Graduate Commencement Information for Students
The safety of our community is our highest priority at Georgia State University. Out of an abundance of caution regarding the current coronavirus situation, all 2020 Spring commencement celebrations have been cancelled.
Updates will be posted as they become available. Also, to find the latest information on Georgia State’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, please look for the red “Coronavirus” tab at the top of this page.
Registration is required to participate, so please fill out and submit the form at the bottom of this page. If you don’t receive a confirmation e-mail about your registration, please send an e-mail to [email protected] so we may address this issue.
The deadline to register for the ceremony is Thursday, April 30.
All graduates must be checked in and present in the student holding room by 9:30 a.m.; graduates arriving after 9:30 a.m. may miss the formal processional and seating with their degree group. Important instructions about the ceremony will be given to students and the line up for the processional will happen at this time.
At registration, you will be given a card with your name and degree information on it. Hold on to this card – you will give it to the announcer during the ceremony for your recognition. If you have a spelling correction or want to confirm the pronunciation of your name, please see the announcer, who will be located in the holding room with you.
We kindly ask that all degree candidates participating in Graduate Commencement please leave their valuables with guests or prepare to take valuables with them during the procession. You will not be allowed to march in the processional with extra possessions. Ladies, please limit your purse to a small clutch or shoulder bag worn discreetly under your robe. Note: The College of Education & Human Development is not responsible for any valuables left unattended in the designated holding room or ceremony room.
All students who are participating will be required to wear the official Georgia State graduation regalia.
Master’s and education specialist candidates can place orders two different ways: Online at https://herff.ly/georgiastate OR in person at Georgia State’s Commencement Fair, scheduled for March 30-31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Georgia State University Student Center East Ballroom.
Please note the following about regalia orders:
- If you place your order before Feb. 21, your regalia will be available for pickup at the Commencement Fair on March 30-31.
- All orders placed from Feb. 22-March 31 will be available for pickup at the University Bookstore starting April 27.
The last day to order regalia is Tuesday, March 31.
If you have any issues or concerns regarding regalia, please contact [email protected] as soon as possible so we may help you. The College of Education & Human Development would like all degree candidates who want to participate to do so.
Graduate Commencement staff will not have extra tassels, caps or other items on the day of the ceremony. Also, the University Bookstore will not be present with regalia inventory at the Sports Arena. Therefore, please be sure to check that you have all parts of your regalia before you arrive. Note: The College of Education & Human Development is not responsible for any valuables left unattended in the designated holding room or ceremony room.
This is not a ticketed event. We anticipate having ample seating for the ceremony and seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.
When you arrive, please send your family and friends directly to the arena for seating. The doors will open at 9 a.m. It is imperative that you and your guests arrive on time and please refrain from saving seats for latecomers.
If you or your guests need any special accommodations, please contact us as soon as possible at [email protected] so we may address your needs.
If you are a member of Kappa Delta Pi and need to order KDP cords, please visit www.kdp.org.
If you need cords from any other student organizations or groups, please check with a representative from those respective organizations.
Photographers from Grad Images will take photos of each student as they walk across and exit the stage during Graduate Commencement.
Representatives will reach out to all students via mail and/or e-mail in the days following the ceremony with a passport-sized photo proof, along with the opportunity to select from a variety of photo packages. There is no obligation to purchase these photos. You will be given the opportunity to provide an e-mail address at registration for Grad Images to contact you. If you would prefer Grad Images use your Georgia State student e-mail address, please be sure to check your account in the weeks following the ceremony.
Please note: Grad Images agrees to protect students’ right to privacy by not selling or providing the names and addresses of our candidates for graduation to another company for any purpose.
Additional candid photos of the ceremony will be posted to the College of Education & Human Development’s social media accounts and e-mailed to graduates.
Guests are allowed to take photos and video during the event; however, no tripods are allowed.