We look forward to celebrating with you at Spring 2024 Commencement! To help you prepare for the weekend ahead, we’ve gathered key information for your family and your graduate to reference in the coming weeks.
In case you missed it, you can also watch a recording of our Graduating Badger Family Forum where we share ceremony information, career tips, and how students can stay connected to UW after graduation.
Top 5 Things to Know:
- The ceremony for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Law Degree candidates will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at noon at Camp Randall Stadium. Guests, family members and friends are welcome to attend! There is no ticketing for attendance and seating is general admission, first come, first served.
- Gates open at 10:00 a.m. and the ceremony typically lasts approximately two hours. A livestream of the ceremony will be available on YouTube.
- If you or your graduate need accommodations, please email accessibility@chancellor.wisc.edu. Additional information is also available on the Camp Randall accessibility page.
- The graduate entrance is located at Gate 5 (the student gate for football games) of Camp Randall Stadium. Graduate seating is arranged by school, college and degree type. No guests, including children (except children of nursing parents) are permitted in the candidate seating area. Please review the carry-in policy as well as the metal detector procedures to plan accordingly. Flowers are allowed inside Camp Randall, however glass containers, balloons, backpacks, and wrapped gifts are not allowed.
- Complimentary parking is available in several campus parking lots on commencement weekend. Please visit the commencement parking page for more information.
Graduate To-Dos:
- Capture the moment: Students can have their photo taken at some of the most iconic locations on campus, from Alumni Park to the Camp Randall Arch to Bascom Hill. Formal portrait sessions are also available – encourage your student schedule their photo session.
- Reserve your cap and gown: To participate in the ceremony, all graduates must wear academic regalia and should order their cap and gown today through the University Book Store.
- Find your seat: Check out the graduate seating map to find where your student will be seated during the ceremony. Seating is first come, first served. For accessibility accommodations, please email
accessibility@chancellor.wisc.edu to make arrangements for a celebratory experience. - Update your home address: Diplomas will be mailed out to graduates six to eight weeks after grades are entered. To ensure that diplomas are mailed to the correct address, students should update their home address in MyUW.
- Get ready to celebrate: Join fellow graduates in celebration! Check to see when the celebration event for your student’s school, college, department, or program will be hosted.
You can view a complete graduate checklist on the commencement website.
Meet the Spring Commencement Speaker:
Meghan Duggan, Olympian and Badger legend, will deliver the keynote address during the Spring 2024 Commencement at Camp Randall. Read the announcement.
A Look Back, Senior Prom:
Four years after the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the UW–Madison Senior Class Office announced the 2024 Senior Prom to give back to seniors what the pandemic had taken away. More than 1,000 showed up. “This prom was more significant than any high school prom could have been for us; it felt like a true celebration of class togetherness and putting the negative effects of the pandemic behind us,” writes senior MK Denton, who photographed the event.
Questions?
The Parent and Family Program is here to help! You can also visit the commencement website for more details and sign-up for ceremony updates.