ATTENTION:
Commencement parking will be more complicated this semester due to a major construction project. Please read these important parking and travel instructions.
About the Events
Spring Undergraduate College Commencement Ceremonies
Each college holds undergraduate college commencement ceremonies in May for bachelor's degree graduates that feature traditional commencement elements.
At the Undergraduate College Commencement Ceremonies, degrees are conferred and all candidates are called by name, walk the stage, shake hands with college administration, and have their photo taken. Graduates wear their regalia at this event.
- Who can participate: If you graduate in May, you can participate in your college’s Undergraduate College Commencement Ceremony.
- To participate in a Spring Undergraduate College Commencement Ceremony, a candidate for May graduation must apply for graduation by the posted deadline, receive advisor approval on their graduation application, and RSVP that they plan to attend the ceremony. Learn more about applying for graduation.
- Undergraduate students who are planning to complete degree requirements during the summer must receive advisor approval and apply for graduation by Feb. 15th to participate in their college’s spring commencement ceremony. These candidates also must RSVP to attend the ceremony. Learn more about applying for graduation and deadlines
Graduates can invite family and friends. Graduates and their guests are expected to remain for the duration of the ceremony.
If graduation ceremonies reach seating capacity, guests will be directed to nearby venues to watch live broadcasts of the ceremonies on television screens. Due to fire codes and safety issues, there will be no standing room for guests.
Spring Doctoral and Master’s Commencement with Doctoral/M.F.A. Hooding
The university holds a separate ceremony in May for master's and doctoral candidates that features traditional commencement elements and recognizes their unique accomplishments. Master’s candidates process to the stage, have their name called, walk the stage and shake hands with university administration, and have their photo taken. Doctoral and M.F.A. candidates (recipients of terminal degrees) are hooded during this ceremony by their faculty mentor(s). Candidates wear their regalia. Degrees are conferred at this event.
- Who can participate: Doctoral and master's students earning degrees in May will be recognized in the spring Doctoral and Master's Commencement. To participate in the spring Doctoral and Master's Commencement, doctoral and master's candidates must apply and be approved for Spring graduation by the posted deadlines, and must RSVP using the links provided in the mailed commencement packet.
In order to ensure the highest quality experience for candidates and guests, we must limit who is eligible to participate in the Spring commencement ceremony. Due to the large number of Spring candidates, Summer Doctoral and Master’s candidates are invited to participate in the Fall commencement ceremony. Exceptions to this are outlined below. Please note students who are allowed to participate in the ceremony by exception will not be listed in the commencement program handed out to guests and must notify the Toulouse Graduate School (graduation@unt.edu) of their intent to participate.- Master’s candidates who are not completing a thesis must have completed all degree requirements by the posted deadline for Spring graduation and be enrolled in final coursework during Spring.
- Master’s candidates who defend and submit their final thesis prior to the last class day of the Spring semester are eligible to participate in the Spring ceremony, provided their major professor and department chair approve the request and forward it to the Toulouse Graduate School.
- Doctoral candidates who defend and submit their final dissertation prior to the last class day of the Spring semester are eligible to participate in the Spring ceremony, provided their major professor and department chair approve the request and forward it to the Toulouse Graduate School.
- Substantial and exceptional circumstances warranting ceremony participation prior to degree completion require the approval of the appropriate college Dean or Associate Dean. Please contact the Toulouse Graduate School or your Dean’s office for further information. Examples of exceptional circumstances include:
- A candidate with family overseas who has purchased tickets well in advance and has obtained visas for the specific occasion/date.
- An international candidate whose family has a valid visa that will soon expire and the family fears they cannot get back into the U.S. to attend a later ceremony.
- A candidate with a job overseas starting before ceremony date.
- A candidate with a parent with a terminal illness who wants to know their child has gotten the degree before he/she passes.
- Who can attend: Graduates may invite family and friends. Graduates and their guests are expected to remain for the duration of the ceremony. There is no limit to the number of guests that graduates can invite to attend the Doctoral and Master’s Commencement. Graduates and their guests are expected to remain for the duration of the ceremony.
Learn about applying for graduation.
UNT Grad Block Party
All graduation candidates and their guests are encouraged to join us from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 10 for the UNT Grad Block Party along Highland Street, on the Union South Lawn and in the Library Mall.
The evening will be filled with festivities, including commemorative giveaways, a special gift for graduates, free festival-type food, food trucks, live music, games, photo ops, Scrappy, one drawing for a free class ring and another for free diploma frames, a special ice cream flavor in honor of graduation, and UNT merchandise and memorabilia available for purchase. Everything wraps up with a mock champagne toast, fireworks and the UNT Alma Mater at dark.
Bring your tassel and UNT ID to receive your free graduation gift and to be entered into the drawings.
Parking will be available in the Fouts Field lots, the lots along Welch Street and in the Highland Street parking garage.