ALUMNI: COMMENCEMENT
Celebrate Your Accomplishments at a Commencement Weekend
A Message from the Commencement Office
The Commencement Office is pleased to announce the final commencement dates and locations for all 2026commencement weekends.
The full list of upcoming commencement dates and locations for 2026is listed here. Make sure to review the updated.
Important Updates for2026
Increased Graduate Choice:
Graduates will no longer be assigned to aceremonytime based on their school.Instead, they may select the morning or afternoon ceremony that best fits their needsas 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 to90 minutesthrough the implementation of capacity limits.We strongly encourage graduates to register for the commencement of their choice as soon as they meeteligibility.
Additional Weekend Ceremonies:
InSeattle,Atlanta, andAnaheim, aFriday afternoon ceremonywill be added to accommodate more graduates and guests.All ceremony details can befoundthe event-specific ceremony page.
How to Register for Commencement
1. Are you eligible?
Are you a graduate?
Has your Graduation Application beensubmittedto 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 andread throughthe 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 willconfirm your eligibility.
2025 Commencement Weekends
November 14-15, 2025 - Atlanta
2026 Commencement Weekends
March 6 - 7 - New Orleans
April 24 - 25 - New York
May 16 - Spring Virtual
June 5 - 6 - Louisville
July 24 - 25 - Seattle
August 21 - 22 - Minneapolis
September 12 - Fall Virtual
October 9 - 10 - Atlanta
November 6 - 7 - Anaheim
2026 Announcement Notification
Can't attend a 2025 Commencement Weekend? Sign upto be notified when the 2026 Commencement Weekend RSVP opens!
Learn more about attending a commencement near you.
Get answers to the most common grad and alumni questions.
Learn about the ceremony protocol and rules.
See information about previous commencements.
Virtual Graduate Video Tutorial
Learn about submitting your video for virtual commencement.
Learn about what to wear on your big day.
View photos from your commencement.
Learn about philanthropy cords for graduation.
View the commencement ceremonies on YouTube.
Updated Commencement Participation Guidelines
Stay in the Know
1.to receive commencement updates.
2.Refer to this Commencement pagefor the latest and most accurate information.
Questions?
Please bookmark wgu.edu/commencement and wgu.edu/virtual and email commencement@wgu.edu with questions.
Order Commencement Items
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. believes mutually respectful participation by graduates and their guests is the best way to set the stage. In preparation for commencement, 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 .
We encourage you to wear comfortable, yet professional, dress attire under your gown rather than casual clothing.
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 Commencement Decorum Policy. You may be asked to remove cap decorations or sashes determined to violate ’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 andtheir 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 in its sole discretion, at 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: does not allow content on caps or sashes that is considered, in ’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 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 , it more importantly supports a legacy that will last for future generations of .
Graduates can receive a Philanthropy Cord to wear with their cap and gown by making a gift to ’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship. With a $25 donation or more, grads can pay it forward to help current students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation.
All Philanthropy Cord donations support ’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current students facing financial hardship. We are asking for $25 in honor of ’s 25th anniversary!
To learn more about Advancement, please visitwgu.edu/give.
Philanthropy Cord FAQs
The Philanthropy Cord is a blue and gold cord for graduates to wear with their cap and gownatCommencement. ThePhilanthropyCord isaphysical symbol of a graduate’s commitment to ,and,more importantly,supports aphilanthropiclegacy that will last for future generations of students.
Graduates can receive aPhilanthropyCord by making a gift of $25 or more to ’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fundestablishedto help current students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation. To donate, graduates can text “Cord” to 41-444 or
All Philanthropy Cord donations support ’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fundestablishedto help current students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation.
For in-person commencements,you may choose to have yourPhilanthropyCordmailed to you orpickedupat Commencementby visiting the Advancement table at the Alumni Celebration or during graduate check-in beforeCommencement.
For virtual commencements,PhilanthropyCords will be mailed prior to the ceremony date.
Advancementis dedicatedtoattracting,allocating, and putting dollars toworkso more students have access to an affordable, quality education.Weprovidea meaningful way for alumni, donors, and partnersto “pay it forward” and invest in the future of education.
Philanthropy Cords
If youmake a gift of $25 or more,you can receive a philanthropy cord.
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 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 #grad in your social post.
