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Ceremony protocol 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 the following protocol to make this happen. You and your guests' adherence to following protocol 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. The official regalia color is NAVY, which can be purchased from our regalia vendor, Oak Hall Cap and Gown. To order, please visit Oak Hall Cap and Gown.
Master’s degree graduates will need a hood specific to their degree. 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 or honor cords on their gowns. With the exception of WGU Scholarship pins, leis and corsages, graduates should not wear other items or decoration on their academic regalia.
See the videos below for more information on how to wear your bachelor's or master's cap and gown.
Graduates who indicate active duty military or veteran status on their ceremony RSVP form will receive military honor cords at graduate check-in.
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 cheering respectful and avoid disruptive outbursts to allow the families and guests of other graduates to hear their graduates’ names when read.
WGU 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 for commencement: WGU does not allow content on caps 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.