FAQ

1. have applied for graduation online by the posted semester deadline
2. have had their application approved by their respective Advising Center or The Graduate College
3. have completed all degree requirements
4. have had final semester grades posted to their Texas State transcript
5. have paid any outstanding fees owed to the university
6. the Dean of the respective College, or Graduate College Dean, has certified them as graduated

To be eligible to participate in your commencement ceremony, the following requirements must be met:

• Apply for graduation by the posted semester deadline
• Be pre-approved by your respective Academic Advising Center of The Graduate College
• Be in pursuit of a doctoral, specialist, master's, or bachelor's degree
• Be registered for all remaining degree requirements
• Clear all university holds for financial obligations
• Wear official Texas State regalia

Undergraduate Students

Please contact your Academic Advising Center.

Graduate Students

Please contact The Graduate College.

Graduates must submit their RSVP for commencement via their Graduation Application.

Graduation Applications open at the start of each academic semester for eligible students and close after a month.

Please read through our Academic Honors page for related information.

All students graduating with master's degrees have maintained an A or B average. Therefore, it is not acknowledged nor is there special regalia required.

Regalia is required for all graduates in attendance. For more information and ordering, please visit our cap and gown page.

Candidates must wait to put on their regalia (cap and gown) until they have entered the University Events Center. Candidates must carry their regalia into the building with or without a disposable bag.  There will not be a place to store hangers or garment bags during the ceremony.

Graduation with academic honors cords will be distributed to eligible graduates free of charge at commencement. Graduates may wear stoles and cords from other organizations as long as they are in the spirit of academic celebration.

Graduates and faculty must order regalia online. Graduates should order regalia by November 11 to ensure timely delivery, though the site is open for expedited shipping November 12 through 22.

Rental

• Doctoral Regalia: Rental deadline is November 11.
• Faculty Regalia: Rental deadline is November 11.

Purchase

• Bachelor's Regalia: Purchase deadline is November 11.
• Master's Regalia: Purchase deadline is November 11.
• Doctoral Regalia: Purchase deadline is October 25 to avoid expedited fees. Doctoral purchases can use Promo Code (TXSTDR100) to save $100 until Dec 31, 2024!

For additional questions, contact the Bobcat Store (bookstore) at 512.245.2273 or 512.245.0854.

Honors cords will be distributed to eligible graduates when they check in at commencement. To confirm honors status, please contact your Academic Advising Center.

Please contact the student organization or department directly regarding cords and stoles.

A standard Texas State stole can be ordered from the University Bookstore along with cap and gown.

The stoles available for purchase at the University Bookstore come with the Texas State University seal. Additional embroidery on stoles is not required. TXST and the University Bookstore do not offer embroidering services.

Many students contact area businesses to help with additional embroidery such as graduation years, degree, student organizations, and more.

Flash Photography
214-443-9393

Texas State University has arranged for a commercial photographer, Flash Photography, to take photographs of each candidate during commencement.

A free proof order form will be e-mailed to your Texas State e-mail account or mailed to your permanent address approximately one week after the ceremony, unless there is a privacy hold on your record.

If you have a privacy hold, or do not want to receive this mailing for any other reason, please contact Flash Photography at 214-443-9393. You are under no obligation to purchase the photographs.

Graduation photos from previous semesters and years may still be available! Contact Flash Photography for details.

Beginning in May 2023, all Texas State graduation candidates who participate in the university’s official commencement ceremonies will receive a TXST challenge coin as they cross the stage and receive their diploma cover. The zinc alloy coins with an antique bronze finish feature the University Seal on one face and Old Main and the graduation year on the other.

Unfortunately, coins are not available to those that are unable to attend commencement or those that attended commencement ceremonies prior to spring 2023. In addition, coins that are lost will not be replaced.

Graduation announcements/invitations are optional. Candidates often choose to purchase announcements from Herff Jones along with their regalia.

If you are a Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) candidate with three minors, please call your vendor of choice before ordering to ensure proper formatting for your announcements.

Yes, all guests aged 4 and over must have a ticket to attend commencement. It is the graduate’s responsibility to secure and distribute their guests’ tickets prior to the ceremony. Only graduates that selected "Yes" to attending on their Graduation Application will be able to reserve guest tickets.

Tickets will be required for all commencement ceremonies. The sale of tickets to other graduates or guests is prohibited.

Graduates do not need a ticket but will need to present an ID at check-in.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• TXST student ID
• driver’s license
• government-issued ID

Only graduates that selected "Yes" to attending on their Graduation Application will be able to reserve guest tickets.

An email with a link for ticket reservations will be sent one month prior to the ceremony.

• November 12, 2024: an email with instructions to secure tickets will be sent from Texas State Presents
• November 30, 2024: The deadline to claim guest tickets

After November 12 if you need assistance with guest tickets, please contact Texas State Presents directly at txstatepresents@txstate.edu

NOTICE: Invitation Letters are no longer consistently recognized by U.S. immigration officers in other countries. It is strongly recommended that you write your own invitation letter in support of your family members or friends receiving a visa. Download the student template to write your own invitation letter.

Belongings are subject to search upon entry to Strahan Arena. Please limit the items brought into the venue to expedite check-in.

Allowed:

• Clear bags, see the TXST Clear Bag Policy for details
• Handheld cameras
• Cellphones
• Flowers
• Service animals
• Small, folding strollers (large strollers must be checked in inside the arena)
• Small handheld signs
• Umbrella

Prohibited:

• Alcohol
• Bags, non-clear, see the TXST Clear Bag Policy for details
• Balloons or beach balls
• Banners or flags (see signs, under Allowed Items)
• Confetti or glitter
• Frisbees
• Glass or ceramic items
• Laser pointers
• Noisemakers
• Outside food or drink
• Tailgating
• Tobacco products and e-cigarettes
• Weapons

Candidates must wait to put on their regalia (cap and gown) until they have entered the University Events Center. Candidates must carry their regalia into the building with or without a disposable bag.  There will not be a place to store hangers or garment bags during the ceremony.

No, there is not a walk-through or rehearsal of graduation ceremonies.

Each ceremony is typically one and a half to two hours long. Length is affected by the number of graduates and semester.

Graduates should arrive at least one hour prior to the start of their ceremony.

It is recommended that candidates and guests with disabilities arrive one and a half hours prior to the ceremony start time.

Some colleges offer special ceremonies for the hooding of their master’s candidates. For information about these ceremonies, please contact the Dean’s Office for your college.

• Applied Arts, (512) 245-3333
• Business, (512) 245-2311
• Education, (512) 245-2150
• Fine Arts and Communication, (512) 245-2308
• Health Professions, (512) 245-3300
• Liberal Arts, (512) 245-2317
• Science and Engineering, (512) 245-2119

Graduates should attend the ceremony associated with their college/department. See the schedule page for more details.

Strahan Arena at the University Events Center on our San Marcos Campus.

Please visit the Directions, Parking, and Seating page for more information.

At the end of the ceremony, graduates and guests will exit the University Events Center.

Re-entry will only be allowed for those with limited mobility through entrances 2 and 3.

Future commencement schedules are available on the Future Schedules website.

If you are a faculty or staff member attending the commencement ceremony, please visit the Faculty and Staff Info website for more information.

Faculty serving as marshals will receive instructions via email approximately one month prior to the ceremony.

Those who are eligible to participate in commencement will be able to reserve up to 15 guest tickets.

Unfortunately, no additional tickets will be made available.

Yes, guests must have tickets to attend commencement. It is the graduate’s responsibility to secure and distribute their guests’ tickets prior to the ceremony.

Tickets will be required for all commencement ceremonies. The sale of tickets to other graduates or guests is prohibited. 

NOTICE: Invitation Letters are no longer consistently recognized by U.S. immigration officers in other countries. It is strongly recommended that you write your own invitation letter in support of your family members or friends receiving a visa. Download the student template to write your own invitation letter.

Official Texas State merchandise will be available for sale at commencement through our Bobcat Store.

A student organization will be at commencement providing flowers and other gifts for sale. You can view and purchase gifts ahead of time if desired.

A printed program will be available for each graduate at the in-person ceremonies. Limited quantities are available to guests. Commencement programs will be available online in PDF format prior to commencement.

When applying for graduation, you indicated “Yes” or “No” to including your name in the commencement program. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact your Academic Advising Center (undergraduates) or The Graduate College (graduates).

A draft of the name section as of November 12 is available.

You must submit a Personal Information Update Request with the Registrar's Office.

This will affect how your name will appear on your diploma, the commencement program, and other university documents.

Please contact your Academic Advising Center (undergraduate students) or The Graduate College (graduate students) for help.

You must submit a Personal Information Update Request with the Registrar's Office.

This will affect how your name will appear on your diploma, the commencement program, and other university documents.

For questions about diplomas, please email diplomas@txstate.edu. For key dates on availability of transcripts and diplomas, please review the Academic Calendar.

Diplomas are 11x14 inches.

No, you will be given a Texas State diploma board at commencement. Your official diploma will be mailed to you after commencement.

No, only graduates who indicate they will be attending commencement and attend on the day will receive a diploma board.

Diploma boards are not included with the shipping of paper diplomas.

Awarding honorary degrees is a common practice in prestigious universities. These awards are given to honor those that have distinguished themselves through leadership to benefit their community and their professions. The following recipients of honorary degrees were and are remarkable supporters of higher education and Texas State University. To learn more about the university's honorary degree recipients, please visit the Honorary Degrees at Texas State website.

To learn more about traditions at Texas State Commencement, please view other FAQs on this page as well as the Commencement Traditions webpage.