December 2023 Commencement
Congratulations, UT Spartan! After years of challenging and rewarding work, you will earn your degree. The December commencement ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at the Expo Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Please follow this step-by-step guide to ensure you are set to graduate on time and/or participate in the commencement ceremony.
Step 1: Apply to graduate on Workday no later than Thursday, Oct. 26.
Log into your MyUTampa and use the Workday widget to apply to graduate and have your degree conferred. Please note, in order to graduate from UT you still need to complete this step, even if it is past the deadline.
Students are highly encouraged to apply prior to Oct. 26 to confirm their name will be included in the commencement program. If you do not fill out the graduation application by Oct. 26, your name will not be included in the physical program.
If you have any questions regarding your status please reach out to diplomas@ut.edu.
Step 2: Register to attend the ceremony through the Commencement Application, no later than Wednesday, Nov. 15.
Within this separate application from step one, you will provide the Office of Orientation and Family Engagement information relevant to your commencement ceremony experience. This information includes the phonetic spelling of your name to be read, accommodations for you or any of your guests, the commencement speaker application, etc.
Please apply to participate in December commencement here!
Step 3: Pre-order your cap/gown and more at the Grad Fair (Dates TBA).
Caps and gowns are free to all UT graduates. It is highly recommended you complete a pre-order to ensure you have the correct sizing available to you for the ceremony. Grad Fair and pre-order information will be made available in early Fall 2023.
Step 4: Pick up your cap, gown and honor cords from the University Bookstore (Dates TBA).
Visit the bookstore for cap, gown and honor cord pick-up before the ceremony at the University Bookstore! Pick-up information will be made available in early Fall 2023.
Please note, academic regalia will not be available for on-site pick up at the commencement ceremony and must be obtained before coming to the fairgrounds.
Hotel Information
For the December 2023 commencement ceremony, the University is partnering with Hyatt Place Tampa Downtown, 325 N. Florida Ave, and Hilton Tampa Downtown, 211 N. Tampa St., to serve as our host hotels.
Special rates will apply to our UT families for each hotel. Please use the following to make a reservation:
Hyatt Place/Hyatt House Tampa - The rate of $269/night (valid Thursday, December 14 - Sunday, December 17) includes a one-bedroom king or double queen room, hot breakfast, wi-fi, outdoor heated pool and terrace. Valet parking is an additional charge $33 a night.
Please book Hyatt Place/Hyatt House Tampa online here or call Hyatt Reservations directly at (800) 233-1234 and mention you are with the University of Tampa 2023 December Commencement group or utilize code G-ASTN. The deadline to make reservations at this rate is 11:59 p.m. local time Friday, November 17th.
Hilton Tampa Downtown - The rate of $155/night (valid Thursday, December 14 - Monday, December 18) includes a one-bedroom king pool view, wi-fi, outdoor pool, fitness center, and business center. Valet parking is an additional charge $37 a night.
Please book Hilton Tampa Downtown online here. The deadline to make reservations at this rate is 11:59 p.m. local time Tuesday, November 14.
Find additional hotels located close to the UT campus. Families should make reservations directly with the hotel.
From the last few weeks on campus to the virtual celebration, follow graduates as they share their commencement experience on social media.