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 was February 27, 2026. More information can be found on the graduation website.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with the Office of the Registrar ([email protected]) with any questions or concerns regarding your commencement eligibility.

The deadline for ordering regalia online is Friday, March 20.

For more information about regalia orders, please visit the Regalia webpage or call the Stetson University Bookstore directly at 386-822-7160.

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, stage decking, and grass.

Additionally, service members may wear military uniforms in place of a cap and gown.

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.

Students are encouraged to limit the number of items they bring, as students must take any items brought to check-in with them to the Edmunds Center. Personal items are NOT permitted to be left in the Rinker Fieldhouse during the ceremonies.

The following items are not permitted in the Edmunds Center:

• Food and beverages
• Fireworks/open flames
• Balloons
• Beach balls
• Weapons
• Noisemakers (blow horns, whistles, etc.)
• Signs and Posters
• E-cigarettes
• Pets and Emotional Support Animals (please review our pet policy for additional information)

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 graduating students four to six weeks following the graduation date. Graduated students will receive a confirmation once it is sent.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with 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 are NOT permitted inside of the Edmunds Center.

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.

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.

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

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.)
• Signs and Posters
• E-cigarettes
• Strollers
• 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.

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.

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

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

Guests will be seated both in the raised seating located along the West side of the arena, as well as on the arena floor. 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. Accessible seating for guests with restricted mobility will be available on the arena floor. 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.

Please note that all guest seating is on a first come, first served basis.

Accessible seating for guests with restricted mobility will be available on the arena floor. Please note that all guest seating is on a first come, first served basis.

Yes, each ceremony will be live-captioned and displayed on large screens located on either side of the stage.

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

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.

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

Ceremony Live Stream