General Commencement Information
Check the ceremony information page for the dates and times of each ceremony.
See the Parking and Transit Services website for more information.
Each ceremony lasts roughly two to two and a half hours.
Contact commencement@utk.edu to be directed to the correct area.
Commencement Regalia and Dress Code
- The dress code for commencement is business casual.
- Participating faculty must wear regalia.
Participating faculty may visit the VolShop website to rent regalia or wear their own.
Registration
- Information on registering for commencement as a faculty participant is sent once a semester.
Doctoral students are asked to identify their hooder on their commencement registration form. As the hooder, you will then receive an automated email invitation to RSVP for the hooding ceremony. If you are unable to attend, you must contact your student to let them know so they can make other arrangements.
Graduate Hooding
Doctoral students are asked to identify their hooder on their commencement registration form. As the hooder, you will then receive an automated email invitation to RSVP for the hooding ceremony. If you are unable to attend, you must contact your student to let them know so they can make other arrangements.
Faculty will receive an invitation to register once a semester. Only faculty who are not planning on hooding a doctoral student should register on this form. Hooding faculty will receive a different invitation when their doctoral student registers.
Accessibility
- Sign language interpreters are present for each ceremony and featured on multiple screens.
- Participating faculty needing special accommodations are to contact commencement@utk.edu so we can connect you with the appropriate services.
- Accessible parking is available in all campus lots on a first come, first served basis.
- An accessible entrance for guests is located on Phillip Fulmer Way. Guests will then take the elevator to the concourse level. However, we recommend parking on the surface-level G5 in the C6 section lot.
- Closed captioning is provided for the webcast.
- A limited number of large print programs are available at each ceremony. Please ask an usher.
Health and Safety
- Face coverings in Thompson Boling Arena are a personal decision. Please respect the choices of all commencement guests. Review campus face covering guidance.
Thompson-Boling Arena Information
Refer to the clear bag policy.
Don’t see your question answered? Contact commencement@utk.edu.