REGALIA
Regalia is required for everyone participating in the ceremony
UI COM commencement/ regalia guidelines 2026
UI COM is dedicated to ensuring that your Commencement ceremony is a safe and respectful environment to celebrate your hard work, dedication to the profession of medicine, and next steps in your medical education journey. The Office of Student Affairs has worked very hard to create your individualized packet, which includes the stoles and medallions you may wear over your regalia. You should receive all of these items in the week prior to Commencement. Once you receive your packet, please check its contents promptly and let the Office of Student Affairs know immediately if anything is missing. Please do not bring any other items (except a small purse/bag, your phone, and sunglasses, if you wish).
You should have:
Your doctoral gown, which may have black or green velvet striping.
Your doctoral cap, also called a tam. Wear the tassel on the left for the entire ceremony (the right side is for high school or college graduations). This is picked up at the UIC bookstore.
Your specialty stole, provided by the Office of Student Affairs. You may have an additional stole if you participated in certain UI COM curricular programs or organizations. You can layer these stoles as you like or just wear your specialty stole. The choice is yours. If you are a member of AOA, GHHS, or James Scholar, you will be given medallions to wear if you wish.
Your doctoral hood in the UIC colors. You will carry this over your arm as you process in, and when you come to the stage. The hoods are also picked up at the bookstore. Please note that MSTP and other dual-degree students will wear two doctoral hoods. Your second hood will be given to you by Ms. Julie Mann.
During Commencement, the MD graduates will be hooded on stage by their physician house advisor and Dr. Zar. The PhD graduates will be hooded by their PhD mentor and Dean Art (or another representative from the graduate school). Master's students will be hooded by Dean Art (or another representative from the graduate school).
Otherwise, please do not wear or bring anything other than the items mentioned above, or you may lose your opportunity to participate in this important university-sanctioned Commencement ceremony. Please contact the Office of Student Affairs (com-osachicago@uic.edu) immediately if you have any questions about the instructions above.
Commencement Information
As details become available for Commencement, AOA/GHHS, and Special Hooding ceremonies become available, they will be added here.
Tassel/Commencement Tickets:
registration opens March 9, deadline to register is April 12
Must be registered to order tickets (tickets can be ordered past April 12)
15 tickets per student (extra can be requested to commencement@uic.edu)
COMMENCEMENT - FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2026. 2PM Credit Union 1 Arena
Check in time is 1:00pm
All students should check in at the parking garage located on Harrison just east of the arena
Arena Doors open at 1pm for guests
There is complimentary parking in the Harrison Street Parking Structure, located at 1100 West Harrison Street or in Lot 1 A, located 1109 West Harrison Street and in Lot 1B, located 1139 West Harrison Street. Due to construction parking is limited in the Harrison Street Parking Structure. If necessary, guests will be directed to park in the Halsted/Taylor Street Parking Structure located at 760 West Taylor Street. Complimentary UIC shuttle busses and directional signage will be posted.
Tickets are required for all guests over the age of 1 year. You can access your guest tickets by logging into you Tassel account. To request extra tickets, please email commencement@uic.edu
ADA seats are located at the top of each section. They are marked with a white ADA Seat sign. Wheelchair users are allowed one companion seat next to them. Wheelchairs are available to get guests to and from their seat, and they will be given a folding chair to sit in during the ceremony.
All guests will enter through Evolv Security System
Only bags 14”x14”x6” are allowed inside the venue.
The following items are prohibited:
Tripods
Strollers
Helium Balloons
Noisemakers or air horns
Pyrotechnic devices
Outside food or beverages
Weapons of any kind including knives, spikes, sticks, or anything else deemed unsafe
Laser pointers
Graphic boards/Posters
Bottles or cans
Mace
Aerosol cans
Confetti
The event will be livestreamed for anyone not able to attend in person - Virtual Ceremony (opens at 1:45pm)
Special Hooding - Thursday, May 7
3pm
Thompson Room, Student Center West
Special Hooding is a ceremony for medical students to be hooded by a family member or mentor. They can have two hooders. Please note the hooder must have a terminal degree to participate in the ceremony.
For additional details, please email com-osachicago@uic.edu
Livestream link - https://go.uic.edu/SpecialHooding2026
AOA/GHHS Induction Ceremony - Thursday, May 7
10am - Guest Arrival
10:30am - Ceremony
Thompson Room, Student Center West
This ceremony inducts students into AOA and GHHS
Livestream link - https://go.uic.edu/aoaghhs2026