Group of male and female students in graduation attire

CU Nursing graduation ceremonies
Celebrating your accomplishments

You did it! Earning your degree is a reason to celebrate and CU Nursing is excited to mark this important milestone with you. CU Nursing holds three graduations per year: Spring (in May), Summer (in August), and Fall (in December). You can get additional commencement information on the CU Anschutz commencement page.

Commencement ceremonies

College graduates walking to graduation event

Spring

CU Nursing’s Spring commencement ceremonies are held on the third Monday in May on the CU Anschutz Campus in Aurora. The ceremony is outside unless inclement weather is in the forecast.

College graduates wave to friends and family

Summer

CU Nursing’s summer commencement ceremonies are held on the third Monday in August on the CU Anschutz Campus in Aurora. The ceremony is outside unless inclement weather is in the forecast. Graduates who chose not to walk in August can walk in our fall commencement ceremony.

Fall

CU Nursing’s fall commencement ceremonies are held on the second Saturday in December at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver.

	Graduation application closes	Deadline: RSVP for ceremony & order regalia	Details & FAQs	Regalia & cord pick up	Commencement date/takes place
Spring	January 31, 2025	End of March	Middle of April	Week of Ceremony	May 19, 2025 CU Anschutz Medical Campus
Summer	June 6, 2025	Beginning of July	End of July	Week of Ceremony	August 18, 2025 CU Anschutz Medical Campus
Winter	September 12, 2025	Beginning of November	Middle of November	Week of Ceremony	December 20, 2025 Colorado Convention Center

College graduates check in for graduation

Prepare for graduation

You’re about to graduate! Now, you need to apply for graduation and verify your diploma mailing address.

Spring 2025
The deadline to apply for the Spring 2025 graduation has passed. If you intend to graduate in Spring 2025, please email con.studentaffairs@cuanschutz.edu immediately to discuss options for degree conferral and participation in the graduation events.

Diplomas for degrees conferred at Anschutz Medical Campus are automatically mailed to the diploma address indicated on the graduation application.

Summer 2025
If you intend to graduate in Summer 2025, the diploma application is now open. It will close on Friday, June 6th, 2025. Students who will be graduating in August 2025 will not be able to submit their diploma application electronically after this date.

How to apply for graduation:

Use your UCDAccess student portal to apply for graduation:

Once logged in, select Academics under your Student Center
Select: Apply for Graduation

You’ll order your cap and gown about a month before graduation and pick them up a few days before. If you earned any cords for honors designations or participated in student organizations, you can pick those up a few days before graduation or on graduation day during check-in.

Spring 2025
The early order regalia deadline has now passed, please contact commencement@cuanschutz.edu immediately to place your order. Please note, late orders will incur a late fee.

What to know before graduation

Parking is limited on campus, and attendees are highly encouraged to consider carpooling, using rideshare services, or taking public transportation. The Georgetown, Julesburg, and the East Overflow lots are recommended for visitors attending the Nursing Commencement. For information about ADA parking, visit the CU Anschutz commencement page.

Fall Commencement is held at the Colorado Convention Center. Please visit the Colorado Convention Center website for directions and self-pay parking information.

On the day of commencement, you’ll check in before the ceremony and get a card with instructions on the line-up process. Signs will indicate where to line up. Check-in is from 9:15 - 10:00 a.m. for spring commencement. You’ll find a row of check-in desks near the flagpole in front of the Fitzimons Building.

What to expect during graduation

BS in Nursing graduates will be pinned on stage, and your photo will be taken. Doctoral graduates will hold hoods in their left arm. Once you’re on stage, you’ll step onto the hooding box, and a photo will be taken. All graduates will cross the stage to receive their diploma cover, and another photo will be taken. Proofs will be sent to you a few days after the ceremony.

Undergraduates wear tassels on the right front of their caps, and you’ll be instructed to move the tassel to the left once the degree is conferred. Graduate students wear tassels to the left. Doctoral candidates do not wear hoods during the processional. Master’s degree graduates wear hoods to the ceremony.

After graduation

Transcripts and diplomas

Degrees are typically conferred by the Office of the Registrar a few weeks after commencement. Before you order a transcript, look at your transcript in the student portal to see if all information has been posted. Diplomas will be mailed in the month after commencement to the mailing address you provided in UCD Access.

Taking the NCLEX or certification exams

Once you’ve earned your degree, BS in Nursing students will need to study for and take the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse. Graduate students will need to take a certification exam, depending on your specialty, to earn your credentials.

CU Nursing commencement program

CU Nursing puts together a program for every commencement ceremony, listing all our graduates. We also highlight some of our graduates from different programs and degrees. We encourage you to look at the programs. And, if you know someone who would be a great grad to highlight (including yourself!), please reach out to the college’s marketing and communications team.

Frequently asked questions

All students must have the appropriate regalia to participate in commencement. Please contact CU Nursing's Admissions and Student Affairs at con.studentaffairs@cuanschutz.edu to determine if any accommodation can be made. As regalia is an outsourced service the decision on whether or not regalia can be received in time is not within the control of the College.

You can get regalia during cap and gown distribution, but keep in mind those orders include a $30 late fee.

Items distributed on campus will be available to pick up on Thursday, May 15, and Friday, May 16, between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. in Ed 2 North 1304. Please remember to bring your ID.

Home-shipped regalia orders will arrive within 30 days from the date when you place your order, and at least three days prior to the ceremony.

All gowns and hoods are to be returned to Herff Jones within 10 days of the ceremony. Items not received by Herff Jones 30 days after the ceremony will be considered a purchase, and the following amounts will be charged to the card on file.

Bachelor - $150
Master - $350
Doctor - $500

Undergraduate students must return only their gown. Graduate students must return their gown and hood. All students may keep their cap/tam, and tassel. Return instructions, along with a pre-paid return label, will be included with home-shipped orders. Regalia will be collected on campus immediately following the ceremonies and can be returned this way, whether it was shipped to you or not.

When you RSVP to attend graduation, you will be asked to indicate your hooder’s name. It is your responsibility to communicate with your hooder to ensure they are attending the ceremony.

Faculty members must confirm their participation by registering through the faculty RSVP link. If you are having difficulty confirming your hooder, please reach out to our Student Affairs Team.

Our ceremony will be held outdoors (for Spring and Summer), rain or shine, so please come prepared. Ponchos will be provided to graduates if it is raining. Temperatures could be in the 80s or 90s, so please come prepared for the heat.

The ceremony could be delayed up to two hours to allow the weather to pass, or it may be shortened if severe weather moves in. Updates will be sent via email or posted on this page if severe weather is in the forecast.

If severe weather is expected and is a threat to our safety, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the Ed2 South auditorium. Guest attendance will be limited indoors.

Tools & Resources

CU Campuses

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

College of Nursing

CU Nursing graduation ceremonies
Celebrating your accomplishments

Commencement ceremonies

Spring

Summer

Fall

Prepare for graduation

What to know before graduation

What to expect during graduation

After graduation

Transcripts and diplomas

Taking the NCLEX or certification exams

CU Nursing commencement program

Frequently asked questions

College of Nursing

CU Nursing graduation ceremoniesCelebrating your accomplishments

Commencement ceremonies

Spring

Summer

Fall

Graduation Timelines

Prepare for graduation

Apply for graduation

RSVP for the ceremony and order your diploma

Caps, gowns, and cords

What to know before graduation

Parking

Graduation check-in and line-up

Watching the ceremony

What to expect during graduation

Crossing the stage

Tassels

After graduation

Transcripts and diplomas

Taking the NCLEX or certification exams

CU Nursing commencement program

Frequently asked questions

Am I required to attend graduation? Am I also required to attend the CU Anschutz Commencement?

Do my guests need tickets?

I missed the graduation application and/or diploma deadline. What should I do?

I missed the RSVP deadline to attend graduation. Can I still participate and receive regalia?

If I don’t have honors now, when will my grades be posted so they will be reflected in the program?

Where do I pick up my cap and gown? What do I do with them after the ceremony?

I’m earning a doctoral degree. How do I decide who will hood me during the ceremony?

What if there’s severe weather before or during the ceremony?

Is food available at the commencement ceremonies?

What if I or my guests need accommodations? Where do I make that request?

College of Nursing

CU Nursing graduation ceremonies
Celebrating your accomplishments