Main Ceremony

• The main ceremony features the commencement speaker, president, and other notable speakers and honorees. Students will be recognized alongside their school or college. All graduates and six of their guests are invited. Tickets are required and will be emailed to graduates in May.
• The individual school, college, or department ceremony is where students individually walk across the stage and have their names read. The event is managed by the graduates’ school, college, or academic department.

All graduates who completed their degrees in summer 2022, fall 2022, or are on track to complete their degree in spring of 2023 are eligible to attend.

Graduates must complete all the requirements for graduation and apply to graduate through the Office of the Registrar.

• Graduates: Please plan to arrive at Jones-Hill House for the processional lineup at 5:30 p.m. Specific instructions will be emailed closer to the date of the event.
• Guests: Gates to SECU Stadium will open at 5:30 p.m.

• Graduates: Please be aware that there are no secure storage locations for your bags, purses, coats, etc., during the ceremony. Graduates should leave personal items with guests–we are not responsible for lost items.
• Guests: We will follow the Athletics Bag Policy for commencement ceremonies in SECU Stadium.

All attendees will be required to follow current COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. Please visit this website for the most current information.

• There is no cost to park in any metered or permitted space. ADA spaces still require an ADA permit or plate. Fire lanes, roadways, and landscapes are not valid parking spaces.
• Detailed directions and parking will be available on this page soon.

GradImages, the university’s official photographer, will take photographs of each graduate at the main ceremony. While there is no obligation to purchase the prints, the graduate will receive color proofs emailed approximately two weeks after commencement. In order to receive the proofs, be sure to complete the company’s address card distributed in the line-up area prior to the procession.

The main commencement ceremony will be both recorded and live-streamed.

• Main ceremony: Each graduate will receive six (6) guest tickets and one (1) personal ticket for themselves. These will be emailed to the email address on file in the TESTUDO system on April 17, 2023. Graduates, please make sure you have an up-to-date email address in TESTUDO, and please check it regularly.
• Individual school, college, or department ceremonies: Most individual ceremonies do not require tickets and do not have a guest limit. If you have questions about this, please contact your school, college, or department.

Yes, more information will be available on this page soon.

• Main ceremony: Yes, both ASL interpreters and closed captioning will be provided.
• Individual school, college, or department ceremonies: ASL interpreters and closed captioning can be made available at any venue. Please contact the coordinator for your ceremony.

See the Regalia Information page.

Yes, regalia must be worn to participate in any ceremony.

Yes, cap decorating is permitted.

• No, diplomas will be mailed to the address listed when applying for graduation via TESTUDO. For any questions about your diploma, please contact Diploma Services: 301.314.8270 / diploma@umd.edu.
• You will receive a commemorative gift at your individual school, college, or department ceremony.

• If your question is specific to the main ceremony, please contact the Office of Special Events.
• If your question is specific to your individual school, college, or department ceremony, please contact the ceremony coordinator.

• All eligible graduates are automatically registered to receive commencement update emails. No further action is needed
• Guests who wish to receive commencement update emails may sign up using this form.

The university does not issue invitation letters for guests to visit the U.S. to attend commencement ceremonies. These letters are not required by the embassy to issue a B2 visa, which is designated for tourist activities such as sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, and obtaining medical treatment.

The graduating student should submit a copy of their I-20 or DS-2019 to the relative applying for the tourist visa. Students can also send an Enrollment Verification Certificate along with a copy of their passport. An Enrollment Verification Certificate can be requested from the Office of the Registrar.