October 11, 2025
Fall Virtual Commencement
Commencement
Saturday, October 11
WGU will hold a Virtual Commencement on Saturday, October 11, 2025, to celebrate our graduates. Virtual commencements allow graduates to watch live or at their convenience with friends and family.
To watch the virtual commencement visit this page or WGU’s official YouTube channel. Bookmark this page for easy navigation on commencement day.
*Details subject to change
RSVP Information
To RSVP, you must have either your Graduation Application submitted to the Student Records department or be enrolled in and only have your final course remaining, such as capstone, final certification, or demonstration teaching. If you don’t currently meet this requirement, wait to RSVP until the requirement is met.
Students who are enrolled in their final course may submit an email to commencement@wgu.edu with “Final Course” in subject line along with desired commencement ceremony.
For more information, review the Commencement Ceremony Participation Guidelines.
If you have any questions, please contact us at commencement@wgu.edu or by phone 385.428.2085.
Attention iOS users (iPhone/iPad): please use Chrome or Firefox browser to submit your ceremony RSVP form. If you use Safari (default iOS browser) to complete your RSVP form, you will receive a false application rejection message. If uncertain, please complete the ceremony RSVP form on a computer rather than your iOS device.
Additional Information
Fall Virtual Deadlines:
- RSVP
Deadline: Wednesday, August 27 - Graduate Speaker Application
Deadline: Friday, August 22
- Cap & Gown Ordering
Deadline: Friday, August 29 - Philanthropy Cord
- Video Submission
Deadline: Wednesday, September 10 - Spirit Necklace
Fall Virtual Details:
- Ceremony Program Coming Soon
Frequently Asked Questions
- Virtual Commencement FAQs
- Communication FAQs
- Video FAQs
- Regalia FAQs
- Diploma Cover FAQs
Virtual Commencement FAQs
A commencement guidebook with check-in details, parking, maps, and more will be loaded onto the commencement app and emailed to each graduate two weeks prior to the ceremony.
Due to varying space limitations, Alumni Celebration and Commencement guest count policies are different.
Alumni Celebration: Each graduate is invited to bring up to six guests to the Alumni Celebration they choose to attend. Local alumni that are invited to attend the alumni celebration are invited to bring up to three guests. This measure is designed to accommodate as many graduates as possible while allowing everyone to enjoy the festivities with their loved ones.
Commencement: Guests are recommended to bring up to 8 guests to ensure our event doesn’t reach venue capacity; however, please feel free to bring additional guests. Tickets are not required to enter the commencement ceremony*. Graduates do not need to update their initial guest count with the Commencement Office if there are any changes.
*Tickets will be required for the commencement ceremonies in Atlanta, Georgia at Gas South Arena and in Seattle, Washington at Climate Pledge Arena.
No, tickets are not required for WGU commencement ceremony. *
*Tickets will be required during the commencement ceremonies in Atlanta, Georgia at Gas South Arena. and in Seattle, Washington at Climate Pledge Arena.
The names of graduates who physically attend an in-person commencement will be read as they cross the stage. All Virtual Commencement participants’ names will be read during the Virtual ceremony.
No. Graduates are called to the stage by schools and not in alphabetical order.
Please arrive dressed in your cap and gown for the commencement ceremony. Due to the number of graduates and precise schedule, it is not practical to change into regalia at the venue.
You can watch the commencement ceremony on the WGU YouTube channel at any point after the start of the ceremony.
The commencement photos will be available approximately 2-3 weeks after the ceremony. Those photos will be available for viewing at https://thegradteam.com/events/wgu/
Did you know that WGU Alumni have access to hundreds of discounts? Log in to BenefitHub to search for deals on flights, hotels, car rentals, and more.
Communication FAQs
Communications are sent to the email address provided on the Virtual commencement RSVP form. Graduates who register for Virtual commencement will receive the following email communications: video clip instructions, deadline reminders, final details with instructions on how to view the virtual commencement, and a survey after commencement. If you have not received an email from us, contact commencement@wgu.edu.
Please check your WGU student email address for a copy of your confirmation email. If you have not received a confirmation email, please contact us at commencement@wgu.edu.
Video FAQs
WGU works with an official regalia vendor (caps, gowns, tassels, hoods, stoles). Ordering will open at the end of 2024 for all 2025 ceremonies.
For bachelor’s degree, post-baccalaureate teacher programs, or endorsement preparation program (English Language Learning), you should order a cap, bachelor's gown, and tassel. For those earning a master's degree or endorsement preparation program (Educational Leadership), you should order a cap, master's gown, tassel, and a master's hood.
The following master’s hoods are available for purchase from our regalia vendor.
Education - Blue
Business (all MBAs) - Drab
Technology - Gold
Nursing – Apricot
Integrated Healthcare Management - Salmon
Master of Health Leadership - Sage green
WGU works with an official commencement goods vendor (caps, gowns, tassels, hoods, stoles). Ordering will open at the end of 2024 for all 2025 ceremonies.
Prior to the conferral of degrees, bachelor's degree graduates wear their tassel on the right while master's degree graduates wear their tassel on the left for the entire commencement ceremony.
A graduate should wear academic attire appropriate to the awarded degree. The master's gown differs from a bachelor's gown. If you already have a cap and tassel, you can order a master's gown as an individual item on our commencement vendor’s website. Please note that the academic attire for a master's graduate includes a cap, tassel, master's gown, and hood.
Yes, WGU graduates affiliated with an honor society may wear society pins or honor cords/sashes/stoles to represent their academic achievements, affiliations, or identity on their gowns.
Teacher graduates affiliated with the WGU chapter of the international honor society of Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) may order honor cords at http://www.kdp.org.
Graduates who are members of The National Society of Leadership and Sucess may wear honor cords indicating this affiliation.
WGU graduates who are veterans or active-duty military will be provided with a military honor cord. For virtual commencements, cords will be shipped to the address provided on their RSVP. For in-person commencements, cords will be picked up at the Alumni Celebration or at Commencement during graduate check-in. On your RSVP form, please mark that you are a veteran or active duty.
Graduates are permitted to decorate their graduation caps. Take into consideration the following if decorating your cap for commencement:
WGU does not allow content on caps or sashes that is considered, in WGU’s sole discretion, obscene, vulgar, defamatory, hateful, inappropriate, profane or that might disregard another’s copyright or third-party rights. All decorations must lie flat on the cap.
Regalia FAQs
WGU works with an official regalia vendor (caps, gowns, tassels, hoods, stoles). Ordering will open at the end of 2024 for all 2025 ceremonies.
We encourage you to wear a cap and gown, but this is not required to participate in Virtual Commencement. If you choose not to wear regalia or do not have regalia, business professional attire is encouraged.
Diploma Cover FAQs
All graduates who submit a video clip for virtual commencement will receive a complimentary diploma cover via mail approximately 3 weeks after the ceremony.
