Frequently Asked Questions
Use the drop-down menus below to learn more about the University Commencement and College Convocation ceremonies.
Weapons detection screening required before entering all venues. See prohibited items for each venue below:
Approved clear bags are allowed in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Diaper bags are allowed with a small child present. All bags are subject to search upon entry of each facility
Backpacks, purses, or other handbags are not allowed.
Visit the Jon M. Huntsman Center Venue Policies webpage fr more information.
Students and guests may not bring prohibited items into the Jon M. Huntsman Center for graduation events. Please review a list of items prohibited in the Jon M. Huntsman Center for the University Commencement and College Convocation ceremonies.
Guests have the option to temporarily store personal items (strollers, backpacks, purses, etc.) during the graduation ceremonies in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) West second floor entrance northeast of the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Signage will direct guests to the storage area and security will be present at this location during the event.
The University Commencement ceremony is a campus-wide celebration that broadly recognizes all graduates from each college as a whole. During the event, graduates will enter the Huntsman Center with their college as they hear words of congratulations from campus leaders, receive a welcome from the Office of Alumni Relations, and sing the fight song one last time as a student.
Each college and school at the University of Utah recognizes the achievements of its graduating students in a smaller, more intimate setting at each individual College Convocation ceremony. Please visit the College Convocation webpage to see the date, time, and location of your college or school’s convocation event.
No. The University Commencement event and College Convocation ceremonies occur once annually in May after the end of each spring term.
Yes. If a student graduated the previous fall semester or plans to finish their degree in the upcoming summer semester, they can participate in the University Commencement event. Students can refer to the Student Information webpage as they plan to participate in the event.
There may be a separate registration process set in place by each college hosting its individual College Convocation event. Please refer to the College Convocation webpage to learn more about each event or contact the college for questions you may have.
There is no registration process for graduates to participate in the University Commencement ceremony. Students can learn all necessary information to attend the event on the Student Information webpage.
There may be a separate registration process set in place by each college hosting its individual College Convocation event. Please refer to the College Convocation webpage to learn more about each event.
Caps, gowns, tassels, and other accessories can be purcahsed through the University of Utah Campus Store.
The duration of the University Commencement ceremony varies each year, but guests can anticipate roughly ninety minutes in length from beginning to end. It is suggested for guests to be seated by 5:45 p.m. as the processional will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the program at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Each College Convocation event is hosted by the individual colleges or schools across campus and vary in length. Please refer to the College Convocation webpage to learn more about each event.
No, students' names are not individually announced or recognized at the University Commencement ceremony.
The College Convocation events do call each student on stage to receive their diploma individually. Please refer to the College Convocation webpage to learn more about each event.
There is no limit to the number of guests graduates can invite to the campus-wide University Commencement ceremony in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
Each College Convocation event may have a limited number of seats available for guests. Please contact the individual college your student is graduating from for more information about guest seating.
Yes, the University Commencement and College Convocation ceremonies will be streamed online in realtime at commencement.utah.edu/watchlive.
Please review this webpage for detailed parking and transportation information for the University Commencement and College Convocation ceremonies.
To ensure safety for all attendees, be advised graduates and guests are required to walk through a metal detector prior to entering the Jon M. Huntsman Center for the University Commencement ceremony.
Please refer to the College Convocation webpage to learn more about possible event policies set in place by the college hosting the event.
No, children or other family members cannot sit in the reserved student seating areas at the University Commencement ceremony.
The University Commencement ceremony is not a ticketed event and there are no limits to the number of guests in attendance.
There may be a separate ticketing process set in place by each college hosting its individual College Convocation event. Please refer to the College Convocation webpage to learn more about each individual event.
Yes, candid images of the University Commencement ceremony will be available for download at bit.ly/UUgrad25 after the date of the event. Please note: Individual photographs of students will not be taken at the campus-wide University Commencement ceremony.
Visit the College Convocation webpage for more information about photography services at each convocation ceremony.
Please see the Jon M. Huntsman Center 2025 college seating map.