Graduate information

The University of Alaska Fairbanks honored the Class of 2024 during its 102nd commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 4, at 1 p.m. at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.

 

2024 commencement ceremony checklist and timeline

 

  • Apply to graduate by March 1, 2024
    March 1 is the final deadline to apply to graduate in May. Fill out the graduation application today!
  • Check your account balance
    Check your UAOnline account to ensure your account balance has been paid in full, including your UAF graduation fee. Unpaid balances can prevent access to your diplomas, transcripts and grades.
  • Nominate a student speaker by March 1, 2024
    Apply to be a student speaker at commencement by March 1, 2024. You can also nominate a student commencement speaker.
  • Purchase regalia and invitations by April 11, 2024
    Graduates should order caps, gowns, tassels by April 11 and have them mailed to their current address to ensure arrival before the event. To order, visit the Josten's website or call the UAF Bookstore at 907-474-6898 for information about commencement regalia. 
  • RSVP and confirm by May 3, 2024
    Students who apply for graduation need to also confirm attendance at the ceremony via RSVP. To RSVP for commencement and to ensure a reader card is ready for you at the ceremony, contact Degree Services at 907-474-6300 or uaf-degree-services@alaska.edu. Seating is set by the number of students who have indicated they will be there, so students must confirm attendance. The event will also be streamed live. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates a few weeks after the ceremony.
  • Attend the Grad Bash on May 3, 2024
    Graduates and alumni are invited to attend  a celebration at The Pub Friday May 3, 2024 from 7-9 p.m. Must be 21+ to attend.

What to do after commencement

If you graduated last August or December, you should have already received your diploma. If you are a spring graduate, you will receive an email notification with instructions for electronically claiming your diploma. Your diploma notification will be sent to the email address you have marked as "preferred" in UAOnline. Verify or update your preferred email address, mailing address and cell phone number on the Personal Information tab in UAOnline.

Please pay your bills, because you won't get your diploma until you do. (The same thing goes for keeping a university key that's been issued to you.) Check your financial status at UAOnline or with the Bursar's Office before you leave campus so you don't get caught by surprise. However, you can still participate in the commencement ceremony even if your university debt has not been settled.

If you're a May graduate and you need your transcript sent somewhere, don't order it until you see your final grades and degree posted on UAOnline, otherwise you could end up sending incorrect or unofficial information.

Looking for jobs or internships? Log into UAF's career platform Handshake with your UA single sign-on (You already have an account, you just need to activate it!) and get access to over 7,000 employers across the U.S. and Alaska and hundreds of job openings. If you need more guidance, Career Services is here to help UAF alumni with everything from resume editing to interview prep.

 

2024 FAQs

 

When will the ceremony take place?

Commencement 2024 will start at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. We expect the ceremony to last 2-3 hours.

Do I or my guests need tickets?

No. Commencement is open to the public and there is no assigned seating. Doors open to the public at noon. Reserving seating is not allowed, so encourage your friends and family members to arrive early to get their preferred seats.

When will doctoral degree students and honorary degree and award recipients be recognized?

The Ph.D. hooding ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, May 3, in the Davis Concert Hall with a small reception following. Ph.D. students are also welcome and encouraged to attend the full commencement ceremony on Saturday. The Honoree Recognition Ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3, in the Davis Concert Hall. 

Will the commencement ceremony be available online?

Yes. The ceremony will be streamed on UAF’s Facebook and YouTube channels. Live captioning will be provided.

Will I receive my diploma at the ceremony? 

Students receive a diploma cover during the commencement ceremony. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates a few weeks after the ceremony.

Will there be an opportunity for photos at the event?

GradImages will take professional photos as graduates cross the stage. Photos are available for purchase. roofs and package options will be sent to the student following the ceremony. We will also have a family photo area outside after the ceremony. 

Where can I get a tassel, robe and mortarboard? 

Please contact the UAF Bookstore with any regalia purchasing questions. 

Do I have to wear academic regalia?

All students are expected to wear the appropriate academic regalia, which is a black robe, mortarboard and tassel. Students receiving master’s or doctoral degrees also should wear academic hoods. To celebrate and honor their heritage, Alaska Native and other Indigenous degree candidates are welcome to wear or incorporate traditional regalia in graduation attire. Active-duty military and veteran graduates are welcome to wear their dress uniforms instead of the black robe and mortarboard.

If you are graduating from UA Southeast or UA Anchorage, you’ll need to contact your home campus to order your regalia.

What if I need a specific accommodation?

Disability Services will address student and family needs. Please fill out this form in order for us to make accommodations with you for the upcoming event. 

Services that may be available include assisted-hearing devices and American Sign Language interpreters. The best place to see the interpreters is on the east side of the building. Wheelchairs will be available to assist guests to their seats if necessary.

Where do I park on the day of the ceremony?

Please park in the lot behind the Carlson Center and walk to the front, where you will find the check-in tent for graduates.

When do I need to be there and line up?

Doors open for graduates at 11 a.m. Parking is in the back of the facility. Please walk to the front, and visit the check-in tent to get further instructions about line-up. 

How do I make the check-in process faster? 

Please fill out the Photo Release form, and you will have an expedited check-in. 

What time should I tell my family to arrive at the Carlson Center?

The doors open to the public at noon. Public parking is behind the Carlson Center. Guests should come to the front of the building and enter through the upstairs doors.= Those needing special accommodations, or wheelchair access, can enter through the front ground-level doors.

Can my family save seats? 

Saving seats is not allowed. 

Will I receive honors or a cord?

It depends on the honors. 

  • Honors/cords handed out upstairs in line-up 
  • Cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude cords 
  • Community and Technical College sashes
  • Department cords 

Sashes/cords handed out at the check-in tent:

  • Red sashes for Alaska Native and Native American graduates 
  • Veteran cords
  • LGBTQ+ cords 
  • First-generation cords 

What are all the various sashes and cords?

  • Red sashes signify Alaska Native and Native American graduates.
  • Blue sashes signify Community and Technical College students.
  • Red, white and blue honor cords pay tribute to active-duty service members, veterans and Gold Star families of the U. S. armed forces.
  • Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society graduates wear either a white stole with an orange logo or an orange and white cord.
  • Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society graduates wear a blue and gold stole.
  • Student-athletes wear a blue sash with the Alaska Nanooks logo.
  • International students may wear a sash recognizing their home country.
  • Graduates who are the first in their family to earn a baccalaureate degree wear teal cords.
  • Graduates who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community wear rainbow cords.

What do I do with my personal items?

Please leave all items with family and friends. There is no secure area for personal items. Staff and volunteers will not be able to hold anything for students. Students should not bring personal items on the floor. Children are not allowed on the floor.

Is there any place to buy food inside the Carlson Center?

There will be concessions on the second floor on the east side of the building. 

Where are the restrooms?

On the first floor, bathrooms are located just west of the main entrance, near the Arthur Buswell Pioneer Room. There are restrooms on the west and east sides of the second floor.

Where can I get water?

There are water fountains near the restrooms on the first and second floors. Staff will provide water stations on each side of the upstairs area.

What if I don’t see my question here?

Please email uaf-commencement-team@alaska.edu and your question will be answered promptly.