Academic Attire
Commencement Regalia and Accessories
Note: The deadline to order regalia online was Monday, April 27. Unfortunately, you will no longer be able to place an order through Josten’s website since the online ordering deadline has passed.
The Campus Store should have some regalia available for purchase. You can contact the Campus Store at 206-489-2838 or shop@seattleu.edu to see when regalia will be available. Please note that availability is not guaranteed and no doctoral regalia will be offered.
We recommend purchasing regalia from the Campus Store as early as possible so that you have better chances of getting what you need. If you are a doctoral student needing regalia, please reach out to your program director to see if any alumni have regalia you can borrow.
Cap and Gown
Gown styles differ for Bachelor, Master's, and Doctoral candidates. The regalia vendor knows what is required and will provide you with the appropriate regalia selection when ordering. For further details:
- Bachelor candidates wear a black cap and robe. Tassel color is determined by school/college. Latin Honors recipients (undergraduate students only) wear an honors hood provided by Seattle University. There is no option to rent Bachelor regalia.
- Master's candidates wear a black cap and robe paired with hoods in colors that correspond to academic degree. There is no option to rent Master regalia.
- Doctoral candidates wear a special red and black robe with a black tam (cap) along with a hood specific to Seattle University. Doctoral regalia is available to rent or purchase.
Stoles
Stoles are an optional add-on and not required for participation in the ceremony. Stoles may be available to students for specific club or program participation. Reach out to your club or program representatives to see if you are eligible for a stole.
Cords
Cords are an optional add-on and not required for participation in the ceremony. A club or program representative will reach out to you about that opportunity if you are eligible for a cord.
- Graduating veterans receive a special red, white and royal blue honor cord to be worn with their regalia at Commencement in recognition of their service to our country.
- Other programs may also provide cords.
Watch this quick tutorial video made by your fellow graduates!
Undergraduate Students
If you are an undergraduate student graduating with academic honors, you will be notified in late May via email with instructions to pick up your honors hood.
Honors at graduation are awarded with a minimum of 90 Seattle University graded credits and a cumulative GPA as follows:
Cum Laude - 3.50 to 3.69
Magna Cum Laude - 3.70 to 3.89
Summa Cum Laude - 3.90 to 4.00
Because the Commencement program is printed prior to spring quarter grading, honors printed in that program are calculated as of the winter quarter's grades. Diplomas and transcripts will reflect appropriate honors following spring quarter grading.
Graduate Students
Master's, educational specialists and doctoral degree candidates wear hoods appropriate to their degrees and are not eligible for academic honors.
Tassels are specific to each college or program of student. This can vary between undergraduate and graduate students. When you regalia, you will select your program and will be automatically provided the correct color.
| College/School | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| College of Arts and Sciences | White | Peacock Blue |
| Albers School of Business and Economics | Tan | Tan |
| College of Education | Not applicable |
Light Blue Old Gold (Doctoral) |
| College of Nursing | Apricot | Apricot |
| College of Science and Engineering |
Orange (Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering majors only) Gold (Sciences) |
Orange Gold (Computer Science only) |
In academic tradition, the student who has not yet earned a degree wears the tassel on the RIGHT side of the mortarboard. After the baccalaureate degrees have been conferred, graduates will be directed to move the tassel to the LEFT. Master's candidates wear their tassel on the left, to begin with and, therefore, do not move it during the ceremony.
The Commencement Closet, managed by University Ministry, provides opportunities for students to borrow commencement regalia, free of charge.
Due to high demand, the Commencement Closet has run out of items available to borrow for the 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
Donations are still being accepted. If you are purchasing undergraduate or master's regalia for the 2026 Commencement Ceremony, please consider donating your regalia after commencement. Donations are accepted at the University Ministry office via drop-off or mail. There will also be opportunities to donate at Climate Pledge Arena after participating in the commencement ceremony. Donations can be made in the form of entire regalia sets (cap, gown, tassel, hood) or as individual items.
Thank you for considering. Your donation could help remove barriers of access for a future Redhawk to celebrate their academic achievement on the big stage.
Questions? Email cmjustice@seattleu.edu