General Commencement Questions

All guests must follow the CLEAR BAG policy. Bags must be CLEAR plastic and cannot exceed 12” X 6” X 12”. Small clutch purse is allowed (which does not need to be clear) no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”. Logo size on the clear bag cannot be larger than 4.5” X 3.4”.

The following list of prohibited items was established to protect the safety and best interests of Auburn University students, employees, and guests.
  • Artificial noisemakers
  • Backpacks
  • Cameras with lenses over 4 inches
  • Food/beverage from outside the Arena (including alcoholic beverages)
  • Hover Boards
  • Pets (service animals are permitted)
  • Weapons (including pocketknives)

Please see the schedule for commencement ceremony times.

Doors open 90 minutes before the ceremonies start. See schedule for times.

Yes, visit our Ticketing Guidelines.

Yes, it varies by semester.

The duration of each ceremony is dependent on the number of graduates who participate.

No, tailgating is not permitted.

Yes, concessions are available for purchase.

Yes, programs and buttons are provided at the main entrances to Neville Arena.

Yes, professional photographers take photos of graduates as they cross the stage. Photos are available for download two weeks following commencement at GradImages.com.

No, guests are not permitted to reserve seating prior to or during ceremonies. All seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Yes, a limited number of accessible seating is available in Neville Arena on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are asked to ensure accessible seats are available to those who need them.

Flash photography is permitted. Phones and cameras are allowed.

Yes, students with family members who cannot attend the commencement ceremony can live stream video of the ceremony at https://www.auburn.edu/graduationlive. The stream begins approximately 15 minutes before each ceremony begins.

Only students currently enrolled may submit a request to participate in the commencement ceremony during the summer or fall semester following the conferral of their degree. No students graduating in the summer or fall semesters are permitted to participate in spring commencement. Graduates from prior years are not permitted to participate in current or future commencement ceremonies.

Commencement Questions for Graduating Students

All graduates will receive an official commencement name card that includes RFID information used to display names during commencement ceremonies.
**Important name card information**
  • All graduates must have a valid form of ID in order to receive their name card.
  • Hard copy IDs or digital IDs on smartphones will be accepted.
  • If a graduate does not have a preprinted name card at their graduation ceremony, a write-in card can be provided pending graduation status verification.

Please see the commencement schedule for ceremony start times. Graduates MUST arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to their ceremony. Graduates must be seated on the Arena floor 30 minutes before their ceremony starts. See the schedule for times.

Stoles, cords, and medallions. Any inappropriate stoles will be removed. In addition to the black robe, men should wear dress pants (preferably dark) and dark shoes. No jeans, athletic shoes, or sandals. Women should wear a dress, a top with a skirt, or dark pants (no jeans). Please wear flats or wedges.

Diplomas are shipped to graduates 6-8 weeks following commencement. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for questions regarding diplomas at otrgrad@auburn.edu.

All graduates receive a copy of the Auburn Creed from their dean.

When posting to social media, please use the hashtag #auburngrad.

No, graduates do not need to attend to have their degrees conferred.

Ticketing

In 2023, Auburn University implemented a ticketing policy for its fall and spring ceremonies. Tickets are available only to students registered to graduate during the semester and are free, general admission (no seat assignments). Tickets are electronic and printable

Only students registered to graduate for commencement can reserve guest tickets for their ceremony. Guest ticket reservations can only be placed by graduates, not by guest.

Due to venue capacity in Neville Arena and in alignment with campus safety protocols, all spring 2024 graduates are assigned one (1) ticket for themselves and may reserve up to six (6) guest tickets. Graduates may request two (2) additional guest tickets, which are not guaranteed and are allocated based on capacity availability.

In addition to the allocated six guest tickets, graduates may request an additional two guest tickets when reserving their guest tickets. Additional guest tickets are allocated based on availability and are not guaranteed.

Possibly. A standby line is available for guests without tickets. Depending on Arena capacity, guests from the standby line may be permitted to enter Neville Arena 15 minutes after the ceremony begins. Guest entry via the standby line is not guaranteed.

Yes. A graduate ticket is automatically reserved for each spring graduate when they register for tickets. All graduates must register for a commencement ticket, regardless of whether they need guest tickets.

Guest waitlist tickets are determined based on (1) graduate ticket demand/reservations for each ceremony and (2) Arena capacity.

No. Graduates may only request an additional two guest tickets, which are not guaranteed. A standby line is offered to those guests without tickets and is not guaranteed. Any available tickets will be offered to guests waiting in the standby line on a first-come, first-served basis 15 minutes after the ceremony begins.

Any unscanned tickets will be redirected to guests waiting in the standby line 15 minutes after the ceremony begins.

Spring 2024 graduates can reserve commencement tickets beginning Monday, February 26, 2024, at 11 am through Friday, March 21, 2024, at midnight.

Spring 2024 graduates can access tickets beginning April 22, 2024, at 11 am.

Once downloaded, graduates can forward tickets to their guest(s). Guests are encouraged to print individual tickets to expedite entry to Neville Arena.

All tickets are electronic and can be downloaded as PDFs. Graduates are responsible for providing guest tickets to their guests. The Commencement Office does not distribute tickets to families and guests.

No. Regardless of whether a ticket is presented on a mobile device or printed, once it is scanned, it is no longer viable. Guests who present a ticket that has already been scanned will not be permitted entry.

Yes. Each ticket may only be scanned for the ceremony/graduate it was assigned to.

Yes. Each ceremony has a limited number of tickets based on (1) the estimated number of graduates and (2) the capacity of Neville Arena.

All ceremonies are livestreamed for those guests who are unable to attend. A link to the livestream is available on the graduation website. The Village Dining Hall (located next to Neville Arena) is open for guests who wish to travel to Auburn but do not have tickets. All ceremonies will be livestreamed inside the Village Dining Hall, where concessions are available for purchase.

Yes. All guests, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter Neville Arena.

Yes. All guests entering the venue must have a ticket. Students and faculty should be included in each graduate’s guest ticket count.

Yes. Tickets are free and only issued by the university directly to graduates.

No. Once a ticket is scanned, it is no longer viable. Re-entry to Neville Arena is not permitted.

No, tickets are PDFs that can be electronically downloaded or printed and scanned once.

No. All tickets are general seating inside Neville Arena. ADA seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Only one guest may accompany a guest utilizing ADA seating.

No. Auburn's commencement tickets are free and available only to graduates registered to graduate. Graduate or guest ticket(s) may not be used for advertising, promotion (such as contests or giveaways), or other trade or commercial purposes. Auburn students who engage in such activities or in any other activity that disrupts the administration of the ceremony or who violate the Auburn University Code of Student Conduct or other University policies may be subject to disciplinary sanctions, including banned from attending commencement.

Tickets are issued by ceremony. Any unused tickets should be returned to the commencement office to be redistributed to other students.

Graduates who reserved guest tickets that are no longer needed are encouraged to log in to the ticket portal and return them to be redistributed to other graduates who have requested additional tickets.

Prohibited Items


Clear Bag Policy

To assist with making graduation safe and enjoyable, please note the following safety procedures in place for all commencement activities in Neville Arena:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR GRADUATES AND GUESTS

  • All guests must pass through metal detectors upon entry to Neville Arena.
  • Doors open 90 minutes before each ceremony.
  • Guests may enter through the Main Arena Entrance or the Scholarship Entrance (for accessibility).
  • A clear bag policy is strictly enforced; guests who do not comply will be asked to return items to their vehicles.
  • Guest seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Reserved seating is not permitted.
  • Concession stands will be open inside Neville Arena.
  • For the safety and security of all attendees, Neville Arena must be cleared following each ceremony.
  • Please see the attached map for parking information.
  • Neville Arena parking lot is reserved only for ADA drop-off and ADA parking (hang tags must be visible).
  • After the ceremony, graduates and guests will be directed to the “meet-up tent” in the Arena parking lot.

Prohibited Items

The following list of prohibited items was established to protect the safety and best interests of Auburn University students, employees, and fans.

  • Weapons (including pocket knives)
  • Pets (service animals are permitted)
  • Artificial Noisemakers
  • Non-permitted bags
  • Outside food/beverages
  • Hover Boards, Scooters and Skateboards
  • Balloons

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited inside Neville Arena and on the campus of Auburn University.

Security officers will search all bags before attendees are permitted to enter. Those with prohibited items will be turned away.

Clear Bag Policy

A clear bag policy is in effect to (1) enhance existing security measures and (2) expedite entry into Neville Arena. Approved bags include:

  • LARGE CLEAR BAGS: One clear bag or tote that does not exceed 12” x 12” per person.
  • SMALL CLUTCH BAGS: One small clutch bag or purse that does not exceed 4.5" x 6.5" per person. Small bags must not be larger than 4" x 6".

Prohibited bags include:

Non-clear bags that exceed 4” x 6” OR clear bags that exceed 12” x 12” are prohibited. Examples include grocery totes, mesh or straw bags, duffle bags, camera/binocular cases, and any other bags that do not meet the clear bag policy. Diaper bags are permitted but will be inspected.