Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Remember to check your deadlines often as dates may change.
Participation eligibility
Your completed application to graduate must be received no later than two weeks before the commencement ceremony.
The ceremony in which you are eligible to participate is determined by:
- The conferral date indicated on your application to graduate.
- This means: you cannot walk a semester earlier or later than your graduation date.
- The assigned date and time designated to your college or department.
- This means: you cannot participate during a different ceremony, even if it matches your conferral date.
Graduation application changes
If you or your advisor notify the Office of the Registrar that you're not eligible to graduate when expected, your application for graduation will be deleted and you will not be eligible to participate in commencement.
You must reapply for a different term's graduation and will have the option to participate in that term's commencement ceremony.
General admission tickets required for guests
Admission to the ceremony is free, however, all guests are required to have a general admission ticket for entry.
- Tickets are only valid for your specific ceremony.
- Children 0 to 4 years of age do not need a ticket.
Claim general admission guest tickets through your mySFA account
Candidates may claim a maximum of 20 general admission guest tickets.
Monitor your mySFA email
During your final semester at SFA, you'll receive an email from graduation@sfasu.edu with instructions on confirming your graduation details. Once the window opens:
- Visit the "Confirm Graduation Details" link on the academics page in mySFA.
- Verify your graduation information and upload a photo and message that follow guidelines for pre-ceremony slideshow.
- Be sure to complete this before the firm deadline stated in the email.
- Claim your general admission guest tickets.
- Opportunity to download tickets remains open for each candidate until all 20 are claimed or until the ceremony start time, whichever occurs first.
Receiving claimed guest tickets
Guest tickets are available instantly for download. Guests do not receive a printed ticket from SFA.
Candidate Attire
Following HOP policy 02-103 (PDF), candidates for graduation participating in the commencement ceremony must wear the appropriate academic regalia.
SFA's official regalia, adopted in spring 2021, consists of a custom black candidate gown with purple banded sleeves, piping and an embroidered SFA logo on both sleeves, and a purple stole with a 3D Flex Style patch. The purple tassel for the cap includes a custom, colored seal drop.
Commissioned U.S. military officers may wear their dress uniform to the commencement ceremony in lieu of the traditional regalia.
Purchasing your cap and gown
View the hood colors for master's and doctoral candidates. Undergraduate students do not wear a hood with their regalia.
Visit Balfour's SFA Regalia webpage to purchase your official graduation regalia now and have it shipped to the address you provide. The deadline to order for spring 2025 commencement is 11:59 p.m. April 6. Orders may take a minimum of 14 business days to ship.
When your regalia arrives
We strongly suggest you try on the regalia at least one week prior to the ceremony, allowing time to secure a replacement if problems with sizing or zippers occur.
Stoles and honor cords
A purple stole, which students are permitted to decorate, is included in the official SFA regalia package.
Some campus organizations may provide additional stoles to their members. Inquire with your specific organization(s) to learn if they offer those.
Honor cords of any color may be ordered through the vendor of your choice. The Office of the Registrar does not have information regarding how or where you can purchase honor cords.
Mortarboard etiquette
The mortarboard is made to be worn flat on the head (parallel to the floor) and candidates will wear their tassels over the right eye throughout the conferral of all degrees. The ceremony will conclude with a welcome from the Alumni Association, at which time you will be instructed to move your tassel to the left.
Candidates are permitted to decorate their mortarboard.
The SFA Ring
Learn the history of the SFA Ring and details on ordering your own by visiting the SFA Alumni Association's website.
The Big Dip ceremony is a Lumberjack rite of passage. Invitations to participate are extended to students who have earned at least 60 credit hours and have purchased the official SFA Ring. If you have any questions, contact the Alumni Association at 936.468.3407 or alumni@sfasu.edu.