.   

academic regalia

Academic regalia (caps and gowns) are required for all graduation events. Instructions on how to wear the regalia can be viewed at

Doctoral regalia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26I-suoeq84

Masters regalia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGIJy7A84dk

For more information about regalia please click here 

PhD Candidates

All PhD candidates and graduate mentors will wear proper academic regalia to University Commencement and convocation ceremonies. Candidates, please carry your hood over your arm. It should not be worn before your degree is conferred. Please invite your PhD mentor to participate in the hooding ceremony. If your mentor cannot attend the ceremony, please invite an appropriate substitute from the ASU faculty. Your faculty mentor/hooder or substitute will be seated next to you. At the designated time, you will hand your hood to your hooder who will then place the hood over your head. As your name is called, you will proceed across the platform. For the ceremony on Monday, May 11, you should plan to arrive no later than 9:30 am. *All Doctoral candidates will check-in with commencement volunteers in the Desert Arboretum Park, located directly north of Wells Fargo Arena.

Professional doctoral candidates

(e.g. AUD, EDD, DBH, DNP, JD)

All Professional Doctoral candidates will wear proper academic regalia to University Graduate Commencement.  Candidates please carry your hood over your arm.  It should not be worn before your degree is conferred.  Please invite your PhD mentor to participate in the hooding ceremony.  If your mentor cannot attend the ceremony, please invite an appropriate substitute from the ASU faculty.  Your faculty mentor/hooder or substitute will be seated next to you.  At the designated time, you will hand your hood to your hooder who will then place the hood over your head.  For May 11, 2015 you should plan to arrive no later than 9:30 am.

Summer 2015 Graduates:  Doctoral candidates must degree requirements to be eligible to participate in May ceremonies. All degree requirements, successful defense of their dissertation and completion of all documentation required by the Graduate Education Office must be complete in order to participate.  For more information about the procedures for graduation, please click here.

Master's Candidates 

All master's candidates will wear proper academic regalia to University Commencement and convocation ceremonies.  For University Commencement, please wear your hood to the ceremony.

Master's candidates will check-in with commencement volunteers in the Desert Arboretum Park, located directly north of Wells Fargo Arena.  For the May 11, 2015 ceremony you should plan to arrive no later than 9:30 am.

Summer 2015 Master and Juris Doctor Candidates: Master and Juris doctor candidates who will complete degree requirements in August of 2015 may participate in May ceremonies. Candidates must apply for summer graduation and pay your fees in order to have the RSVP link appear on your My ASU page.  Your name will appear with the listing of students who completed degree requirements in August 2015 in the December 2015 Commencement program.

Graduation Products

Personalized graduation announcements may be purchased online through Herff Jones.