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Registration & Regalia

Registration to Participate in Commencement

Graduating students must register to participate in the commencement ceremonies by placing an order for their regalia (cap and gown)and abiding by the Health and Safety Requirements for Spring Commencement. Commencement registration is a separate process from the Application to Graduate on Eagle Service. The Countdown to Commencement email will be sent to AU email account once a student is eligible to participate—meaning, applied to graduate and their advisor has made them eligible to participate in commencement.

Regalia

All students participating in commencement must order custom American University academic regalia. Regalia is specifically designed by Herff-Jones for AU in the university's distinctive red, white, and blue colors. This regalia includes a cap and gown as well as a hood for masters' and doctoral degree recipients. The regalia order serves as a student's registration to participate in commencement.

Before Placing Your Order

Confirm that you are eligible to participate in commencement and have applied to graduate before ordering your regalia. Late applications will delay the student's ability to order regalia and may result in the student's name being omitted from the commencement program and other materials.

Students who are active duty, joining the Armed Forces, or authorized to wear military uniforms may wear formal dress uniforms in lieu of regalia, must complete Armed Forces form in order to qualify for commencement ceremony tickets. Submissions for Spring 2022 Commencement are closed.

Bachelor's and master's degrees

Bachelor’s and master’s graduates purchase regalia sets that include a cap, gown, and tassel for bachelor’s and cap, gown, tassel, and hood for master’s. Herff-Jones’ Renew Custom keepsake regalia is produced from 100% recycled materials. Each gown saves 29 post-consumer plastic bottles from landfills. 

Cap and gown orders are placed beginning in October for fall graduates and mid-March for spring graduates. An email with the subject, “Countdown to Commencement”, will be sent to students who have been made eligible by their academic advisors to participate in commencement. This email will include a link to the ordering site. 

Regalia purchase price is $41 for bachelor's and $72 for master's before sales tax. Regalia can be ordered for campus pick up at no additional cost or shipped to home at an additional charge of $12.95 for on-time orders or $19.95 for late orders; see below for deadlines.

Bachelor's and master's are keepsake regalia and do not need to be returned.

Doctoral Regalia

Doctoral regalia is available to rent for $115 before sales tax or custom purchase starting at $800. Doctoral degree recipients going into university teaching positions and those who might need regalia for ceremonial occasions may opt to purchase regalia. Purchased doctoral regalia is custom made for each graduate. See the purchase deadline below. Please contact commencement@american.edu to request the order form if you plan to purchase regalia. Students must be made eligible to graduate by their academic advisors prior to purchasing. 

Doctoral cap and gown rental orders are placed in the beginning of October for fall graduates and early-March for spring graduates. Doctoral students eligible to participate in commencement will receive instructions via email on how to rent their cap and gown.

The rental doctoral regalia must be returned immediately following the ceremony in the tunnel adjacent to Starbucks.

Regalia may be shipped to home at an additional cost of $15.95 for on-time orders or $24.95 for late orders; see below for deadlines.

Regalia

Campus pick-up and on-time home ship orders by April 4. Campus pick-up option closes, and shipping charges increase from April 5. Deadline to order regalia April 18.

AU Regalia Ordering Site

Armed Services Dress Uniforms

Students who are active duty, joining the Armed Forces, or authorized to wear military uniforms may wear formal dress uniforms in lieu of regalia, but must complete Armed Forces form to register. Form to be submitted 6 weeks prior to their graduation date.

Submissions for Spring 2022 Commencement are closed. 

Spring 2022

  • Doctoral Regalia Purchase Deadline: Paper form due by March 7
  • Regalia Order Deadline: Campus pick-up and on-time home ship orders by April 4
  • Late Ordering (subject to availability): Online by 5 p.m. on April 18. Or Limited late orders will only be available on a walk-in basis at the AU Campus Store
  • Campus Pick-up and Walk-in Orders: Available at the AU Campus Store from May 4-8

Fall 2021

  • Doctoral Regalia Purchase Deadline: Paper form due by October 15
  • Regalia Order Deadline: Campus pick-up and on-time home ship orders by November 15
  • Late Ordering (subject to availability): Online by 5 p.m. on November 29. Limited late orders will only be available on a walk-in basis at the AU Campus Store
  • Campus Pick-up and Walk-in Orders: Available at the AU Campus Store from December 17-18

Latin Honors or University Honors

Undergraduate students who are projected to graduate with Latin Honors or University Honors will receive a gold cord, signifying academic achievement, to wear during the commencement ceremony. Representatives from the Registrar’s Office will hand out the cords at a table at the Graduation Fair on March 23 and during on-campus cap and gown order pick up in the AU Campus Store from May 4-8. Master's and doctoral degree recipients are not eligible to receive Latin Honors.