Commencement FAQs

Policies & Expectations

The commencement ceremony location and CU Denver policies and codes of conduct must be followed by everyone in attendance. Individuals who choose to disrupt the event may be asked to leave.

Guests have a right to expect an environment where:

  • Guests will be treated in a consistent, professional, and courteous manner by all venue personnel.
  • Guests will enjoy every event free from disruptive behavior, including foul or abusive language or obscene gestures.
  • Guests who engage in fighting, throwing objects, or attempting to enter the stage may be immediately ejected from the venue.
  • Guests will not smoke or vape in any of the venue other than in designated smoking areas.
  • Guests will be required to wear a shirt, bottoms, and shoes at all times.
  • Guests will comply with requests from venue staff regarding facility operations and emergency response procedures.
  • Guests will be responsible for their safety by reporting inappropriate behavior to Commencement Staff identified with CU Denver volunteer badges.
  • Demonstrations are not permitted inside the venue, per venue policy.

Accessibility Arrangements & Information

How can guests attending the ceremony with disabilities be accommodated?

For those guests who require disability-related accommodations (i.e. hearing-impaired, use of a wheelchair), graduates can reserve seating for their guests during the ceremony and regalia registration process, specific seats are issued on a first come, first served basis. Please visit the Accessibility Arrangements & Information page for more information about arrangements for graduates who need assistance.

How will graduate disability-related needs within the ceremony be accommodated?

Please visit the Accessibility Arrangements & Information page for more information about arrangements for graduates who need assistance. Students will be asked during the ceremony and regalia registration process about whether they require accommodations to fully participate in the ceremony.

Ceremony Schedule

Do guests need tickets to attend the fall ceremony?

At this time, ticketing is not required for guests or students at the commencement ceremony. Please ensure that your guests arrive early to account for time to walk to the entrance and go through security. Also note upon arrival that guest seating is first-come, first-served.

Where can graduates get photos of them from the ceremony?

As a service to our graduates, professional photographers will take pictures of each graduate during the ceremony. Proofs of these photographs will be emailed within five business days of the ceremony and will include a coupon for a free 5x7 print (no purchase necessary). Fill in your contact information on the back of your name card to ensure you receive your photos.

If you would like to pre-register for photographs and receive a discount on photo purchases, please visit GradImages registration page.

Please note, in order to maintain graduate safety and ceremony timing, professional photographers who are not part of the GradImages team will not be allowed in the graduate seating or on the stage. Families are encouraged to utilize the GradImages team and not hire separate photographers. 

Will the ceremony be live streamed on the internet?

Yes, the ceremony will be live streamed on the day of the event. The link will be posted on the Commencement homepage one week prior to the ceremony.

Is there a rehearsal?

There is no rehearsal for the ceremony. Once graduates have checked in with their school/college they will receive instruction from the faculty marshals on how to proceed.

Guests will be attending from outside the United States. How can a graduate request a letter of invitation for a visa application?

The Commencement Office will draft a letter of invitation to friends and family abroad to include in a visa application packet. Requests should be sent to commencement@ucdenver.edu and must contain the following information: 

  • Your name
  • Your preferred pronoun
  • Degree to be earned (spell it out)
  • Semester attending commencement (month/year)
  • Name and relationship of each guest to be invited
  • City, country and address of embassy/consulate where visa application interview will take place

An electronic letter will be sent to you within two weeks of your request. 

Can children walk across the stage with graduates?

For safety and consideration for the significance of the ceremony, graduates with children are not allowed to have their children accompany them during the ceremony or bring their child to the stage with them.

How long is the ceremony?

The ceremony is estimated to last two and a half hours. In consideration of the audience and the significance of this event, all guests and graduates must remain seated for the entire ceremony.

Location & Parking

What are prohibited items in the Colorado Convention Center?

All students and guests will be required to go through a magnetometer upon entrance in to the ceremony. All guests, students, faculty and staff are required to abide by the commencement clear bag policy.  Visit the Clear Bag Policy, Safety & Approved Items page for more details.

Visit the above page for a comprehensive list. The following items are prohibited items of note:

  • Large bags of any kind
  • Outside food and/or beverages
  • Glass bottles
  • Weapons (e.g. toys, guns, knives, chains, studded jewelry) and/or objects that may be considered a weapon
  • Drugs and/or alcohol
  • Laser pointers and/or noise makers
  • Flags and banners
  • Helium balloons, stickers, adhesive backed decals, and/or chewing gum
  • Audio/video recording equipment
  • Pets of any kind. Qualified service animals are permitted.
  • Smoking of any kind (including e-cigarettes)

Will there be parking at the Colorado Convention Center?

Rates for parking around the Colorado Convention Center area can be found on the convention center's website. Due to multiple events taking place at the Colorado Convention Center, the parking garage capacity is limited.

Where do students go the morning of the ceremony and what time should they arrive?

Graduates should arrive no later than 7:30 a.m. at Exhibit Hall F in the Colorado Convention Center. Once through security the Exhibit Hall is located on the 2nd floor. Come dressed in your regalia. Undergraduates wear tassels on the right side of the cap until instructed during the ceremony to move the tassel to the left side. Master's degree candidates wear hoods. Doctoral candidates drape hoods over their left arms until they are hooded during the ceremony.

Where will the fall commencement ceremony be held?

The commencement ceremony will take place at the Colorado Convention Center (700 14th St., Denver, CO 80202) and will be held in Exhibit Hall A. Graduates will line up before the ceremony in Exhibit Hall F.

Please review the commencement Clear Bag Policy, Safety and Approved Items page for additional details.

Please contact the Commencement Office for more information. 

Regalia & Memorabilia

If a graduate missed the deadline to register online for commencement, can they still participate? Will their name still be announced?

Yes, you can still participate, and your name will be read, but you will be charged late fees. You will need to go to cap and gown pick-up to rent your cap and gown and pay the commencement fees. Please note that all on-site payments will include a $30 late fee, in addition to standard commencement fees.

Where can graduates purchase graduation announcements and memorabilia?

CU Denver partners with Herff Jones to provide graduation products (announcements, rings, frames, etc.) with the approved commencement dates, designs, and branding. However, you may elect to purchase announcements or memorabilia from any provider. Students are required to use Herff Jones for their cap and gown rental.

How do graduates get participation or affinity group cords or stoles?

Please contact your organization or the affiliated department to inquire about cords and stoles.

Information on legacy and philanthropy cords can be found on the CU Denver Alumni page. Honor cords, first generation and displaced Aurarian stoles can be picked up at Cap & Gown Pick up.

New cord or stole programs must be approved by the Commencement Office. Please submit your request to the Commencement Office at commencement@ucdenver.edu. All requests for new cords and stoles must be approved before ordering. 

How do graduates purchase commemorative merchandise if they are not participating in the ceremony?

Graduates can purchase souvenir tassels, class rings, announcements, and more through the cap and gown registration website without registering to participate in the ceremony. Instructions for receiving your items will be provided.

Can graduates purchase their gown?

Contact Alex Frieler at Herff Jones (ajfrieler@herffjones.com) to inquire about buying regalia. 

If a graduate can no longer participate in the ceremony, can they cancel and get a refund?

Cancellations received by the close of cap and gown registration will receive a full refund. After this date the commencement fees cannot be refunded. If you chose to have your regalia shipped to you, it can be returned for a refund in the return envelope. You will only receive a full refund if the gown was unopened. Contact Alex Frieler at Herff Jones for additional inquiries. 

If a graduate thinks they will graduate with honors, how do they pick up honor cords?

Graduates can pick up honor cords at cap & gown pick up or your school/college check-in table prior to the commencement ceremony. Honor cords are only presented to undergraduate students.

Can someone else pick up a graduate's regalia at cap and gown pick up?

Yes, if you need someone else to pick up your regalia on your behalf, please email them a copy of your registration confirmation, and they can show that to the regalia provider at pick up.

Do graduates need to rent regalia through the university if they already have a cap and gown?

To ensure that all students are wearing the proper regalia and that it is consistent with the university's quality standards, all graduates are required to rent caps and gowns through Herff Jones, our official vendor. All CU Denver graduates wear custom regalia featuring CU colors.

If a graduate cannot attend the ceremony, how do they get their diploma and diploma cover?

Graduates do not receive their diplomas at the ceremony. All diplomas are mailed to graduates approximately six to eight weeks after the end of the semester. Diploma addresses can be updated via the student portal.

Diploma covers are available for pick up year-round by visiting the front desk at Lynx Central or emailing commencement@ucdenver.edu.

Diploma covers will not be mailed to graduates.

Can graduates decorate their cap?

Yes! We encourage students to express their creativity. Be sure to use #CUDenverGrad on social media, so we can see what you create!

If a graduate is not officially graduating this semester, are they still able to participate in commencement?

Students can participate in commencement only after completing all degree requirements and applying to graduate. Questions about this policy should be directed to student advisors. Summer graduates are invited to participate in the fall or the spring ceremonies that follows their degree completion.

Exceptions to this policy are limited. For information about the process for requesting an exception, please contact your advisor.

Please note that graduate names are noted in the commencement program only in the semester for which they have been approved to graduate.

Is participation in a commencement ceremony required?

No, you do not have to attend. Commencement is an optional activity to celebrate the completion of your degree. A fee is charged to those students who do participate to help offset the costs of producing the ceremony.

Where do graduates pick up their cap and gown?

Students who select the on-campus pick-up option during registration will pick up their rental items at the Lawrence Street Center, Terrace Room, 2nd Floor on November 18 (10am-5 pm) and November 19 (10am-7pm). Pick up prior to or after these dates is not available.

During registration, graduates have the option to pay to ship their regalia to their homes in order to receive them before the on-campus pick-up date.

Once orders are placed, graduates cannot change their delivery preference. 

If you missed early cap and gown pick-up, you can pick up your regalia before the start of the ceremony. When you arrive at venue, the regalia table will be by the student lineup. 

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