Graduation

1. Apply to graduate: 
To participate in Commencement you must first apply to graduate. This can be done online via the Student Center located in the my.cityu.edu student portal. Once you have applied online or sent in the paper application to the Registrar, your academic record will be audited to determine eligibility to graduate and thus, eligibility to participate in Commencement. A fee will be charged for the audit. 

• Deadline to apply: 
  Students should apply for graduation two quarters before their final term. It is recommended to apply by May 1, 2025 to ensure their applications are processed by the time of the Commencement Ceremony. Students who wait until after May 1st will still able to attend the ceremony if eligible. 

• Results of degree audit: 
  As mentioned above, once you have applied to graduate, the Registrar’s Office audits your academic record. The results of the degree audit, along with an updated program plan, are then emailed to you. In addition to any impediments to program completion, the degree audit states clearly whether you are eligible to participate in Commencement. 

2. When you receive your audit results and are notified that you are eligible,  RSVP  to the ceremony. 

Please Note: If you do not contact us after receiving your degree audit, we will assume that you do not plan to attend and will not print a name card for you or include you in future updates about the ceremony. 

If you have questions, contact the Registrar’s Office by email or by phone at 1-888-422-4898. 

3. Once you confirm your attendance, place your cap and gown order at Jostens. 

Please Verify your name and degree program and submitting the Degree Audit regardless of your Commencement attendance status.

Ensure that your full name (primary name on your student account and on legal documents) is correct and submit a Change of Name Request Form with relevant supporting document if applicable. Send the form along with the appropriate name change supporting credentials to your Academic Advisor. 

Address changes can be completed through your CityU Student Portal or through your Academic Advisor by e-mail. Also, notify Graduation@cityu.edu of the change to ensure the proper delivery of your degree certificate.

Who is eligible to participate?

Eligible

• Students completing all degree requirements during the academic year of the ceremony (July 1 – June 30) are eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremony if their cumulative GPA is at least 2.0 for an undergraduate program or 3.0 for a graduate program.
• Previous graduates – students who graduated earlier than July 1 of the academic year and did not attend a previous CityU commencement.
• Students completing their degree program in the immediate summer following the ceremony. Students with no more than two courses left who plan to complete all remaining program requirements during the summer term, or who are members of a cohort program scheduled to complete by September, may be eligible to participate, depending on the results of their degree audit.
• Alternative Routes to Education cohort members. Students who are earning a Washington State Teaching Certificate through the alternative routes to teaching program, completing in the spring or summer of the year, and verified by the Dean of the School of Education to be eligible may participate in the ceremony.

Exceptions

• Students in unusual circumstances who are not eligible to participate may write a letter to the Registrar’s Office to explain their situation and request an exception. Examples of exceptions are scheduled to complete in the fall but a member of the summer graduating cohort, or F1 student completing the fall who will be returning home and unable to return for their ceremony.

Not Eligible

• Students completing only a certificate program, and not a degree-granting program, are not eligible to participate in Commencement.
• Students who have more than one quarter left to complete at the end of the spring quarter. 

How do I attend?

• Apply to graduate online via your Student Center and your academic record will be audited to determine eligibility to graduate and thus, eligibility to participate in Commencement.
• Once you apply to graduate if you plan to attend the Seattle ceremony you will be asked to RSVP online. This will also ensure that you receive the latest information on the ceremony.  Students who completed and received their diploma in the summer and fall of 2022 will be sent an RSVP notice to the personal email on file with the University. You may validate the email on file or update it via your Student Center. Students who apply to graduate during the 2023 winter or spring quarters will be sent an RSVP notice to the @cityuniversity.edu email account. An RSVP link will also be added to the Graduation & Commencement Tile on the student dashboard in the portal.  

Please Note: If you do not RSVP, we will assume that you do not plan to attend and will not include you in future updates about the ceremony.

How do I receive a Cap and Gown for the ceremony?

Cap and gown orders must be placed by the designated deadline aligned with the commencement ceremony date. Orders submitted after this deadline will be subject to an additional rush shipping fee. Regalia ordering will open at the beginning of the year, and students who miss the deadline may contact Customer Service at 1-800-854-7464. However, due to processing and shipping lead times, timely delivery cannot be guaranteed for late orders. 

Contact Jostens to place your cap and gown order. You may do this online at college.jostens.com  or via the consumer call center at 1.800.854.7464. The consumer call center is available to take orders from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Standard Time, Monday – Friday.

All cap and gown orders will ship directly to you, at the address that you provide, upon placing your order. Orders usually ship within 4 weeks.

• Associate degree candidates will receive a cap, gown, tassel, and zipper pull.
• Bachelor degree candidates will receive a cap, gown, tassel, and zipper pull.
• Master degree candidates will receive a cap, gown, tassel, zipper pull, and hood appropriate to their degree. Please note, candidates graduating with master’s degrees from two disciplines i.e. MBA and MS in Project Management, will need to purchase a second Master Hood – please contact Jostens for pricing.
• Educational Specialist degree candidates will receive a graduate-level cap, gown, tassel, zipper pull, and hood appropriate to their degree.
• Doctoral degree candidates will receive a tam, gown, tassel, zipper pull, and hood appropriate to their degree.  Please note, the university DOES NOT have day-of ceremony regalia for purchase for doctoral regalia as this is custom regalia.

Please be prepared to provide the following information when ordering: shipping address, height, degree type (i.e. B.S. in Management, Master of Education), and payment information.

Please view all current pricing and payment methods on the Jostens website.

I am earning a master’s/specialist/doctoral degree. What hood color to I order?

Hoods and hood colors will be determined by your discipline (e.g. business, project management, computer science, education) and your degree level (master, specialist, doctor). Following is a list of hood colors used by CityU:

Graduate and Doctoral Hood Colors

I live in Canada or another country but will be attending the ceremony in Seattle. How can I order my cap and down and pick it up at the ceremony?

In addition to the cap, gown, tassel, and hood cost you will be responsible for customs/duty fees. There is no difference in cost for out-of-country students, all fees must be paid in U.S. dollars.

To avoid customs/duty fees you may arrange to have your cap and gown shipped to the Seattle Campus for pick up at the Graduation Help Desk on the day of the ceremony by notifying graduation@cityu.edu [Email] that you have ordered your cap and gown and are having it shipped for pick-up. Provide your name, contact number, and a copy of the shipping order confirmation number from Jostens.

Provide the following address to Josten’s for shipping:

Attn: Cap and Gown

Pickup, CityU, 521 Wall Street, Seattle, WA 98121. 

NOTE: The order must be in the graduating student’s name.

✅ Confirm Your Eligibility 

• Verify completion or near completion of your degree requirements. 

• Check your degree audit report for eligibility. 

✅ Register for the Commencement Ceremony 

• Complete the commencement registration form. 

• Ensure your name is included in the official graduate list. 

✅ Order Your Cap & Gown 

• Place your regalia order before the deadline to avoid rush shipping fees. 

• Contact customer service if ordering after the deadline. 

✅ Plan Your Travel & Accommodation 

• Secure necessary travel documents (valid passport, visa, or eTA if required). 

• Book flights and accommodations in advance. 

✅ Prepare for Border Entry to the U.S. 

• Carry your CityU enrollment confirmation letter. 

• Be prepared to present proof of commencement participation if requested. 

✅ Check Ceremony Details 

• Review commencement date, time, and venue location. 

• Arrive at the venue early to check in and receive instructions. 

✅ Invite Family & Friends 

• Confirm guest attendance. 

• Make travel and accommodation arrangements for guests if needed. 

✅ Stay Updated 

• Regularly check your CityU student email for commencement updates. 

• Visit the official CityU commencement website for the latest details. 

47th Commencement Ceremony – 2022

Typically graduation is a special ceremony at university during which degrees and diplomas are given to students who have successfully completed their studies. CityU Annual Commencement usually taking place in mid-June is a recognition ceremony with full regalia with the opportunity to take official pictures. Students do not receive their actual degrees or diplomas during the Commencement Ceremony.

CityU held its Spring 2022 Commencement in person on Saturday, June 25, 2022.
Click here to view past ceremonies.

Ceremony Overview

The ceremony includes remarks from the president and a student speaker. Following the remarks, the students will walk across the stage as their names and degrees are announced. On stage, the students will receive a diploma cover, have their pictures taken with the President, then leave the stage to return to their original seats. Once all students have received on-stage recognition, some concluding remarks are given. The entire ceremony lasts a little more than two hours.

Click below to see our 2021 Commencement student speaker.