Spring 2023 Commencement Information

All degree candidates from all campuses planning to graduate in Spring 2023 will participate in the ceremony at the Convocation Center on the Dahlonega campus.

Commencement Instructions

• All candidates must report to the Check-In table located on the arena floor level of the Convocation Center one hour prior to the scheduled time for their commencement ceremony. They should enter at the second level doors across the street from the Alumni House. There will be directional signage posted on the day of the event.
• When graduates check-in, they will be given their reader card. Graduates MUST fill this card out and keep it with them throughout the ceremony. It will be used to announce their name as they cross the stage.
• A professional photographer will be off the stage to the right of the President. Graduates should plan to pause for a photograph.
• Students should check to be sure that cell phones are turned off during the ceremony.
• All fees, fines, and other debts to the university must be paid three working days prior to commencement or the diploma will be withheld and transcripts will not be mailed.
• Graduates will be seated by degree. Students who claim their tickets late or who arrive late will be placed in the back of the seating area. Students are encouraged to avoid this possible embarrassment by claiming their tickets before the deadline and arriving to their ceremony on time.

Regalia and Apparel

• Undergraduate Students: Mortarboards should be worn centered on top of the head with the tassel to the right.
• Graduate Students: Hoods should be draped neatly over the right arm; graduates will be hooded individually on stage.
• Appropriate and encouraged attire under regalia is dark colored business attire with dark shoes or Class A uniforms (commissioning cadets only).
• Only approved academic adornments, outlined in UNG's Regalia Policy, should be worn in addition to the gown.

• In order to be eligible to receive tickets, graduation candidates must meet the graduation application deadline and reply “yes” to attending the ceremony.
• Ticket allotments will be determined after the graduation application deadline has passed and will be communicated with graduates via their UNG student email account.
• University Events uses UNG Connect as the official commencement communication method with graduates. It is the responsibility of the graduate to ensure that their UNG Connect account is active and that they are subscribed to receive emails from this platform to their UNG student email account inbox.
• Graduates will be able to claim their allotment of tickets starting March 22 via their UNG student email account. Tickets will be distributed electronically. Ticket claiming will close on April 12 at 11:55 p.m.
• Tickets are required by guests to attend all ceremonies. Any guest over the age of two (2) will be required to have a ticket. Graduates do not need a ticket to enter their ceremony.
• There are no extra tickets. If a graduate claims their entire allotment but does not need their total number of allocated tickets, they may contact University Events at universityevents@ung.edu to donate them back. After the ticket claiming period has passed, any unclaimed or unused tickets will be electronically distributed to graduates who expressed their desire to receive additional tickets in the initial online ticket claiming process on a first come, first served basis.
• Tickets can be presented as a printed document or on your mobile device. Once a graduate has claimed their tickets, they will be emailed to the graduate via their UNG student email account. Once graduates have received their tickets, they can print them or share them with a family member who can distribute them to additional guests appropriately.
• For more ticketing information, please visit our FAQs page.

1. If the graduate elects to pick up their regalia at the UNG Bookstore, the deadline to order regalia is March 17.
2. If the graduate elects to have their regalia shipped directly to them, the deadline to order regalia is March 17.

If this deadline is not met, graduates can purchase their regalia in-person directly from the UNG Bookstore.

Graduate students should not wear their hoods, but they should instead drape them neatly over the right arm as they enter the Convocation Center arena. Graduate students will be hooded individually on stage immediately prior to receiving their diploma folder.