Commencement
Source: http://www.wgu.edu/alumni/commencement.html
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:12
Commencement
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WGU ALUMNI: COMMENCEMENT
Celebrate Your Accomplishments at a WGU Commencement Weekend
2026 Commencements
FAQs
A Message from the WGU Commencement Office
The WGU Commencement Office is pleased to announce the final commencement dates and locations for all 2026 commencement weekends.
The full list of upcoming commencement dates and locations for 2026 is listed here. Make sure to review the updated
commencement participation guidelines
.
Important Updates for 2026
Increased Graduate Choice:
Graduates will no longer be assigned to a ceremony time based on their school. Instead, they may select the morning or afternoon ceremony that best fits their needs as long as that specific ceremony has not reached capacity limits. All available times can be found in the event-specific registration form.
Intentional Ceremony Timing:
All ceremonies will be limited to 90 minutes through the implementation of capacity limits. We strongly encourage graduates to register for the commencement of their choice as soon as they meet eligibility.
Additional Weekend Ceremonies:
In
Seattle, Atlanta,
and
Anaheim,
a
Friday afternoon ceremony
will be added to accommodate more graduates and guests. All ceremony details can be found the event-specific ceremony page.
How to Register for Commencement
1. Are you eligible?
Are you a graduate?
Has your Graduation Application been submitted to the Student Records department?
Or do you have one final course left, such as capstone, final certification, with the exception of direct hours for field experience or student teaching? If yes, please follow the directions below.
2. Review upcoming ceremonies.
3. Navigate to the city of your choice and read through the details. Remember to scroll to the bottom of the page to view deadlines for ordering your cap and gown.
4. Click the blue button on the city page that says “RSVP Now”
Final Course Instructions
Please email us at commencement@wgu.edu when you are enrolled in your final course, and we will confirm your eligibility.
2026 Commencement Weekends
April 24–25, 2026 -
New York
May 16, 2026 -
Spring Virtual
June 5–6, 2026 -
Louisville
July 24–25, 2026 -
Seattle
August 21–22, 2026 -
Minneapolis
September 12, 2026 -
Fall Virtual
October 9–10, 2026 -
Atlanta
November 6–7, 2026 -
Anaheim
2026 Announcement Notification
Sign up
here
to be notified when the 2026 Commencement Weekend RSVP opens!
Get Notified Here
Upcoming Commencements
Learn more about attending a commencement near you.
FAQ's
Get answers to the most common grad and alumni questions.
Know Before You Go
Learn about the ceremony protocol and rules.
Previous Commencements
See information about previous commencements.
Virtual Graduate Video Tutorial
Learn about submitting your video for virtual commencement.
Regalia Information
Learn about what to wear on your big day.
Graduate Photos
View photos from your commencement.
Philanthropy Cords
Learn about philanthropy cords for graduation.
WGU Commencement Playlists
View the commencement ceremonies on YouTube.
Updated Commencement Participation Guidelines
Details
Stay in the Know
1.
Visit this link to opt in
to receive commencement updates.
2.
Refer to this WGU Commencement page
for the latest and most accurate information.
Questions?
Please bookmark wgu.edu/commencement and wgu.edu/virtual and email commencement@wgu.edu with questions.
Email the Commencement Office
Order Commencement Items
Order Your Cap and Gown
Order a WGU Spirit Necklace
Diploma Covers
Order Announcements
Class Rings & Diploma Frames
Know Before You Go
We want your commencement day to be special!
Commencement Weekend is a memorable experience for graduates and their loved ones to celebrate their academic achievement. We want our graduates to experience a joyful ceremony that recognizes their hard work and the sacrifices they have made to get to this point. WGU believes mutually respectful participation by graduates and their guests is the best way to set the stage. In preparation for commencement, WGU has outlined this protocol. By adhering to the following protocol, you and your guests will ensure a positive experience for all.
Academic Attire for Graduates
All graduating students wear approved academic attire that includes a cap, gown, and tassel. Master’s degree graduates will need a hood specific to their degree. The official regalia color is NAVY, which can be purchased from our regalia vendor, Balfour. To order, please visit the
Balfour Website
.
We encourage you to wear comfortable, yet professional, dress attire under your gown rather than casual clothing.
WGU graduates affiliated with an academic honor society may wear society pins, honor cords, or sashes on their gowns. You may also choose to wear leis.
Graduates are permitted to wear sashes or decorate their cap consistent with the WGU Commencement Decorum Policy. You may be asked to remove cap decorations or sashes determined to violate WGU’s Commencement Decorum Policy.
Graduates who indicate active duty military or veteran status on their ceremony RSVP form will receive military honor cords at graduate check-in.
See the videos below for more information on how to wear your bachelor's or master's cap and gown.
Commencement Etiquette
To promote a respectful, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for graduates and their guests, all attendees are asked to observe the following guidelines.
Place your cell phone on vibrate or silent during the ceremony.
Participate in the recessional. Do not leave until the entire ceremony has ended.
Keep all cheering respectful and avoid disruptive outbursts to allow the families and guests of other graduates to hear their graduates’ names when read.
Commencement Decorum Policy
Please be advised any graduate or guest acting in a disruptive or disrespectful manner, as determined by WGU in its sole discretion, at WGU commencements may either not be allowed in the ceremony venue or may be escorted from the venue.
Take into consideration the following if decorating your cap or wearing a sash for commencement: WGU does not allow content on caps or sashes that is considered, in WGU’s sole discretion, obscene, vulgar, defamatory, hateful, inappropriate, profane or that might disregard another’s copyright or third-party rights. All decorations must lie flat on the cap.
Philanthropy Cord Information
Help Future Students Cross the Finish Line
The WGU Philanthropy Cord is a blue and gold cord for graduates to wear with their cap and gown on commencement day. The Philanthropy Cord is not only a physical symbol of a graduate’s commitment to WGU, it more importantly supports a legacy that will last for future generations of WGU.
Graduates can receive a Philanthropy Cord to wear with their cap and gown by making a gift to WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship. With a $25 donation or more, grads can pay it forward to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation.
Make a donation today!
All WGU Philanthropy Cord donations support WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship. We are asking for $25 in honor of WGU’s 25th anniversary!
To learn more about WGU Advancement, please visit
wgu.edu/give
.
WGU Philanthropy Cord FAQs
The WGU Philanthropy Cord is a blue and gold cord for graduates to wear with their cap and gown at Commencement. The Philanthropy Cord is a physical symbol of a graduate’s commitment to WGU, and, more importantly, supports a philanthropic legacy that will last for future generations of WGU students.
Graduates can receive a Philanthropy Cord by making a gift of $25 or more to WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation. To donate, graduates can text “WGUCord” to 41-444 or
visit this link.
All WGU Philanthropy Cord donations support WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation.
For in-person commencements, you may choose to have your Philanthropy Cord mailed to you or picked up at Commencement by visiting the WGU Advancement table at the Alumni Celebration or during graduate check-in before Commencement.
For virtual commencements, Philanthropy Cords will be mailed prior to the ceremony date.
WGU Advancement is dedicated to attracting, allocating, and putting dollars to work so more students have access to an affordable, quality education. We provide a meaningful way for alumni, donors, and partners to “pay it forward” and invest in the future of education.
Philanthropy Cords
If you make a gift of $25 or more, you can receive a philanthropy cord.
Donate Now
Brag a Little!
Share your accomplishment with family and friends!
After your degree has been completed and the commencement paperwork has been submitted and approved, you will get your confetti! The confetti is a coveted step in the WGU student journey. You can access your confetti by logging into the student portal
after your application for graduation is approved.
Confetti may take up to four weeks to appear in your account.
To share your confetti, use the following steps:
1. Screenshot your confetti (like the mockup shown).
2. Share the image on social media!
Tag when you brag! Use #WGUgrad in your social post.
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Skip to content
Skip to Chat
WGU ALUMNI: COMMENCEMENT
Celebrate Your Accomplishments at a WGU Commencement Weekend
2026 Commencements
FAQs
A Message from the WGU Commencement Office
The WGU Commencement Office is pleased to announce the final commencement dates and locations for all 2026 commencement weekends.
The full list of upcoming commencement dates and locations for 2026 is listed here. Make sure to review the updated
commencement participation guidelines
.
Important Updates for 2026
Increased Graduate Choice:
Graduates will no longer be assigned to a ceremony time based on their school. Instead, they may select the morning or afternoon ceremony that best fits their needs as long as that specific ceremony has not reached capacity limits. All available times can be found in the event-specific registration form.
Intentional Ceremony Timing:
All ceremonies will be limited to 90 minutes through the implementation of capacity limits. We strongly encourage graduates to register for the commencement of their choice as soon as they meet eligibility.
Additional Weekend Ceremonies:
In
Seattle, Atlanta,
and
Anaheim,
a
Friday afternoon ceremony
will be added to accommodate more graduates and guests. All ceremony details can be found the event-specific ceremony page.
How to Register for Commencement
1. Are you eligible?
Are you a graduate?
Has your Graduation Application been submitted to the Student Records department?
Or do you have one final course left, such as capstone, final certification, with the exception of direct hours for field experience or student teaching? If yes, please follow the directions below.
2. Review upcoming ceremonies.
3. Navigate to the city of your choice and read through the details. Remember to scroll to the bottom of the page to view deadlines for ordering your cap and gown.
4. Click the blue button on the city page that says “RSVP Now”
Final Course Instructions
Please email us at commencement@wgu.edu when you are enrolled in your final course, and we will confirm your eligibility.
2026 Commencement Weekends
April 24–25, 2026 -
New York
May 16, 2026 -
Spring Virtual
June 5–6, 2026 -
Louisville
July 24–25, 2026 -
Seattle
August 21–22, 2026 -
Minneapolis
September 12, 2026 -
Fall Virtual
October 9–10, 2026 -
Atlanta
November 6–7, 2026 -
Anaheim
2026 Announcement Notification
Sign up
here
to be notified when the 2026 Commencement Weekend RSVP opens!
Get Notified Here
Upcoming Commencements
Learn more about attending a commencement near you.
FAQ's
Get answers to the most common grad and alumni questions.
Know Before You Go
Learn about the ceremony protocol and rules.
Previous Commencements
See information about previous commencements.
Virtual Graduate Video Tutorial
Learn about submitting your video for virtual commencement.
Regalia Information
Learn about what to wear on your big day.
Graduate Photos
View photos from your commencement.
Philanthropy Cords
Learn about philanthropy cords for graduation.
WGU Commencement Playlists
View the commencement ceremonies on YouTube.
Updated Commencement Participation Guidelines
Details
Stay in the Know
1.
Visit this link to opt in
to receive commencement updates.
2.
Refer to this WGU Commencement page
for the latest and most accurate information.
Questions?
Please bookmark wgu.edu/commencement and wgu.edu/virtual and email commencement@wgu.edu with questions.
Email the Commencement Office
Order Commencement Items
Order Your Cap and Gown
Order a WGU Spirit Necklace
Diploma Covers
Order Announcements
Class Rings & Diploma Frames
Know Before You Go
We want your commencement day to be special!
Commencement Weekend is a memorable experience for graduates and their loved ones to celebrate their academic achievement. We want our graduates to experience a joyful ceremony that recognizes their hard work and the sacrifices they have made to get to this point. WGU believes mutually respectful participation by graduates and their guests is the best way to set the stage. In preparation for commencement, WGU has outlined this protocol. By adhering to the following protocol, you and your guests will ensure a positive experience for all.
Academic Attire for Graduates
All graduating students wear approved academic attire that includes a cap, gown, and tassel. Master’s degree graduates will need a hood specific to their degree. The official regalia color is NAVY, which can be purchased from our regalia vendor, Balfour. To order, please visit the
Balfour Website
.
We encourage you to wear comfortable, yet professional, dress attire under your gown rather than casual clothing.
WGU graduates affiliated with an academic honor society may wear society pins, honor cords, or sashes on their gowns. You may also choose to wear leis.
Graduates are permitted to wear sashes or decorate their cap consistent with the WGU Commencement Decorum Policy. You may be asked to remove cap decorations or sashes determined to violate WGU’s Commencement Decorum Policy.
Graduates who indicate active duty military or veteran status on their ceremony RSVP form will receive military honor cords at graduate check-in.
See the videos below for more information on how to wear your bachelor's or master's cap and gown.
Commencement Etiquette
To promote a respectful, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for graduates and their guests, all attendees are asked to observe the following guidelines.
Place your cell phone on vibrate or silent during the ceremony.
Participate in the recessional. Do not leave until the entire ceremony has ended.
Keep all cheering respectful and avoid disruptive outbursts to allow the families and guests of other graduates to hear their graduates’ names when read.
Commencement Decorum Policy
Please be advised any graduate or guest acting in a disruptive or disrespectful manner, as determined by WGU in its sole discretion, at WGU commencements may either not be allowed in the ceremony venue or may be escorted from the venue.
Take into consideration the following if decorating your cap or wearing a sash for commencement: WGU does not allow content on caps or sashes that is considered, in WGU’s sole discretion, obscene, vulgar, defamatory, hateful, inappropriate, profane or that might disregard another’s copyright or third-party rights. All decorations must lie flat on the cap.
Philanthropy Cord Information
Help Future Students Cross the Finish Line
The WGU Philanthropy Cord is a blue and gold cord for graduates to wear with their cap and gown on commencement day. The Philanthropy Cord is not only a physical symbol of a graduate’s commitment to WGU, it more importantly supports a legacy that will last for future generations of WGU.
Graduates can receive a Philanthropy Cord to wear with their cap and gown by making a gift to WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship. With a $25 donation or more, grads can pay it forward to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation.
Make a donation today!
All WGU Philanthropy Cord donations support WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship. We are asking for $25 in honor of WGU’s 25th anniversary!
To learn more about WGU Advancement, please visit
wgu.edu/give
.
WGU Philanthropy Cord FAQs
The WGU Philanthropy Cord is a blue and gold cord for graduates to wear with their cap and gown at Commencement. The Philanthropy Cord is a physical symbol of a graduate’s commitment to WGU, and, more importantly, supports a philanthropic legacy that will last for future generations of WGU students.
Graduates can receive a Philanthropy Cord by making a gift of $25 or more to WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation. To donate, graduates can text “WGUCord” to 41-444 or
visit this link.
All WGU Philanthropy Cord donations support WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation.
For in-person commencements, you may choose to have your Philanthropy Cord mailed to you or picked up at Commencement by visiting the WGU Advancement table at the Alumni Celebration or during graduate check-in before Commencement.
For virtual commencements, Philanthropy Cords will be mailed prior to the ceremony date.
WGU Advancement is dedicated to attracting, allocating, and putting dollars to work so more students have access to an affordable, quality education. We provide a meaningful way for alumni, donors, and partners to “pay it forward” and invest in the future of education.
Philanthropy Cords
If you make a gift of $25 or more, you can receive a philanthropy cord.
Donate Now
Brag a Little!
Share your accomplishment with family and friends!
After your degree has been completed and the commencement paperwork has been submitted and approved, you will get your confetti! The confetti is a coveted step in the WGU student journey. You can access your confetti by logging into the student portal
after your application for graduation is approved.
Confetti may take up to four weeks to appear in your account.
To share your confetti, use the following steps:
1. Screenshot your confetti (like the mockup shown).
2. Share the image on social media!
Tag when you brag! Use #WGUgrad in your social post.
The University
About Us
Accessibility
Accreditation
Newsroom
Careers
WGU Store
For Students
Student Portal
Admissions
Catalog
Title IX
Alumni Services
Achievement Wallet
Most Visited Links
Business Programs
Bachelor's Degrees
Student Experience
Online Degrees
Scholarships
Support
Military
Scholarships
Financial Aid
Faculty
Testimonials
Student Communities
Privacy Policy
|
Cookie Policy
|
Contact Us
|
Sitemap
©2026 WGU. All rights reserved.