Commencement FAQs

The Georgetown Law Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2026 will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, on Healy Lawn on the Hilltop Campus located at 37th & O Streets, NW in Washington D.C.

In good weather, the ceremony is held outside on Healy Lawn (37th & O Streets, NW) on the Hilltop Campus.

J.D. students will robe and line-up in at the Intercultural Center (ICC) and graduate students (LL.M., S.J.D., M.L.T., M.S.L.) will robe and line-up at White-Gravenor. At 2:50 p.m. (view the map here). All graduates will process on to the lawn. The ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Interim Dean Teitelbaum will conduct the ceremony, which includes the conferral of the honorary degree and the commencement address from the honoree. Later in the ceremony, all graduates are recognized individually, crossing the stage as their names are read out. After all graduates have been recognized, Interim President Groves offers concluding remarks, and then, following the Alma Mater and benediction, first the faculty and then the students recess at the conclusion of the ceremony.

The ceremony will last approximately two and a half to three hours. Please plan accordingly.

Names will be announced by a pre-recorded professional announcer. Tassel, our commencement registration platform, allows students to review and approve the pronunciation that the professional announcer will use when recording their name. This innovation, implemented several years ago and widely used at commencements across the country, prevents the mispronunciation of names at graduation.

Graduate candidates should plan to arrive at the Hilltop Campus by 2:00 p.m. for robing and line-up.

J.D. students will robe and line-up in at the Intercultural Center (ICC) and graduate students (LL.M., S.J.D., M.L.T., M.S.L.) will robe and line-up at White-Gravenor. At 2:50 p.m. (view the map here).

The academic procession will start promptly at 2:50 p.m., and the ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m. The ceremony will last approximately two and a half to three hours. Please plan accordingly.

No tickets are required if the weather is good and the Commencement is held outside on Healy Lawn, and there is no limit on the number of guests. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that Commencement will have designated accessible seating for individuals with disabilities and their companions. Graduates are required to indicate the need for accessible seating (for themselves or guests) in their commencement registration form (via Tassel). Please note that the accommodated seating and a majority of the general guest seating is tented.

In the unlikely event of severe weather that makes it unsafe for graduates and guests to remain under the tent, guest attendance may be limited and the ceremony moved indoors. Detailed inclement weather plans will be shared in advance.

Graduate candidates will have the opportunity to address their classmates at the Section and Program Sendoffs events) held Tuesday through Friday the week of Commencement at the Law Center Campus. The remarks will be livestreamed for friends and family. See our events page for more schedules and more details on the Sendoff events and Friends and Family Receptions.

The Sunday, May 17, Commencement Ceremony will be livestreamed on the Georgetown University Facebook page.

The Section and Program Sendoffs, happening between May 12–14, are for graduating students-only and will be livestreamed on the Georgetown Law YouTube page.

Only graduates are permitted to cross the stage. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times and seated within the designated guest area.

There will be a professional photography service present at the Commencement ceremony to take a photo as graduate candidates cross the stage to shake hands and receive their scroll (actual diplomas are mailed in June after degrees are conferred). Graduates will be sent a link to purchase photos approximately a month after the ceremony.

Please note: The photos from GradImages will cost approximately $60 at the lowest package rate. The Law Center will provide various photo opportunities around the ceremony where graduates can pose for friends and family to take photos.
If graduates have any questions or concerns regarding graduation photos, please contact GradImages at (800) 261-2576 or ecc.giservice@gradimages.net.

Parking around the Hilltop Campus is very limited. You may park in the Southwest Quadrangle garage (no charge) or behind Lauinger Library in Lot 9. Please visit the Commencement Travel and Parking website for more information on parking options and alternatives.

While there is no official policy on the size limit and type of bags guests may bring, we recommend that guests carry small bags for personal items during the ceremony and to be mindful of other guests’ personal space. There are no secure storage locations for your bags, purses, coats, etc.

For the safety and enjoyment of all guests, we ask that you leave the following items at home: weapons (including pocket knives), non-collapsible umbrellas, metal or glass containers (there will be water stations throughout campus), backpacks or large bags, brooms or poles, animals (except service animals), noisemakers (including loudspeakers, cow bells, air horns and whistles), large signs or hanging items that block the views of others, drones, and skateboards, hoverboards or non-ADA use scooters (bicycles should be parked at designated bike racks).

Yes! The Commencement Group will have a stall at the Hilltop Campus, selling bouquets, leis, and a variety of Georgetown-specific gifts. You can order items ahead of time for pickup. You can pre-order items ahead of time for pickup on their website here.

Law Commencement proper, the ceremony at which the President of Georgetown University presides and officially confers degrees, has long been held in the afternoon on the third Sunday in May on the Georgetown University Hilltop Campus—and this has not changed.

Prior to 2021, there were no commencement activities on the Law Campus, only on the Hilltop. For the past five years, necessitated originally by the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements, we held section and program ceremonies on the Law Campus’ Eleanor Holmes Norton Green in the days preceding the Sunday Commencement on the Hilltop.

Planning for this year’s Commencement began soon after last year’s ceremony. In anticipation of the demolition of the Gewirz Student Center and construction of the new Tsai Hall, initially scheduled to begin this spring, the commencement planning team was tasked with developing a new plan that would not utilize the Norton Green.

Under the resulting plan, developed over many months in collaboration with the University, Law graduates will process onto Healy Lawn with their first-year section or program-specific classmates and will be called individually to the stage to receive their ceremonial diplomas from Law Center and University leaders. In addition to the Sunday Commencement ceremony, Georgetown Law will host Friends & Family receptions on the Friday and Saturday before Commencement, giving graduates the chance to celebrate with loved ones on the Law Campus. Graduates will also have the opportunity to gather with their first-year section or program classmates during celebratory events held Tuesday through Thursday of commencement week.

We are confident that this commencement season will be as joyful and celebratory as ever and look forward to honoring our graduates as they transition from students to alumni.

Commencement will take place rain or shine. In the unlikely event of severe weather that poses a safety risk to graduates and guests, the ceremony will be moved indoors to McDonough Arena on the Hilltop Campus. Please note that this may affect the number of guests permitted to attend. Additional details regarding inclement weather plans will be shared via email in advance.

In the event of inclement weather, we will make a decision approximately three hours in advance and move the ceremony to McDonough Arena if necessary. The decision about whether to hold the ceremony on the lawn or in the arena will be posted on the Law Center website and commencement.georgetown.edu.

Georgetown University has designed our Commencement ceremonies with accessibility in mind. The ceremonies will incorporate the following accessibility features:

• Complimentary wheelchairs will be available at Healy Circle. Graduates are encouraged to indicate the need for a wheelchair (for themselves or guests) in their commencement registration form (via Tassel). Wheelchairs are for on campus use only and can be checked in and out on a daily basis. You must provide a valid driver’s license or credit card to borrow a wheelchair. For information about rental of additional mobility devices, please consider reaching out to one of our external vendors.
• Georgetown University provides maps outlining accessible routes from the Southwest Quad Garage to locations on campus commonly accessed by visitors. This includes barrier-free routes to Gaston Hall and McDonough Arena (the severe weather site for many of our ceremonies). Georgetown also offers an interactive campus map, highlighting accessible routes on our Hilltop campus.
• For guests arriving by car transportation, the drop off location at the main entrance (front gates) of Georgetown University is located at 3700 O St., NW, which is conveniently located near Healy Lawn and the designated accessible seating area.
• ASL interpretation and live captioning will be provided throughout the ceremony. Assistive listening technology will also be available.
• Several water stations will be located throughout the Georgetown University campus to support Commencement attendees. Due to restrictions on metal or glass containers, we recommend that you bring reusable plastic bottles, as these stations are designed to allow for easy refilling. EMT crews will be on site and accessible throughout the ceremony.
• Large tents will be in place to provide shade and protection for graduates and a portion of attendees from light rain. Seating under the tent is not guaranteed and is first-come, first-served (see accommodated seating information below). Guests may also watch the program indoors from a building adjacent to the Healy Lawn ceremony.

Please view the Georgetown Law Commencement and Georgetown University Commencement Accessibility pages for more information.

Accommodated seating is available by request for guests who need sign language interpretation, have mobility issues, or require wheelchair parking. Guests in these seating sections may be assisted by one companion. Additional family members should plan to sit in the general seating area. While seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, accommodated seating and a majority of the general guest seating is tented.

Students will receive instructions to set up an account on Tassel, a website where they indicate accommodation requests. If a student indicates that their guests require accommodations, a member of our team will reach out with further instructions.

Please view the Georgetown Law Commencement and Georgetown University Commencement Accessibility pages for more information.

Graduate candidates can rent regalia on Josten’s website starting on Monday, January 19. The deadline to order your regalia is Thursday, March 19.

Regalia orders will be ready for pick up at the Capitol Campus Bookstore (111 Mass Ave.) starting Monday, April 27 through Saturday, May 16.

Visit the regalia page for more details.

Please note: The vast majority of graduates wear regalia; however, nobody is required to wear regalia to participate in Commencement.

Yes! However, if your family is traveling to the United States, they will need a visa to enter and stay for the duration of the Commencement weekend events.

If your family members are not eligible for the visa waiver program, then they will need to apply for B-2 tourist visas to enter the United States to attend Commencement weekend events.

The University does not issue Commencement invitation letters for visa purposes. The Department of State has indicated that a letter of invitation would not be helpful during the visa application process. A letter written by you may be beneficial. Our colleagues on the Hilltop Campus have created an invitation letter template that you can use to create a letter inviting your family members to visit for commencement. That template is available here.

If you are a citizen from a visa waiver program country, you can apply for ESTA authorization. Details can be found from the Department of Homeland Security.

In the days leading up to Sunday’s Commencement ceremony on the Hilltop, there will be a series of events planned to honor the Class of 2026 and bring our community together on the Law Center campus.

Section and Program Sendoffs
Tuesday, May 12 through Thursday May 14, graduates will be invited to gather with their first-year sectionmates or program classmates for a celebration on the Law Center campus. Each of the events will feature remarks from a faculty and student speaker for each cohort. While these are student-only events, the remarks will be livestreamed for friends and family. Please view the events page for the full schedule.

Friends and Family Receptions
On Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, the Law Center will host two receptions for friends and family – one for LL.M.s and other graduates (Friday) and one for J.D. graduates (Saturday). Each graduate is welcome to invite up to three guests. Please view the events page for the full schedule.

Parking is not available at the Law Center Campus. If you are using a rideshare, please use 600 New Jersey Ave., N.W., and enter campus at the Eleanor Holmes Norton Green. There are also several parking garages within a few blocks of campus.

Diplomas will not be presented at Commencement. Diplomas for October 2025 graduates have been ordered and shipped. Diplomas for February 2026 and June 2026 graduates will be ordered and shipped directly to graduates after degrees have been conferred. For any questions about diplomas, please email the Office of the Registrar at lawreg@georgetown.edu.

The Graduating Class Gift Campaign is aimed at encouraging graduating students to support scholarships and/or other causes at the Law Center that are important to them in honor of graduation.

This tradition began over 30 years ago with the Class of 1991, who wanted to ensure that future students would have access to the same quality experiences they benefited from.

Success for the Graduating Class Gift Campaign is measured by class participation. Our goal this year is to reach 35% class participation. You can make a gift here.

For more information, you can visit the Graduating Class of 2026 Gift Campaign website, or email the campaign at lawgiving@georgetown.edu with questions.

Students who participate in the Graduating Class Gift Campaign by making a minimum $10 donation to support financial aid, student groups, clinics, or other causes at the Law Center are eligible to receive a special Class of 2026 mug. The mug is an extra thank you for your generosity and support of the Law Center.

You can make a gift here: give.georgetown.edu/lawgift

For more information, you can visit the Graduating Class Gift Campaign website, or email the campaign at lawgiving@georgetown.edu with questions.