All IU 2020 Commencement ceremonies and recognition events have been postponed. Click here for information.
Spring ceremony for graduate students
Determine your eligibility
You are encouraged to participate in the 2021 Spring Commencements if you are
- A graduate student or undergraduate who plans to complete the requirements for graduation by the end of the 2021 spring term
- A graduate student or undergraduate who plans to complete degree work by the end of the 2021 summer term
- A graduate student or undergraduate who completed the requirements for graduation on any date in 2020
Candidates completing degree requirements in the 2021 fall term will participate in the December ceremony. There is no summer ceremony.
Invitations
Printed invitations for Commencement are mailed to permanent home addresses on file with the registrar about six weeks before the ceremonies (November in the fall, and March in the spring).
At the same time, emails are sent to all students informing them that the invitations have been sent to their homes. One of the best ways to make sure you receive all mailings is to apply for graduation.
Schedule
1 p.m. Graduates report for lineup in Wilkinson Hall, 1151 E. 17th Street, which is southeast of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. During lineup, graduates are directed to their specific school locations, designated by bright red banners, to form the processions.
Faculty must also arrive by this time. Doctoral candidates who are being hooded are responsible for arranging with their faculty mentors to meet them at Wilkinson Hall for robing and lineup. Both students and their faculty mentors must arrive for robing and lineup by this time.
At this time, family and friends of graduates may enter Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, where uniformed ushers will help them find seats. Guests are asked to wait until their parties are complete before being seated. Saving seats is not allowed in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
1:45 p.m. School processions begin.
3 p.m. Main ceremony begins. The main ceremony includes the procession of the platform party, a Commencement speaker, the hooding of doctoral candidates, and the conferral of the degrees.
Participating schools
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture, and Design
- School of Education
- Indiana University Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies
- Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering
- Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
- Indiana University Kelley School of Business
- The Media School
- School of Optometry
- Indiana University O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
- School of Public Health
- School of Social Work
- University Graduate School
Degrees being conferred
- All master’s degrees
- All Ph.D.’s
- Doctor of Audiology
- Doctor of Education
- Doctor of Music
- Doctor of Music Education
- Doctor of Optometry
- Performer Diplomas
- Artist Diplomas
- Specialist in Education Degrees
- Specialist in Library Science Degrees
Note: The Maurer School of Law holds a separate ceremony for graduate degree candidates on Saturday, May 9, 2020. For more information, call 812-855-4809.
Where to sit
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Audiences can enter from the north or south gates. Audience seating is from row one upward. There is additional audience seating in the balcony. There are two emergency exits on the east and west sides of the hall.
The stage is at the north end of the floor, facing south. The procession enters from the south. Graduates sit on the floor of the hall, facing the stage. Students from business, public health, music, medicine, education, arts and sciences, media, global and international studies, and art and design sit on the west side of the floor. Ph.D.s, doctorates, and optometry students sit on the east side of the stage. Overflow student seating for the business school is between section C and D, rows one through 25 on the west side of the stage. Public and environmental affairs and informatics students sit between sections J and K, rows one through 25 on the east side of the hall.
Faculty site between sections B and C, rows one through 25 on the west side of the hall.
Guest seating
Guest seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Ushers will be stationed throughout the building to direct all guests to the best possible seats.
Special seating is available for guests in wheelchairs and with limited mobility. Check ADA accommodations to learn more.
Graduate seating
Graduate seating is arranged by school and occupies the floor and some of the stands in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Students do not line up alphabetically. They process in through a number of doors, which means that a graduate may wind up anywhere within a school’s section.
Commencement day reminders: for graduates
- Do not bring umbrellas, briefcases, or any other personal items, as they cannot be stored during Commencement.
- Wear business or business-casual attire with comfortable—though formal—footwear.
- Wait until you arrive at lineup to put on your cap and gown.
- All degree candidates in attendance are expected to stay for the entire ceremony.
- No alcoholic beverages are permitted at Commencement.
Commencement day reminders: for guests
- Guest seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Come early for the best seat.
- Given the size of the Commencement audience, large parties are not allowed to save seats. Instead, we ask groups to gather outside and come in together, asking an usher to help find group seating.
- Because of the large number of participating graduates, we are unable to introduce each graduate by name.
- No alcoholic beverages are permitted at Commencement.
- Guests may purchase flowers for their graduate at Commencement. However, if you would like to preorder flowers in your graduate's favorite colors, you may do so on the website of the Commencement Group, Inc.