Graduating doctoral students must complete the Application to Graduate in Self-Service Banner by April 18, 2025, as well as register to attend the Doctoral Ceremony and other weekend events through the Tassel platform by April 29, 2025. This secondary registration process will open in late February; you will be notified via email. See additional information about receiving your doctoral degree on the Graduate School website. Important graduation deadlines can be found on the Registrar’s website.

Receiving Your Graduate Degree

Regalia (cap or tam, gown and hood) must be worn for the Procession and Commencement ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday. Commissioning students and those with military service have the option to wear formal military attire in place of the cap and gown if they so choose and if permitted according to their status with the military. More information regarding the purchase and rental of regalia will be available on the Brown Bookstore website in late January.

The Doctoral Ceremony is not ticketed. Students are advised to bring no more than four to five guests each; seating is first come, first served. Some departmental ceremonies do ticket, so it is important to confirm this with your department in advance. During the registration process in Tassel, you will have the opportunity to share email addresses for your guests, so that they will receive information about Commencement and Reunion Weekend.

Graduating doctoral students should complete the 2025 Award Form by May 1, 2025, to submit awards and honors received while a doctoral student at Brown, which will be included in the Commencement program. Diploma name, degree and program are submitted as part of the Application to Graduate process.

Details about lining up for the Commencement Procession, and other directions, will be posted closer to Commencement.

The Doctoral Ceremony celebrates the academic achievements of those graduating from Brown University doctoral programs. The order of events during the ceremony is:

• Invocation
• Doctoral student speaker
• Awards presentation
• Conferral of degrees
• Benediction

As Commencement nears, the Graduate School will provide instructions to help students prepare to participate in the Doctoral Ceremony.

Graduating doctoral students may sign up with GradImages to have the opportunity to purchase photos taken before, during and after the ceremony. Graduates receive one complimentary 5x7 photo.

Graduate slides, also known as lower thirds, display on a screen as your name is called during the Doctoral Ceremony. Brown provides the diploma name, degree and program for the slide. You also have the opportunity to submit a photo for a personalized, downloadable slide available through the Tassel platform the week prior to Commencement.

Sign up for GradImages