Cap and Gown

ACADEMIC ATTIRE
All candidates for degrees and those who hold these degrees, including University officials, faculty, and visiting dignitaries, are attired in traditional cap and gown. The basic color for many caps and gowns is traditional UK blue. However, recipients of different degrees wear distinctive tassels on their caps and hoods of various hues draped down the backs of the gowns.

CAPS
Candidates for Bachelor’s degrees wear the regulation cap with the tassel appropriate to the school or division from which they are being graduated, with the exception of those who already hold Doctoral degrees and are privileged to wear gold or silver tassels. Candidates for Master’s degrees wear black tassels with their school or division represented by the color on their hood. Except during the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” traditionally males in academic regalia wear their caps. The authorized list of tassel and hood colors are listed below.

GOWNS
The gown for the Bachelor’s degree has pointed sleeves. It is designed to be worn closed. The gown for the Master’s degree has an oblong sleeve, open at the wrist, like the others. The sleeve base hangs down in the traditional manner. The rear part of its oblong shape is square cut and the front part has an arc cut away. The gown is designed and supplied with fasteners so that it may be worn open or closed. The gown for the Doctoral degree has a bell-shaped sleeve on which are three velvet bars. Usually the gowns for Doctoral degrees are black but sometimes other colors, depending on the degree or the college or university. The University of Kentucky gown for the Doctoral degree is royal (UK) blue with black panels and three black bars on the sleeve.

HOODS
The Master’s hood is long, has a wide velvet edging, and exposes the lining. The outside velvet trim color designates the degree that the person is receiving. The Doctoral hood is easily recognized by the width of the velvet edging, the wide panels at the sides, the greater length, and the full exposure of the lining. The colors of the edging most frequently seen are blue for philosophy, green for medicine, purple for laws; the colors for the honorary Doctoral degrees are purple for laws, white for arts/letters/humanities, and golden yellow for science.

As you prepare for your commencement ceremony, make sure to order your regalia well in advance, ensuring that you have the right colors and correct attire for your specific degree. Wearing this timeless academic tradition brings a sense of honor and connection to the long line of graduates who have walked before you. We congratulate you on your remarkable accomplishments and look forward to celebrating your success at the upcoming commencement ceremony. Go Wildcats!

• Agriculture, Food and Environment: Maize
• Arts and Sciences:
  • Arts: White
  • Sciences: Gold
• Business and Economics: Drab
• Communication and Information:
  • Communication: Silver/Gray
  • Journalism: Crimson
  • Library Sciences: Lemon
• Dentistry: Lilac
• Design: Blue Violet
  • Historic Preservation: Sage
• Education: Light Blue
• Engineering: Orange
• Fine Arts: Brown
  • Music: Pink
• Graduate School:
  • Foreign Service: Peacock Blue
  • Public Policy and Administration: Peacock Blue
• Health Sciences: Mint Green
• Law: Purple
• Medicine: Hunter Green
• Nursing: Apricot
• Pharmacy: Olive Green
• Public Health: Salmon
• Social Work: Citron

• Black, blue, and white cords indicate membership in Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. 
• Red, white, and blue cords indicate military service. Double white honor cords signify academic honors of cum laude. 
• White and gold honor cords signify academic honors of magna cum laude. 
• Double gold honor cords signify academic honors of summa cum laude. 
• Silver cords indicate the wearer is a student athlete. 
• Purple and white sashes indicate the wearer is a Singletary Scholar. 
• Green and red sashes indicate the wearer is a Gaines Scholar. 
• A medallion with a white ribbon indicates the wearer is a graduate of the Lewis Honors College. 
• Light pink and light blue cords indicate membership in The Phi Beta Kappa Society. 
• Navy and gold (braided) cords indicate membership in The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Yes. Full academic regalia is required for all degree candidates participating at the University of Kentucky Commencement.

Sizing for regalia is purchased by height categories ranging from 4'9" to 6'8". If purchasing your regalia online, you will be prompted to select your appropriate measurements depending on which product you are purchasing. If purchasing in-person at Grad Salute or the UK Bookstore, the associate will guide you through the selection process.

Bachelor's and Master's regalia are available for purchase either online or at Grad Salute. Subsequently, they will be available at the UK Bookstore while supplies last. It's important to note that doctoral students must place their regalia orders online, as the in-person purchase option is not available for them. 

The deadline to order regalia is set by Oak Hall and the University of Kentucky Bookstore. This information can be found by clicking the link below. When placing online orders, shipping can take up to 6 weeks. Regalia can be purchased in person at the Bookstore up until the day of Commencement.

It is recommend that you place your online order as soon as possible to prevent any shipping delays.

If you have questions related to regalia, you should contact the University of Kentucky Bookstore.

Yes! If you would like to donate your regalia to our office, we would be happy to accept it. These donations can be dropped off in the administration offices on the 1st floor of the Gatton Student Center M-F 8-5 pm.