Registrar

 

Commencement refers to the ceremony, which is an opportunity for students to celebrate their academic accomplishments with their peers, family and friends. Participation in commencement does not guarantee or indicate degree completion.

Graduation is a four-step process consisting of applying for graduation, updating your diploma name and address in Orion, completing all academic requirements and settling all financial obligations.

The dates and times of the Commencement Ceremonies are determined by the Office of the President. Once the Office of the Registrar has been notified of the dates and times of the Commencement Ceremonies, the information will be posted on the Commencement Ceremonies Schedule page.

You may participate in the Commencement Ceremony if you submitted your graduation application and Commencement Ceremony RSVP by the applicable deadlines. See the Academic Calendar.

You will receive an email from MarchingOrder on behalf of UT Dallas Graduation when it is time to claim your guest tickets for your commencement ceremony. At this time you will also be prompted to record your name pronunciation for your commencement ceremony. This name pronunciation will be used to create the recording of your name that will be read when you walk the stage at your ceremony.  

If you do not receive an email from MarchingOrder on behalf of UT Dallas Graduation when tickets become available to claim and you have submitted a RSVP for commencement, please visit MarchingOrder to register. On this page you will need to select the “Register” button on the bottom left of the screen under New Users. Please register with your UT Dallas email address. You will not be able to register using your personal email address.

Dress for the Commencement Ceremony is business casual. Graduation candidates who participate in the Commencement Ceremonies are required to wear the proper Graduation Regalia. Please leave all personal items, including purses, with guests as you will not be allowed to take anything with you to your seat except your phone to show your GradPass. The white collars that come with the ladies’ graduation gowns are optional. You can view a short video on how to wear master’s regalia.

You may contact Herff Jones to order graduation announcements.

Please visit the UT Dallas Alumni website for information about placing your name on Legacy Lane.

Yes, Flash Photography is your official commencement photographer. Every graduate will be photographed during the ceremony- graduates will be photographed once as they cross the stage and then again in front of a screen after leaving the stage.

  • Proofs will be mailed and emailed to graduates within a week of the ceremony and there is no obligation to purchase photos.
  • If questions, please contact Flash Photography directly at https://flashphotography.com/contact or at 214/443-9393.

Undergraduates, please review Latin Honors information. If you have additional questions, including questions regarding Major Honors, please contact your academic advisor. Graduate students do not receive academic honors.

Please visit our Graduation Regalia information page for more details on where and how to receive these awards. 

  • The commencement ceremony will be projected on a large screen behind the stage with captions and ASL provided. Accessible seating is available for guests on the main floor of each venue. Early arrival is encouraged as seating is limited. Please visit the ADA Resources page if you need to make special accommodations.
  • For students attending their graduation ceremony that require accommodations, please reach out to AccessAbility Resource Center: https://accessability.utdallas.edu/about-us/services/.  

If you are a double major, you must walk in the Commencement Ceremony for your primary major. If you are receiving a double degree, you need to choose under which degree you want to participate. If you complete your second degree in a later semester, you may participate in the Commencement Ceremony for the second degree, even if you previously participated in the Commencement Ceremony for your first degree.

There is not a rehearsal for the Commencement Ceremony.

  • Graduates should arrive 30-45 minutes prior to the Commencement Ceremony and should enter at the rotunda on the east end of the Activity Center.
  • Make sure you have your GradPass ready on your phone or printed.
    • Please do not take a picture or screenshot of your GradPass, it will not scan before you cross the stage

Your diploma name will appear in the Commencement Ceremony program. If you do not have a diploma name, your primary name will appear. Please make sure you change your name by the deadline on the Academic Calendar for the term.

If you currently have a full confidentiality restriction on your record, your name will not appear in the program. To remove confidentiality from your records or to change your confidentiality restriction, you must submit a Request for Confidentiality of Directory Information Form (PDF) no later than the RSVP deadline of the semester in which you have applied to graduate (see the Academic Calendar). If you do not know whether you have a full confidentiality restriction on your record, please contact the Graduation Team.

Each Commencement Ceremony lasts approximately 1 to 1.5.

Undergraduate Students:

Please contact your academic advisor if you have any concerns regarding your graduation status. After the end of the Final Grading Period (see the Academic Calendar), candidates who have not met degree requirements will be notified via their UT Dallas email account that they must reapply for graduation in a future semester.

Graduate Students:

Each department, together with the Office of the Graduate Dean, performs degree audits for graduate students. Should you have any questions regarding your graduation status, please contact the department of your program.