May 2026 Commencement Ceremony

The May commencement will be held May 9, 2026, at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall with three separate ceremonies.

• The 8 a.m. ceremony will celebrate graduates of the Sykes College of Business.
• The 12:30 p.m. ceremony will celebrate graduates of the College of Natural and Health Sciences.
• The 4:30 p.m. ceremony will celebrate graduates of the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education.

All guests must have a ticket to attend the University of Tampa Commencement ceremony at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. Tickets are distributed electronically to all registered graduates to give to invited guests at their discretion.

All graduates will be assigned to participate in a ceremony based on their college or school. Graduates who wish to participate in commencement must attend their assigned ceremony. 

Commencement Registration

All graduating students must officially apply to graduate from the university before receiving an invitation to participate in the commencement ceremony. Please see the Graduation Checklist page for details and deadlines.

The form to reserve your spot at commencement opens Feb. 9 and closes March 31. Applications will be accepted after deadline, but guest tickets will be based on availability.

Graduating students can pre-order their regalia and other graduation goodies at the Grad Fair on Feb. 23 and 24.

Commencement Ceremony Details

Graduates check-in and guest entrances open approximately 75 minutes prior to the start of each ceremony. Guests will not be admitted into the venue prior to this, please plan accordingly.

Graduates and guests will park in the same lot, but enter through separate entrances. Staff and UTampa Diplomats will assist with directions. 

All guests must have a ticket. Once a guest ticket has been scanned at the entryway, it cannot be scanned again. Graduates should refrain from inviting more than the allotted ticket amount as extra tickets on the day of the ceremony are not available, and guests without tickets will not be permitted to enter the ceremony. 

Tickets can either be presented and scanned from a printed copy or from any smart device. Each ticket has a unique QR code and cannot be scanned more than once.

All graduates and guests will pass through security gates and a bag check upon entrance to the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. Prohibited items must immediately be returned to the owner’s vehicle or disposed of before entering the commencement venue. Failure to do so will result in being denied admittance to the ceremony.

Please review the Permitted and Prohibited Items list before the event. Concessions are available within the venue. Additionally, vendors will be selling flowers and gifts prior to each ceremony, so you can find the perfect memento to celebrate this special occasion.

Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and specific seating reservations are not available. The Expo Hall is an indoor venue with stadium seating and no elevators or escalators. If any guests need ADA seating, please have your graduate indicate this on their commencement registration.

To ensure a smooth experience, we recommend planning ample time for navigating traffic and getting through security.

The ceremony lasts approximately two to two and a half hours, please plan your post-ceremony activities accordingly. Graduates are expected to attend the ceremony in it's entirety.

Hotel Information

Guests attending the May 2026 Commencement ceremonies are encouraged to make lodging arrangements early, as local accommodations fill quickly during graduation weekend.

Hotel Tampa Riverwalk

Hotel Tampa Riverwalk is offering a special discounted rate for families and guests attending the 2026 May Commencement ceremonies. Use group code 92F when making your reservation. Book by April 8, 2026, to take advantage of this special rate.

Courtyard Tampa Downtown

Families and guests attending the University of Tampa’s May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies can enjoy a special discounted rate at Courtyard Tampa Downtown. Enter the reservation code University of Tampa when booking to access this offer.

Hampton Inn by Hilton Tampa Downtown Channel District

Families and guests attending the University of Tampa’s May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies can enjoy a special discounted rate at Hampton Inn by Hilton Tampa Downtown Channel District. Enter the corporate code 0560024520 when booking to access this offer.

Home2 Suites

Families and guests attending the University of Tampa’s May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies can enjoy a special discounted rate at Home2 Suites. Enter the reservation code University of Tampa when booking to access this offer.

Hyatt Place Tampa Airport/Westshore

Families and guests attending the University of Tampa's May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies can enjoy a special discounted rate at Hyatt Place Tampa Airport/Westshore. Enter the reservation code 24922 when booking to access this offer.

Palihouse Hyde Park Village

Families and guests attending the University of Tampa’s May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies can enjoy a special discounted rate at Palihouse Hyde Park Village. Enter the reservation code UOFTAMPA when booking to access this offer. 

Residence Inn Tampa Downtown

Families and guests attending the University of Tampa’s May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies can enjoy a special discounted rate at Residence Inn Tampa Downtown. Enter the reservation code University of Tampa when booking to access this offer. 

Venue Location

To get to the Florida State Fairgrounds please use the address 4800 US-301, Tampa, FL 33610. This will take you to the gate on US-301. Graduates, families, and guests MUST ONLY utilize the US301 entrance.

The venue is about 15-20 minutes from campus without traffic. Please plan for congestion around the fairgrounds area, and at least a 45 minute drive with parking.

Parking is FREE, just let the attendant know that your are attending the commencement ceremony.

Travel Information
Tampa International Airport (airport code TPA) is served by most major airlines and is consistently ranked as one of the top airports in the nation.

Family Communication Philosophy

While we understand family members and guests are excited to celebrate their student's achievements at commencement, we are only able to provide general information about the ceremony as opposed to student-specific information. Please visit the Student Affairs Family Communication Philosophy for more information. 

Questions?

Please contact Orientation and Family Engagement at commencement@ut.edu or (813) 257-1999.