May Commencement

May 2024 Commencement Ceremony

Congratulations, UT Spartans! After years of challenging and rewarding work, you will earn your degree. The May commencement ceremony will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Expo Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Graduates from the Sykes College of Business and the College of Arts and Letters are only permitted to participate in the 9:30 a.m. ceremony.

Graduates from the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Education and the College of Natural and Health Sciences are only permitted to participate in the 2 p.m. ceremony. 

Tickets are not required for family members or guests to attend either ceremony. However, due to limited seating, graduates are asked to invite six or fewer family members or guests. As seats cannot be reserved, it is highly recommended that family members and guests arrive early at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Student Step-by-Step Process

Students, please follow this step-by-step guide to ensure you are set to graduate on time and/or participate in the commencement ceremony.

Step 1: Apply to graduate on Workday no later than Sunday, March 24. The application to be included in the print program is now closed.

Log into your MyUTampa and use the Workday widget to apply to graduate and have your degree conferred. Please note, in order to graduate from UT you still need to complete this step, even if it is past the deadline.

Students are highly encouraged to apply prior to March 24 to confirm their name will be included in the commencement program. If you did not fill out the graduation application by March 24, your name will not be included in the physical program. You will still need to apply for graduation using the Workday widget in order to receive your diploma.

If you have any questions regarding your status please reach out to diplomas@ut.edu.

Step 2: Apply to attend the ceremony through the Commencement Application no later than Monday, April 1. The application is now closed.

Within this separate application from step one, you will provide the Office of Orientation and Family Engagement information relevant to your commencement ceremony experience. This information includes the phonetic spelling of your name to be read, accommodations for you or any of your guests, the commencement speaker application, etc.

To register to attend the ceremony after the deadline has passed, please contact the Office of Orientation and Family Engagement at commencement@ut.edu.

Step 3: Pre-orders are now closed.

Caps and gowns are free to all UT graduates. If you did not pre-order your cap and gown by the March 6 deadline, the University bookstore orders extra caps and gowns. Please visit the University bookstore beginning April 15 to request your cap and gown.

Step 4: Pick up your cap and gown from the University bookstore starting Monday, April 15.

Visit the bookstore for cap, gown and honor cord pick-up before the ceremony at the University Bookstore! Cap and gown pick-up will not be available before April 15.

Please note, that academic regalia will not be available for on-site pickup at the commencement ceremony and must be obtained before coming to the fairgrounds.  

Directions and Parking: Florida State Fairgrounds

The Florida State Fairgrounds is located at 4800 U.S. Highway 301 N. in Tampa. Cellular GPS directions to the fairgrounds vary within each app. Please use the following links to ensure you have the correct location for the entrance and parking at the fairgrounds - Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze.

Directions from the University (Plant Hall):

• Turn left onto W. Kennedy Blvd. (towards Downtown Tampa)
• Turn left onto N. Ashley Drive
• Merge right onto I-275 N and take exit 45B towards I-4 E/Orlando
• Take exit 7 onto US-92 E/Riverview
• Merge right onto US-301 S/Riverview
• Turn right into the Florida State Fairgrounds entrance.

If you go past the light at the intersection of US-301 S. and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, you have gone too far.

There is no fee for parking and disability parking is available with the appropriate hangtags to students, families, and guests.

*Please note: Take proper precautions for Tampa rush-hour traffic/Commencement traffic and leave with plenty of time to arrive at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Hotel Information

The University has contracted with the Hotel Tampa Riverwalk, 200 North Ashley Drive, Hyatt Place Downtown Tampa, 325 N. Florida Ave. and the Home2 Suites by Hilton Tampa Downtown Channel District, 1155 E. Kennedy Blvd. to offer special rates to our families and guests who will be attending the ceremony.

To book at the Hotel Tampa Riverwalk, please visit the registration link or call (813) 223-2222. The cut-off date to make your reservation at the special rate is April 11, 2024.

To book at the Hyatt Place Downtown, please visit the registration link or call (813) 424-3152 and ask for Kiersten Herman, Sales Coordinator. The cut-off date to make your reservation at the special rate is April 12, 2024.

To book at the Home2 Suites by Hilton Tampa Downtown Channel District, please visit the registration link or call (813) 525-9900. The cut-off date to make your reservation at the special rate is April 3, 2024.

Please note: It is highly recommended to make your reservation early before the hotel room blocks reach capacity.

Families and guests may choose to reserve lodging at additional hotels located close to the UT campus. Families and guests should make reservations directly with the hotel.

Family Communication Philosophy

While we understand family members and guests are excited to celebrate their student's achievements at commencement, we are only able to provide general information about the ceremony as opposed to student-specific information. Please visit the Student Affairs Family Communication Philosophy for more information. 

Questions?

Please contact Orientation and Family Engagement at commencement@ut.edu or (813) 257-1999.