Skip to main content

HomeStudent ExperienceAcademic ServicesGraduationGraduation Before Ceremony

before the ceremony

Applying for Graduation

commencement ceremony

The Doctoral, Graduate, and Undergraduate Commencement will be held at the
Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Saturday, January 30, 2027.

reserve your spot

Participating in commencement is a memorable event for all students. We’ve made reserving your spot, ordering your gown for commencement, and RSVPing for Open House/ Final Friday quick and easy! To ensure you are registered and ready to go, log into BRUIN and type “Commencement Entry Form” in the search bar and follow the link to complete the Commencement Ceremony Entry Form by Friday, December 18, 2026.

nominate a Student Speaker

Faculty, staff, and students have the opportunity to nominate the student speaker for the Winter Commencement ceremony. Candidates may be nominated from the graduating undergraduate and graduate classes. Nominations will be accepted until November 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. The nomination form can be accessed by logging into Bruin and following: Resources & Forms > Forms > Student Forms > Student Speaker Nomination Form.

Nominees must submit brief answers to the questions on the nomination form. If nominated by someone other than themselves, the questions will be sent to the nominee to complete and return by the deadline date of November 13, 2026.

Nominees

Semi-finalists will be asked to deliver a 2-3 minute “preview” speech before the Student Speaker Selection Committee. The speech will be judged on the content (unique perspective, motivational aspects, relevant quotations, anecdotes, presentation style, and delivery. The selection committee chooses three to four finalists to present their full speeches during the All-Faculty Meeting on December 4, 2026. Full-time faculty members vote by ballot, and the Winter Commencement Speaker is chosen. The student speaker is announced on the website and social media, interviewed, and photographed for the commencement program and alumni publications.

The Commencement Student Speaker will receive:
  • Participation in the platform party processional and stage seating
  • Photograph, name, and bio information (Provided by the Student Speaker) printed in the commencement program, Bellevue University commencement news release, The View alumni magazine, and Bellevue University social media channels
  • Potential invitation to participate in local media interviews

Please note: The selected Student Speaker will be required to sign a media release
agreement permitting Bellevue University to capture and use photographs, video
recordings and/or audio recordings of the Student Speaker in connection with
commencement events

cap and gown pick up

Please pick up your cap and gown during the following dates and times.
No appointment is necessary.

Our graduates who have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces will be recognized during commencement.
Please bring proof of service when picking up your cap and gown to receive your military service recognition cords.

Bellevue University’s Main Campus: Hitchcock Humanities Center
1040 Bruin Blvd. Bellevue, NE 68005

  • Tuesday, January 26, 2027
    4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, January 27, 2027
    11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, January 28, 2027
    11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Friday, January 29, 2027
    4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. during Open House
  • All times listed for Cap and Gown Pick-Up are Central Standard Time (CT)

All regalia not picked up by 7:00 p.m. (CT), Friday, January 29, 2027, will be available at the Mid-America Center when you arrive at 8:00 a.m. (CT) on Saturday, January 30, 2027.

If you pick up your cap and gown and are unable to attend the commencement ceremony, please return the gown to the Commencement Team at the OneStop Welcome Center in the John B. Muller Administrative Services Building, so you will not be charged and your diploma can be released.  The cap, tassel, hood and any awarded cords are yours to keep

commencement regalia

We are pleased to provide your regalia, which includes a cap, tassel, hood (if applicable), and any awarded cords for you to keep, as well as a gown to lend you for the commencement ceremony. On the Commencement Entry Form, you will find your height and shirt size; these measurements are used to order your rented regalia.
The approved regalia consists of a black cap, a black gown for both men and women, and a tassel. Graduates receiving a Master’s degree wear a Master’s hood. Doctoral students will wear a doctoral hood and regalia. Undergraduate participants meeting the criteria wear cords designating honors, if applicable. Those who have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces wear red, white, and blue cords in addition to their commencement regalia. Bellevue University student-athletes wear purple recognition cords. If you wish to wear items other than the approved regalia, you will need to submit a written request to the Chief Academic Officer 60 days prior to the commencement ceremony. Email commencement@bellevue.edu for approval. If you fail to comply with standards for regalia, you will not be allowed to participate in commencement exercises.
Chi Sigma Iota and Omega Nu Lambda are official Bellevue University student organizations. Cords are approved for you to wear.
For any questions regarding commencement, call 1.800.756.7920, ext. 557-7013.

tassels

degree conferral

Participation in the commencement ceremony does not mean your degree has been conferred. The Registrar’s Office determines a student’s conferral date based on the date associated with the final item that fulfills their degree requirements — such as a transcript, grade change, or other required documentation.  Prompt resolution of all outstanding University obligations — including but not limited to incomplete grades, substitutions or waivers, high school verification documentation, and financial holds — is necessary to avoid delays in diploma processing. Once your degree is conferred, you may order your diploma. At the commencement ceremony, you will receive your diploma cover, but not your diploma. 

If you have questions regarding your diploma, please contact the Registrar’s Office at sssstudentrecordsteam@bellevue.edu or 1-800-756-7920.

bachelor's and associate's degrees only

If you are a bachelor’s candidate and have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours in residence at the University, you may be eligible for honors at graduation. Credit hours earned with grades of pass/fail, CLEP/DSST, PLA, New York University Foreign Language Proficiency Exams, and other transfer credits do not count toward graduation honors. Honors will be estimated on Monday, March 23, 2026. You will receive a Bachelor’s degree with honors if your cumulative grade point average in courses taken at Bellevue University falls within the following limits:

Bachelor Honors Distinction*

*60 credit hours in-residence

Associate Honors Distinction*

*30 credit hours in-residence