Fall 2025 Commencement

Tickets are not required for guests to attend the ceremony, and there is no guest limit. Seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please be mindful of the number of guests invited to the ceremony. NRG does have capacity limits. It is highly recommended each graduate limit the number of guests to 7 individuals.

Graduates should arrive two hours before the scheduled start time of their college's ceremony. Graduates will check in at Hall B. There will be signs providing direction at the venue. Graduates will receive a name card at student check-in.

Graduates and guests should park in the Blue Lot. NRG Arena charges $25.00 plus tax per vehicle, with no in-and-out privileges. NRG is changing to a cashless system. Therefore, a credit card is required.

Directions and Parking for NRG Arena

NRG Arena
1 NRG Parkway
Houston, TX 77054

Items Not Permitted in the Venue

Posters, banners, and signs of any kind are not allowed in the arena. Other prohibited items include balloons, fog horns, and confetti poppers. Please leave these items at home or in your vehicle.

Valuables

Please do not bring possessions of any kind to the arena. Graduates can only carry the provided name card with them into the ceremony. There is no secure location to store valuables during the ceremony. Please plan to give your possessions, including coats, handbags, or any item that will not fit into your pocket, to a guest, or lock them in your vehicle.

University Marketing and Communications will be taking pictures throughout the day and sharing via social media.

Every student will be photographed twice at the commencement ceremony. Free proofs will be mailed and emailed within a week of the ceremony. If you have any questions, please contact Flash Photography.

If a valid UHCL email address is available via the graduate's E-services account, the photographer will email participating graduates a link to the commencement photograph proofs. 

Friends and family who cannot attend the commencement ceremony at NRG Arena can still participate in the special moment by joining through the UHCL live streaming video. To view the live stream, please visit this webpage on the day of the ceremony.

UHCL offers custom graduation caps and gowns. Please contact the UHCL Campus Store to order these items or for more information. Please wear the provided regalia (caps and gowns) to commencement. Please review the UHCL How to Wear Your Regalia instructional video on how to wear the regalia and/or master's hood (for graduate students). Information on donating regalia for future graduates can be found on the Gowns for Grads program webpage.

We recommend wearing comfortable shoes since graduates are on their feet for extended periods of time. Please remember this celebration is a formal ceremony and nice attire under the regalia is recommended.

Additional Attire Information

Graduation announcements, diploma frames and packages are available at the online UHCL Campus Store through Herff Jones. The UHCL Campus Store will also be onsite at NRG Stadium the day of the ceremony.

Diplomas are mailed 10 to 12 weeks after the official closing of the semester to the primary mailing address on file. The mailing address can be updated on your E-Services account.

The name reflected on the diploma is based on the official name on file in E-services. Name changes can be completed by submitting the Personal Information Change Form.

Duplicate Diplomas

Duplicate diplomas are $36.50 and can be ordered by accessing UHCL Online Diploma Services.