Columbian doctoral graduates throwing their mortarboards in the air in celebration at University Commencement.

Regalia

Individual schools may have different requirements for their class day and graduation ceremonies. All academic attire, including the cap and gown, is ordered through the Columbia University Bookstore. For more information on academic attire, graduation announcements, class rings, and diploma frames, please contact the bookstore at [email protected] or 212-854-9724.

Check with your individual school on regalia requirements and any unique instructions prior to placing your order.

Graduating Students

Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

Recipients wear a cap and gown, with no hood. Students can visit the Morningside campus bookstore on weekdays from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and on weekends from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Master's students can visit both the CUIMC & Morningside campus bookstores.

Regalia can also be shipped directly from the bookstore.

Doctoral Degrees

Recipients wear a gown, hood, and velvet tam. Visit the Bookstore, on weekdays from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and on weekends from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., to place your rental order. A ship-to-home option is not available for doctoral rental regalia but can be picked up in-store.

Please stay tuned for more information on availability and deadlines for doctoral regalia.

2025 Grad Fair

Details regarding the 2025 Grad Fair will be announced soon.

Faculty & Staff

All Columbia University faculty and officers of administration are invited to march in the academic procession at the University Commencement ceremony.

Faculty and staff participating in the academic procession should coordinate regalia orders with their school or department. 

If you are a Columbia degree holder, you will receive a Columbia blue gown, hood and blue mortarboard (bachelor's/master's) or black velvet tam (doctoral). Those that hold degrees from other institutions may wear their own regalia or will receive black caps and gowns with a hood that includes colors of that institution.

Guidelines for Commencement Stoles

Any school, program, department, recognized student group or school-authorized cohort that plans to create commencement stoles should follow the below guidelines.

  • The left side should identify the School in one consistent manner across all groups, per the guidelines and examples below.
  • The right side is where individual groups can feature their own designs, which should include the name of the group or cohort, and may include a secondary “tag line” and/or any graphic that represents the group.
  • The text on either side of a stole should have clear space around it, to separate it from any patterns or designs, without overlap.

For additional resources and a list of approved vendors, read the Guidelines for Use of Columbia Marks. For questions, email [email protected].

Click the images below to increase their size.

An illustration of the 2023 commencement stole guidelines. Please refer to webpage content for detailed instructions.
An example of the 2023 commencement stole guidelines in dark blue with white text. Please refer to webpage content for detailed instructions.
An example of the 2023 commencement stole guidelines in PMS280 and dark blue text. Please refer to webpage content for detailed instructions.