Graduation & Commencement

The SMTD Commencement ceremony will take place on Friday, May 7, 2027 at Hill Auditorium.

Please note, all athletic (Crisler and Stadium) and University Productions venues (Hill, Rackham, Power, and Mendelssohn) will follow the Michigan Stadium prohibited items list for Commencement ceremonies. Be sure to check the permitted and prohibited items list before arriving at Hill Auditorium.

The SMTD does not handle details on ceremonies at Crisler Center, Michigan Stadium, or those held by other units. For more information, please see the University of Michigan Commencement website.

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Information for Graduating Students

Graduation Application

Any SMTD student intending to complete all degree requirements must apply to graduate within the appropriate timeframe in order to be considered for degree approval. Students will apply to graduate on both Wolverine Access under Student Business, and through a form sent by the SMTD Student Affairs Office. Please note the following application deadlines:

December graduates must apply no later than September 30
- Students graduating in December will be eligible to participate in the following Spring Commencement ceremonies.
April/May graduates must apply no later than January 31
June-August graduates must apply no later than January 31

Failure to apply by the listed deadlines may result in the delay of degree approval. In addition, students with late applications may not be permitted to participate in Commencement ceremonies.

Register to Attend

All Fall 2025, Winter 2026, and Summer 2026 graduates are invited to participate in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance Commencement Ceremony on May 1st. All students who registered to graduate per Deedee Ulintz’s emails will receive an email in February from [email protected] with instructions for how to register for the event. There, graduates can provide information for the program, name pronunciations, and requests for accommodations.

Graduates must register to attend the School of Music, Theatre & Dance Ceremony by March 13, 2026 to participate in the ceremony.

If you did not receive an email from [email protected] with instructions to register by February 16, please follow up. Please also check your spam folder for the email.

Attire

Academic attire (cap and gown) is required for all graduates who plan to participate in Commencement ceremonies. More information on the purchase of attire can be found at the University of Michigan’s Academic Attire website.

Attire is typically available for purchase year-round from Barnes & Noble Campus Stores. Students should not wait until the last minute to purchase attire. Doctoral Degree Candidates–custom attire takes extra time to arrive, so please 6-8 weeks in advance to make sure your attire arrives in time.

View the Tassel and Hood colors (by degree) for SMTD students.

Honors are only awarded to undergraduate students with an overall, cumulative GPA of 3.60 or above. Students receiving Honors may purchase Honors cords with their graduation attire.

Photography

There will be a photographer present at the SMTD Commencement ceremony who will photograph each student crossing stage. Students will later be contacted via email with the option to purchase photos. Personally hired professional photographers or videographers are not allowed.

The SMTD does not handle photography for Commencement events at Michigan Stadium or Crisler Center. Please see the University of Michigan’s Commencement website for further details.

U-M Announcements and Mementos

The SMTD does not handle formal announcements or graduation mementos. Please see the University of Michigan’s Commencement website for information on remembrances.

Information for Families and Guests

Families and guests of graduating students should be aware that Commencement weekend is among one of the busiest in Ann Arbor. There are several Commencement ceremonies happening around Michigan’s campus over the course of the weekend with many visitors in town. Hotels and restaurants in and around Ann Arbor book up far in advance of Commencement weekend, so please plan accordingly.

Ann Arbor and area Hotels and Restaurants

For a listing of area hotels and local restaurants, see Ann Arbor’s Visitor website.

Ticketing and Venue Information

The SMTD ceremony is not open to the public; it is only open to graduating students, their family and registered guests, and students/faculty/staff from SMTD. Tickets ARE REQUIRED for entry to Hill Auditorium for anyone over the age of two. Each student is guaranteed up to 8 tickets for guests, but can acquire more based on seat availability.

All graduating students (that have RSVP’d for the ceremony), Platform Party members, and hooding faculty are guaranteed one ticket for themselves without a need for request. Those tickets will be available for pickup the week leading up to the ceremony. You must request tickets for any guests that you have invited.

Ticket Requests

For Graduates – Graduate and guest tickets for commencement can be requested through the SMTD Commencement Tickets – Graduating Students form. You are responsible for the request, pickup, and distribution of the tickets to all of your invited guests. You are guaranteed up to 8 guest tickets for the SMTD ceremony. Be in touch with [email protected] after 3/24 if you would like to request additional tickets. All SMTD students/faculty/staff will be able to request tickets on their own, so please do not include them in your guest list.

For Non-SMTD Affiliated Guests – Only SMTD graduates/students/faculty/staff may request tickets to the ceremony. Please speak with your graduate or SMTD contact, as they will need to submit the ticket request for you. Ticket pickup will not be available at Hill Auditorium the day of the ceremony, so please arrange to gather your tickets from your graduate or SMTD contact.

For SMTD Students/Faculty/Staff – SMTD non-graduating students, faculty, and staff tickets for commencement can be requested through the SMTD Commencement Tickets – Students/Faculty/Staff form. All SMTD community members are welcome to attend the ceremony. Hooding Faculty and Platform Party Members will not need to request tickets through this form unless you are requesting tickets for a guest.

Ticket Pickup

Tickets will be available for pickup the week before the ceremony from the Reception Desk in the Concerts & Events Office, located in Room 1315A on the first floor of the Moore Building (between Kevreson Rehearsal Hall and the Student Lounge). They can be picked up starting at 9:00 am on Monday, April 27, and will be available until 9:00 pm on Thursday, April 30. The desk will be staffed from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm everyday that week. Any tickets remaining after the final deadline will be available for pickup at the box office at Hill Auditorium an hour before the ceremony.

A photo-ID will be required to pick up the tickets. The student, faculty, or staff member who requested the tickets should pick up the tickets in advance and distribute them to their guests. Guests will not be able to pick up their own tickets. Other ticket pickup plans should be confirmed with [email protected] prior to the point of pickup.

Parking

University surface lots and parking structures are free and open to the public on Commencement weekend. Please note that parking is limited in Ann Arbor and visitors may need to walk from a structure to the designated venue. For more information, see the Campus Information Map or U-M Parking Services.

Limited accessible spots are available near Hill Auditorium. It is recommended that guests that need mobility accommodations are dropped off at the West Lobby Entrances (on Thayer St.).

Arrival & Seating

Doors will open to guests one hour prior to the start of the ceremony. For parties with individuals in need of ADA seating or extra time to find a seat, you can enter the hall early through the doors on the west side of the building (near the box office, off S Thayer St.)

All tickets are General Admission, meaning there are no assigned seats or reserved sections other than for graduating students and faculty. It is suggested that parties arrive early to get adequate seats. All three floors of Hill Auditorium will be open for guests.

ADA Accommodations

Seating accommodations are available for guests with wheelchairs or those unable to use stairs. Special requests can be made through the ticket request forms. Closed captioning will also be present on stage throughout the ceremony. Additional accommodations may be made per request.