You are here: American University Commencement Prepare to Graduate

Pipers perform at American University Commencement

Preparing to Graduate

  1. Apply to Graduate on Eagle Service and go to Graduation Overview. Connect with your advisor if you have any questions about your graduation application. Students must submit an application to graduate on Eagle Service by March 25. Applications for graduation will not be accepted after the deadline.

  2. Order Regalia. Students made eligible to participate in Commencement will be sent a link to order regalia beginning on March 1. Your regalia order serves as your registration to participate in the ceremony and signs you up for your tickets and parking pass. April 1 is the deadline for best price shipping and on-campus pick-up orders. April 23 is the deadline for ship-to-home orders. At Commencement, all graduates must be in regalia unless they are active military in uniform. Regalia includes gown, mortarboard or tam, stole, and/or cords. Anything other than regalia will not be permitted.

  3. Diploma Name Verification. Even if your chosen name has not changed since you first applied to AU, please take a moment to check your application to graduate on Eagle Service to verify the spelling (José Rodríguez or Jose Rodriguez), punctuation (Al Shamsi or Al-Shamsi), spacing (La Barge or Labarge), and capitalization (Dewitt or DeWitt) of your diploma name. If any of the above are incorrect, please correct the diploma name field so that it will appear accurately on your diploma and in the commencement program. Updates must be made no later than April 3 (updates made after March 25 should be emailed to Graduation Services).

  4. NameCoach and Recognition of Graduates. NameCoach will create a professionally recorded reading of your diploma name, which will play when you cross the stage at Commencement. Eligible graduates will receive a unique NameCoach registration link beginning on March 6. The link allows each graduate to record their name to ensure it is pronounced correctly. The deadline to submit a name pronunciation is April 1. If a student made eligible for graduation does not submit a recorded name pronunciation, NameCoach name readers will pronounce their diploma name as accurately as they can.

  5. Complete the Grad Census. This annual survey asks main campus graduate and undergraduate students about experiences at AU and their postgraduation plans. This provides a basis for improving services and support for students and alumni. We hope you will complete the Grad Census you receive by email invitation or via this link.

  6. Honors Cords and Alumni Association Medals. Undergraduates eligible for Latin Honors (3.67 cumulative GPA and 60 of 120 credits at AU) can pick up their gold honors cord during on-campus regalia pickup May 7 - 11 in the Mary Graydon Center. Alumni Relations will distribute Alumni Association Medals to students who make a gift.

  7. Collect your Tickets. An allotment of six (6) electronic tickets and one (1) parking pass will be distributed to students who have registered to participate in Commencement by ordering their cap and gown. Registered students will receive a unique link to their AU email to access their electronic tickets and parking pass beginning April 12. Tickets are required for admittance to the Commencement ceremonies.

  8. Check back for more updates on plans to celebrate our graduates.

Spring 2024 Commencement Update Emails

Emails are sent to students who are potential graduates based on earned credits and applications to graduate.

Update #1 - January 29, 2024
Update #2 - February 26, 2024
Update #3 - March 22, 2024

Student Speaker Selection

Each ceremony includes an address by a graduating graduate and undergraduate student speaker. Selection of the student speakers is coordinated within each school's dean's office starting in early February. Speakers are announced by early April.

If you would like to be considered as a student speaker, contact your school’s commencement coordinator.

Regalia Orders

Your regalia order serves as your registration to participate in the Commencement ceremony and signs you up for your tickets and parking pass (which you will receive access to approximately three weeks prior to your ceremony). Students will be sent a link to order regalia as they are made eligible to participate in Commencement beginning on March 1.

(If you are borrowing regalia from a past graduate, please email commencement@american.edu.)

 

  Includes Pricing (before tax) Needs to be returned?
Bachelor’s Regalia Cap, gown, and tassel $44 No
Master’s Regalia Cap, gown, tassel, and hood $77 No
Juris Doctor and LLM Regalia Tam (cap), gown, and hood $123 Yes, immediately following the ceremony
Doctoral Regalia Rental Tam (cap), gown, and hood $123 Yes, immediately following the ceremony
Doctoral Regalia Custom Purchase Tam (cap), gown, and hood Begins at at $900 N/A

Please note: AU regalia is ordered through an online website.

Doctoral degree recipients may opt to purchase custom regalia (pricing starts at $900). Please contact commencement@american.edu to request the custom doctoral regalia order form. The deadline to order custom doctoral regalia is March 25.

Students in the Military: Students serving on active duty, joining the Armed Forces, or authorized to wear military uniforms may wear formal dress uniforms in lieu of rental regalia. Since tickets will not be distributed to students who do not purchase regalia, you must email commencement@american.edu to qualify for Commencement ceremony tickets and a parking pass.

Covid-19 and Commencement

  • Vaccinations: COVID vaccinations and boosters are strongly recommended, but not required for AU community members and guests. Vaccination and booster shots are readily available near campus, including pharmacies and grocery stores, and can be located on the CDC’s vaccine location webpage.
  • Good Health Practices: To support our community and your personal health, you are strongly recommended to stay home when you are sick, get tested if you exhibit COVID symptoms or have been exposed to a confirmed case, and wash your hands often.
  • We have developed updated FAQs that provide additional information. If you have questions, please contact covidhealth@american.edu. Thank you for your continued support for the health and well-being of our AU community.

International Grads & Guests

Students participating in Commencement or their guests who are not in the U.S. at the time of graduation and do not have a U.S. passport may require documentation in order to secure a visa to attend commencement. All requests must be submitted by the graduate via a written request to the Registrar's Office with the following information:

  1. Name of the graduating student

  2. Major or course of study

  3. Date of ceremony

Submission Options

Mail:
Degree Clearance Team, Office of the Registrar
American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20016

Fax: 202-885-1016

Email: graduation_services@american.edu
(Email submissions must have a PDF attachment of the request which includes the student's signature)

This page will be updated as additional Commencement details become available.