Families and Guests

Commencement celebrations take place throughout the week of May 6 and culminate with the University-Wide Commencement Ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

College and school ceremonies (also called convocations), where graduates are recognized individually, take place at various times and in various locations around campus. A schedule of these convocations is available here. 

What’s the difference between “college and school convocations” and the “university-wide ceremony”?

UT Austin’s 18 degree-granting colleges and schools host their own graduation ceremonies (also called “convocations”) to honor the accomplishments of their specific degree candidates (or “graduates”). This ceremony is where degree candidates’ names are read aloud as they cross the stage and are recognized individually for their accomplishments. These convocations are organized by each individual college or school and take place on various days at various times and at different locations around the UT Austin campus. Some may require tickets for guests. Colleges and schools will provide ticket information, if needed, to their graduates. 

The University-Wide Commencement Ceremony is hosted by the President and is the formal ceremony at which graduates of all colleges and schools at UT Austin are recognized as a group. The ceremony includes remarks from university leadership, the student body president, and the commencement speaker, as well as the official conferral of degrees by the university president. The ceremony begins with a procession of all graduates, followed by faculty and university leadership. It concludes with a fireworks display.