The Commencement Ceremony will take place on the main campus in Georgetown at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, 2023. This ceremony lasts approximately 90 minutes, including the academic procession that starts at 1:30 p.m.
We are also planning individual section and program ceremonies on the Law Center campus, known as Celebration Days. The schedule for the Celebration Days events can be found here. Celebration Days events are approximately an hour to 90 minutes for the ceremony and reception.
We are excited to invite your family and friends to celebrate your amazing accomplishments this May. Graduates are welcome to invite as many guests as they would like for both the Celebration Days and the Commencement Ceremony.
While guests to the Law Campus Celebration Days are unlimited, we can only guarantee that four guests per graduate will be able to have a chair under the tent.
We will have standing room outside the tent as well as various livestreaming locations across the Law Center campus for any additional guests. Everyone is welcome to attend the closing reception on the Library Green.
There are no seating limits for guests at the Sunday, May 21, Commencement Ceremony on Hilltop Campus’ Healy Lawn. However, the number of guests will be limited if inclement weather should force us to move the Commencement Ceremony indoors.
Information on renting regalia to wear at the Celebration Days and Commencement Ceremony will be sent to all graduating students in early 2023. Please note that graduates are not required to wear regalia to participate in any event.
If these past couple of years have taught us anything, it is the importance of flexibility and creativity. Graduates are always welcome to attend another section or program ceremony, whether it is in place of their assigned time (switch a section), or in addition to their original ceremony (so guests can hear their graduate’s name read and see them walk across the stage). Please fill out this form to request any changes to your assigned times.
Yes! The Gala will be held on Saturday, May 20, at 8:00 p.m. at the National Portrait Gallery. Each graduate will be able to have up to three guests at the event, but space is limited. Dress is black tie optional. Additional details will be sent to you in the coming weeks.
We will have student speakers at the Celebration Days events. Information on applying to be a speaker will be sent the week after Spring Break and voting will take place in April.
Georgetown Law graduates are welcome to participate in a graduate’s Celebration Days event. Please fill out this form to request to participate, and we will be in touch with additional details.
*Please note that diplomas will not be presented at Celebration Days events or Commencement, but will be shipped directly to graduates after degrees have been conferred.
We will not present diplomas at the Celebration Days events or Commencement, but diplomas will be shipped directly to graduates after degrees have been conferred. The Registrar’s Office will send prospective Spring 2023 graduates additional information and diploma delivery instructions in April.
We are going to be live streaming the Celebration Days on our Georgetown Law YouTube Channel. Sunday’s Commencement Ceremony will be broadcast live on the University YouTube Channel.
Yes! However, if your family is traveling to the United States, they will need a visa to enter and stay for the duration of graduation.
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 ceremonies.
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,
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 Main 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.