Frequently Asked Questions

Degree candidates with an expected graduation date of May 2026, and graduates from July 2025 and December 2025 are eligible to participate. Degree candidates with expected graduation dates of July 2026 and December 2026 may request permission to participate.

Students must have completed the application for graduation in order to be eligible to participate in the 2026 Commencement ceremonies. The deadline to apply to graduate is February 27, 2026. More information can be found on the graduation website.

Please contact the Office of the Registrar ([email protected]) with any questions or concerns regarding your commencement eligibility.

Information regarding regalia ordering and instructions for order pick up will be made available by November 1.

Students are welcome to decorate their caps to celebrate their achievements and highlight their individuality. Decorated caps must align with the Student Conduct and Community Standards and should reflect the professionalism and significance of the occasion. Any caps deemed to be inappropriate will not be permitted to be worn.

Yes, students are permitted to wear Western-style hats manufactured by the Stetson hat company instead of a regalia cap. Hats are available for purchase online and in-store at the DeLand Campus Bookstore.

Regalia must be worn as intended, with gowns fully zipped throughout the procession, ceremony and recession. In addition to regalia, comfortable attire and sensible shoes are recommended, as graduates will be walking from the check-in area to the Edmunds center and across various surfaces such as pavement and stage decking.

No, there will not be a rehearsal for graduates. Students will be given all necessary instructions at student check-in prior to each ceremony.

Graduates are asked to arrive in regalia with limited personal items to the Hollis Center, Rinker Field House one hour prior to their ceremony. From there, graduates will walk to the Edmunds Center in the procession to begin the ceremony.

University Latin honor cords, given to bachelor's degree candidates with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5, will be distributed at student check-in prior to each ceremony. Honor cords are the only accessories that will be distributed at check-in.

Academic and non-academic accessories will be distributed directly from the appropriate sponsor of the association, organization, club, or group prior to the ceremony. Please contact your group's sponsor for more information.

Diplomas will be mailed to all graduated students four to six weeks following the graduation date. Graduated students will receive a confirmation once it is mailed.

Please contact the Office of the Registrar ([email protected]) with any questions or concerns regarding your diploma.

Yes, tickets are required for guests at no charge.

Each eligible participant will be allotted six guest tickets. Additional tickets will NOT be distributed. Tickets will be made available online on Friday, March 13 with a deadline to claim tickets by Friday, May 1. Please note that physical tickets will not be available for pick up anywhere on campus.

No, graduating students do not need tickets to attend the ceremony they are assigned to participate in. If graduate students are attending a different ceremony as a guest, a ticket is required.

Children who are 3 years of age and older must have a ticket to attend the ceremony. Children ages two years and under are NOT required to have a ticket but will need to be held in the lap of an attendee. Strollers may NOT be placed in aisles within the guest seating area.

Additional guest tickets will NOT be distributed beyond the initial six tickets allocated to each eligible participant.

While participants are permitted to share any unused tickets with others within the same scheduled ceremony, careful consideration should be taken when making this decision, as once tickets are given to another participant, they cannot be revoked. Additional tickets will not be given to those who choose to gift tickets to others.

Students are not permitted to sell unused tickets. Reports received of students selling tickets will be sent to the Office of Community Standards. A referral to the Office of Community Standards for the selling of Commencement tickets could result in allegations from the Office of Community Standards for not following requested written university policies.

Detailed instructions for claiming guest tickets will be emailed to each eligible participant and made available on the Ceremony Tickets webpage on Friday, March 13.

Please note that physical tickets are not available for pick up anywhere on campus.

It is the responsibility of each eligible participant to send tickets to their guests. Detailed instructions for reprinting or resending guest tickets will be made available on the Ceremony Tickets webpage on Friday, March 13.

Please note that physical tickets are not available for pick up anywhere on campus.

Please note that the Edmunds Center, Insight Credit Union Arena is accessible to all guests with seating available on the ground level and elevator access to the mezzanine. Guests with disabilities who will require floor seating will need to make a reservation to ensure accommodation. Guests in this area will be allowed one companion. All guests and companions must provide a confirmed ticket number to request accommodation seating and attend the in-person event.

The Accessible Seating Request Form will be made available on Friday, March 13.

More information regarding accessibility services can be found on the Ceremony Details webpage.

Stetson University's 2026 Commencement ceremonies will be held indoors at the Insight Credit Union Arena in the Edmunds Center, located at 143 East Pennsylvania Ave, DeLand, FL 32723.

Each ceremony is expected to take approximately two hours.

The following items are not permitted:

• Food and beverages
• Fireworks/open flames
• Balloons
• Beach balls
• Weapons
• Noisemakers (blow horns, whistles, etc.)
• Pets and Emotional Support Animals (please review our Community Standards for additional information)

There are multiple parking lots located around campus which can be used for Commencement parking. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis; parking in undesignated lots will be at your own risk.

More information regarding parking will be made available at a later date.

Guests may enter the arena through the main entrance to the Edmunds Center, located on East Pennsylvania Ave.

Edmunds Center will be open for guests one hour and 30 minutes prior to each ceremony. Early arrivals will not be permitted to enter the arena.

Yes, live streaming of each ceremony will be available for graduates and guests who are unable to attend in person.

Ceremony Live Stream

Yes, the Commencement program will be made available online prior to the ceremonies.

Graduates will be seated on the arena floor facing the stage with their backs toward the raised seating.

Guests will be seated in the raised seating located along the West side of the arena. Please note that seats in the highest levels of the raised seating do not have back support. We encourage those who may need back support to arrive early to ensure a seat with support is available. While we understand that friends and families may want to sit together, we ask that out of respect for fellow attendees, seats are not reserved for attendees who plan to arrive to the arena closer to the ceremony start time.

No, access to the stage following the Commencement ceremony will be prohibited.

Photographers from Island Photography will be taking photographs of each student as they cross the stage. Following Commencement, the students will receive an email with secure links and a PIN to view the photos. You can register the email addresses of friends and relatives so that they will receive a direct link to the proofs by visiting Island Photography's website.

Guests may use personal cameras and video cameras but are not allowed to leave their seats during the ceremony.