Commencement

Academic regalia includes the cap and gown, as well as other distinguishing hoods, stoles and cords that denote traditions of academic achievement. Official Augusta University regalia is used by all participants in the graduation ceremony. Orders for regalia are limited to graduates participating in the Spring 2023 ceremonies. All other orders will be cancelled.

For Associates and Bachelor graduates:

Regalia orders may be placed online via the Jostens website or in-person at the Summerville Campus RoarStore beginning January 30 through April 5. The regalia package for associates and bachelors graduates is $49 with $12 shipping if ordered online or $59 in-store. Students need to use their AU email address to complete their order. This regalia package includes the robe, cap, and tassel. Customized stoles are permitted to wear with your cap and gown. All Associates and Bachelor graduates will keep their regalia at the conclusion of commencement. Please notify the RoarStore should you be unable to participate in commencement after ordering your regalia. 

For Masters and Specialists graduates:

Regalia orders may be placed online via the Jostens website or in-person at the Summerville Campus RoarStore beginning January 30 through April 5. The masters and specialists regalia package is $99 with $12 shipping if ordered online or $109 in-store. This regalia package includes the robe, hood, cap, and tassel. Customized stoles may be worn with your cap and gown. Hood and/or tassel colors are not guaranteed for any orders placed after March 15. Masters and Specialists graduates will keep their regalia at the conclusion of commencement.

Business attire is appropriate under the gown. The event will be a combination of standing and sitting, so make sure you dress comfortably for both. For those wearing pants, consider dark pants and shoes.

For Doctoral Graduates:

Doctoral students may rent or purchase regalia for graduation from Jostens. Doctoral students must place their order beginning January 30 through March 15. The rental regalia package for doctoral students (including PhD, DNP, DPT and EdD graduates), costs $179. All late orders will be taken in-person or by phone at the RoarStore. Rental regalia will be paid for at time of pick-up. For a $15 shipping fee, your regalia can be shipped to a home address by notifying the RoarStore with your name, ship to address, and phone number. Regalia rentals will be available for pick-up at the Summerville Campus JagStore beginning Monday, April 24.

If doctoral students wish to purchase their regalia, a package is available for $997.80. This package is only available for purchase online through the Jostens website. Students may come to the Roar Store to get measured for this regalia or submit their measurements with their order.

If regalia is rented, doctoral students must return their regalia following the ceremony. Returns can be made immediately following the ceremony, or at the Summerville Campus RoarStore during operating hours. The return deadline for rental regalia is Wednesday, May 17. Please contact the RoarStore if you have any additional questions. 

Business attire is appropriate under the gown. The event will be a combination of standing and sitting, so make sure you dress comfortably for both. For those wearing pants, consider dark pants and shoes.

Faculty members need to RSVP for commencement and indicate whether or not they will need to rent regalia to participate in commencement. Regalia rental packages are available to order now through March 15 for $99. Faculty may pick up their order at the Summerville Campus RoarStore location in Washington Hall or can be shipped to you for a small fee. Contact the RoarStore if you haven't made plans for renting regalia. 

Follow the website below to learn more about what faculty need to know in preparation for commencement. 

All commencement ceremonies are ticketed events; and all guests attending must have a ticket, including children. Babies younger than one year old will not require a ticket. Graduates will be given six tickets for family and friends to attend the ceremony. 

All ticket information will be announced through AU email. Students will be required to use their augusta.edu email address and student ID number to log in to the portal to claim their tickets. 

All seating is general admission and there are no VIP tickets for guests of graduates. Doors will open approximately 90 minutes prior to the start of the graduate hooding and commencement ceremony and the 10 am undergraduate commencement ceremony and 60 minutes prior to the start of the 2 pm undergraduate commencement ceremony.

If you haven't been to Augusta before, the link below will show you some more about our city, some fun things to do (and eat!) and more!

Marching Order is the system used to manage commencement operations, including graduate RSVP's, guest ticketing, graduate communications, and grad passes. Graduates must create an account in Marching Order to access their guest tickets and ensure their name is pronounced and listed correctly for the commencement ceremony. Graduates must indicate whether or not they attend to participate in commencement through Marching Order. Graduates may use the link below to log in and access their Marching Order account. 

Graduates will access their Grad Pass, their "ticket" into commencement, through their Marching Order account. Students can access their Grad Pass by logging into their Marching Order account they created when they submitted their RSVP and selecting "GradPass." Name cards are what students will need to have their name announced as they cross the stage. Name cards will be placed in graduates seats to use during commencement. 

Graduation announcements and additional items may be ordered directly from the Jostens website.

Graduates who are graduating with dual degrees may opt to attend one ceremony or both ceremonies, depending on which ceremony their degrees are being conferred in. Contact the Graduation and Commencement Team if you have any questions: commencement@augusta.edu

Undergraduate students graduating with honors will be designated in the commencement program. Qualifying students will be notified via email. If you're unable to pick up your honors cord prior to commencement, students may pick up their cords when checking in for commencement at the Marriott. Please make sure to bring a photo ID if picking up cords at commencement. 

Augusta University celebrates generations of families continuing our rich tradition by listing graduates whose parent, step-parent, or grandparent graduated from Augusta University or one of her legacy institutions (ex: Augusta College, Augusta State University).

Graduates who are part of our Jaguar legacy family will receive a specially designed pin for Commencement to recognize their family’s Augusta tradition. If you believe you qualify as a legacy graduate, please email our Commencement & Graduation Team, commencement@augusta.edu, with your relative's name, their graduation year and the institution they graduated from. The Office of Alumni Affairs will be in touch with these students about obtaining their legacy pin they will receive to wear at commencement.

Do you still have any questions about the commencement ceremonies this semester? Email the Graduation and Commencement Team: commencement@augusta.edu. 

Graduates: for any questions you may have about your diploma or graduation application, please email gradapp@augusta.edu. 

All commencement ceremonies are ticketed events; and all guests attending must have a ticket, including children and infants. 

All convention center seating is general admission and there are no VIP tickets for guests of graduates. Guests are not allowed on the floor before or during the ceremony. Doors will open approximately 90 minutes prior to the start of the graduate hooding and commencement ceremony and the first undergraduate commencement ceremony and 60 minutes prior to the start of the 2nd undergraduate commencement ceremony.

If your guest requires special accommodations, seating is available on a limited first-come, first-served basis. Due to limited seating in the accessible areas, a maximum of one person will be allowed to accompany the person with a disability in the designated seating area.

The Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center's address is 2 10th Street, Augusta. Students and Faculty participating in commencement will park at no charge in the Georgia Cyber Center parking deck, located at 1 11th Street, Augusta between 11th and 12th streets in Downtown Augusta. Family members of graduates may ride with their student and use this deck as well if it works best for ceremony travel accommodations. 

Commencement guests can park in the Reynolds Street parking deck at no charge and use the bridge to access the convention center. Guests who wish to park here will need to tell the parking attendant of their attendance at the AU Commencement Ceremony. Guests will not need to present vouchers upon entry or departure from this parking deck. No commencement guests will be allowed to park in the designated reserved parking spaces in the Reynolds Street parking deck.

Additionally, there are parking lots available on 9th-10th streets, many of them first come, first serve. Please plan accordingly!

ADA Parking is available at the following parking decks:

Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center Parking Garage (located at 9th & Reynolds Street)

Augusta University Nathan Deal Campus Parking Deck at the Georgia Cyber Center 

GradImages will be on site to take professional photos of your graduate that will be available for purchase following the ceremony. Text "Grad22" to 39771 for more information. 

Nonticketed observers will be able to watch the ceremony live online. A playback of each ceremony will be uploaded to YouTube following the ceremonies. 

Graduates can expect to receive your diplomas 6-8 weeks following the end of each semester. Diplomas will be mailed to the address listed on your graduation application. Email gradapp@augusta.edu if you have any questions about your diploma issuing.