Frequently Asked Questions

Candidates for Graduation

PNW holds in-person ceremonies in May each year to celebrate the achievements of our undergraduate, master’s and doctoral candidates for graduation.

Please note that certificate-only (non-degree) students must Apply to Graduate but do not participate in commencement ceremonies.

Who may participate in the Spring 2027 Commencement:

• Students who graduated in Fall 2026
• Students graduating in Spring 2027
• Students planning to graduate in Summer 2027

Date and Time of Commencement Ceremony

The Spring 2027 Commencement ceremonies on PNW’s Hammond Campus will be the weekend of May 7 – 9.  Times: TBA

For more information about what to expect on Commencement day, visit the Commencement Ceremony: Day-Of Guide, where details are posted regarding parking, arrival and check-in, and the order of commencement exercises.

New Graduation task now available!

Complete your last step

• Create your commemorative graduation slide.  Be sure to have a graduation-ready photo to upload. This slide will be sent to you after Commencement regardless of attendance at the ceremony in May.
• Review the AI pronunciation of your name that will be announced during the Commencement ceremony as you cross the stage.  If you need to correct how your name is pronounced, you can spell it out phonetically to assist AI.
• Enter your contact information for the Commencement Photographers so you can receive the photo that will be taken as you cross the stage.

Candidates participating in a Commencement ceremony do not need a ticket for themselves; only guests need tickets. An email with a link to your electronic guest tickets will be sent to your PNW email account approximately two weeks prior to the Commencement ceremony date. (Note: Graduates will have access to their PNW email account for one year following the semester in which they earned their degree.)

Tickets are only given to candidates who purchase their regalia and plan on participating in a ceremony. Each participating candidate will receive up to 6 electronic, general admission guest tickets based on the number you requested in your RSVP.  You will receive an email from the Office of the Registrar with a link to RSVP. Deadline to reserve your seat at commencement and order your guest tickets is TBA.

For more detailed information about accessing, sharing and using guest tickets, go to #5 Commencement Guest Tickets on the Pre-Graduation Guide.

Guest Seating Ticket Requirements for Spring Commencement

Guests wishing to view the Commencement ceremony in person must have an electronic ticket supplied by the candidate for graduation. In order to comply with fire codes, every guest age 2 or older must have a ticket. Infants and toddlers under the age of 2 who can sit on an adult’s lap for the duration of the ceremony will be allowed to enter the venue without a ticket. A child without a ticket must remain in arms for the entirety of the ceremony.

Guest tickets may not be sold. Electronic tickets are generated with a unique identifier that is traceable back to the graduation candidate. Any attempt to sell or produce electronic tickets will be considered a misuse of Purdue University Northwest property.

Handicap parking is permitted with handicap hang tag on the rearview mirror or handicap license plate at our North 173^rd Street parking area.

Limited mobility seating will be available in the venue for individuals requiring special accommodations. Please see any staff member in a gold robe for assistance on the day of the commencement ceremony. All specially seated guests must have an admission ticket supplied by the candidate. To ensure that we can accommodate all individuals who require special seating, we kindly ask that only one guest accompany each individual in this area. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

A sign language interpreter will be provided for those with hearing impairments.

Commencement is a celebration of PNW graduates and their guests, but it’s also a busy day on campus. We recommend arriving early to ensure you have sufficient time to find parking, get across campus to the commencement venue, enter through security and be seated in the commencement venue by TBA. The seating area will be open to guests beginning at TBA.

• Guests with disability placards who park in handicap parking on 173rd Street will enter through the south gate. From that gate, you may have to travel approximately one-tenth of a mile to arrive at limited-mobility seating. Alternatively, you may wish to sit in the tents near the south gate or in open seating at the south end of the venue. While these seats are further from the stage, TV monitors will be available broadcasting the livestream of the ceremony.
• Guests who park in the PNW parking garage or 169th Street parking lot may have to travel up to one-third of a mile to arrive in their seats. Please enter the venue through the northwest gate near the PNW Bell Tower, or the northeast gate between the Student Union and Library Building and the Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building.

PNW will have golf carts running fixed routes on campus to assist guests with mobility issues. You can see a guide to parking and commencement seating with our digital map.

Please note that once you enter the commencement venue through any of the gates, for safety reasons there will not be golf cart service available and guests will need to walk or use their own assistive devices to get to the seats.

The livestream is broadcast directly from the ceremony as it happens, so only students who are participating on site in the in-person ceremony will have their names called as they walk across the stage.

PNW publishes a commemorative booklet that is distributed at the Commencement ceremonies. This booklet lists the name of every graduate for the semester. You can request a booklet when you pick up your diploma.

Yes! We are pleased to provide a livestream of the Commencement ceremony so that family and friends who are not attending in person can view the proceedings. The ceremony will be available for viewing here on the day of the event.

Your diploma will not be distributed at a Commencement ceremony, but you will receive your diploma cover at that time. Diplomas are distributed after your academic department has verified you have met all necessary requirements and the Office of the Registrar has posted your degree to your academic record and ordered your diploma.

Diploma distribution dates and information will be sent to your PNW email address.  (NOTE:  Graduates will have access to their PNW email address for one year following the semester in which they earn their degree.)  Look for this email based on the semester you completed your degree requirements. 

• Spring graduates – at the end of the fourth week of May
• Summer graduates – at the end of the fourth week of August
• Fall graduates – at the end of the fourth week of January

When available after the end of each semester, diplomas may be picked up at the Registrar’s Office of your home campus – Hammond in Lawshe Hall, Room 130 or Westville in Schwarz Hall, Room 120.

Any diplomas not picked up by the specified deadline will be shipped via USPS to the home address we have on file or to the alternate address you provided in your Application for Graduation.

A candidate for the baccalaureate degree with distinction must have a minimum of 65 hours of credit earned at Purdue University included in the computation of the overall GPA. The minimum cumulative GPA for graduation with distinction in each college is determined by the top 10% of its graduating class each fall.

Apply to Graduate

All candidates for graduation must complete the online Application for Graduation by the published deadlines. The application can be found under Tasks in the left pane navigation in the myPNW portal. Information from this form is used to order your diploma.

See More About Deadlines and Instructions on How to Apply to Graduate.

RSVP to Participate in Commencement

In addition, all candidates planning to participate in the ceremony must complete the Commencement RSVP form by TBA. You will receive an email from the Office of the Registrar with a link to RSVP. Your RSVP is required to reserve your place in the ceremony and order your guest tickets. 

Graduation regalia – cap, tassel and gown – must be purchased from Purdue Northwest’s Herff Jones website. The deadline to order your regalia is TBA. Any late orders are not guaranteed ceremony participation or guest tickets.

You will need to know your height and weight at time of purchase, to ensure the appropriate-sized regalia.

All orders will be shipped directly to the student. Please be sure that you have received all required items.

• Baccalaureate candidates should receive a cap, gown and tassel (color based on your major).
• Master’s candidates should receive a cap, gown, black tassel and hood (color based on your major).
• Doctoral candidates should receive a tam (cap), gown, black tassel and hood (color based on your major). NOTE: This is a rental.

For more information about ordering your cap and gown, visit the Pre-Graduation Guide web page.

If your decorations are not offensive or obstruct the view of students behind you, then yes, you may decorate your cap.

Yes, please share your photos on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook using the hashtag #PNWGrad, and tag Purdue Northwest. We want to celebrate with you!

Absolutely! We encourage our graduates and your families to visit either the Westville or Hammond campus to take photos with the outdoor lion statues, which will be sporting their mortarboards! You can also take photos with campus signage, artwork and other spots that may be a highlight of your PNW experience.