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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, June 6, 2026.

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 May 1, 2026.

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, June 2, 2026
    4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, June 3, 2026
    11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 4, 2026
    11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Friday, June 5, 2026
    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, June 5, 2026, will be available at the Mid-America Center when you arrive at 8:00 a.m. (CT) on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

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. Included on the Commencement Entry Form are 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 graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremony does not mean your degree has been conferred. We confer degrees daily, effective the last day of each month. Once the Registrar’s Office has verified that your degree program is 100% complete, we will notify you via your student email and ask you to order your diploma online. Your diploma will arrive approximately eight weeks after the conferral date. At the commencement ceremony, you will receive your diploma cover, but not your diploma.
If you have questions regarding your diploma, please contact Student Records at mailto:sssstudentrecordsteam@bellevue.edu or 1-800-756-7920, ext. 557-7386.

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

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