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COMMENCEMENT


2024 Commencement FAQ's

Commencement Information

  • +How much does it cost to rent a cap and gown?

    Cap and gown rental prices are located on our Rent Regalia page. If you order your cap and gown before February 15, you will save $10 on the rental fee, and it will be shipped to your home for free. If you order before February 15, you’ll also receive a $10 discount on Grad Packs. Grad pack information and pricing is available on our USC Grad Packs page

  • +How do I check the status of my cap and gown rental order?

    To check the status of your order, please visit the Herff Jones Track Order page. You’ll need your provide your entire CPA order number, which looks like this: CPA11224-11100110 .

  • +I have general questions about cap and gown and what I should be ordering. Who should I contact?

    Please e-mail the grad team at please e-mail: gradproducts@usc.edu or call the USC Grad Shop at 213-740-7414.

  • +What Is Required in order to participate in the Commencement Ceremony?

    To participate in the May 2024 Commencement Ceremony, you will need to either rent or purchase a cap with tassel, gown, and hood*. Please visit USC Commencement Academic Regalia for more information about the required regalia.


    *Hoods are only for master’s and doctoral graduates.

  • +What is a Grad Pack?

    Grad Packs are a convenient package of the most popular graduation items. Most Grad Packs include USC gown/hood rental with a souvenir cap & tassel, announcements, a 2024 keychain tassel, and a diploma frame. Free shipping on diploma frames, announcements and rentals are available through April 7 when you order a Grad Pack that includes a diploma frame.Grad Pack information and pricing is available on our USC Grad Packs


    All USC custom gown/hood rentals will ship to your home, with a shipping fee of $16.95. You can order your Grad Pack HERE.

  • +I want to rent my cap, gown, and hood*. What are my options?

    You have two options:

    Option 1: Order online for HomeShip.

    With this option, the rental will be shipped directly to your home. Shipping is free for HomeShip orders. The deadline for this option is April 7. Rentals take 10-14 days to process and an additional 5-7 days for delivery. In some cases, the process may be faster, but these timelines represent full capacity. Orders placed by April 7 will be delivered by May 6.


    *Note: HomeShip is the only option available to pre-order cap and gown rental through April 7. The other rental opportunity is through in-person distribution, which starts May 6.


    Option: 2 In-Person Distribution.

    Starting May 6, customers can come to USC Bookstore to rent their cap, gown, and hood. For in-person distribution, please come to USC Bookstore, complete an order form, pay for the rental, and receive your regalia.


    Pre-ordering or reservations for in-person distribution pick-ups are not available. Please see more information about cap and gown rentals on our Rent Regalia


    *Note: Doctoral rentals include a red cap with a gold USC Signet Tassel. If you wish to purchase a tam, you can do so Purchase Regalia page.

  • +I Am Graduating With a Double Major. How Do I Select the Proper Regalia?

    For Undergraduate students graduating with a double major, the cap and gown are the same for all programs.


    For Graduate students graduating with a dual degree, the same cap and gown can be used for both program ceremonies, but the proper hood color must be worn for each separate program ceremony.


    If both of your programs require the same color hood you only need one. If your programs require different color hoods, you will be required to rent or purchase both hood colors


    Please refer to the USC Hood Color Chart


    If you are renting your regalia and require two different hood colors, you have two options to complete your rental.

    ○ OPTION 1: HomeShip. You can place your initial rental online, choosing only one of your program hood colors and the rental will be shipped to your home. To rent the second hood color, you will need to come to in-person distribution to rent your second program’s hood.

    ○ OPTION 2: In-Person Distribution. Starting May 6, you can come to USC Bookstore to rent your cap, gown, and hood(s) in person. There is no shipping fee for this option. For in-person distribution, you come to USC Bookstore, complete an order form, pay for the rental, and receive your rental regalia. Pre-ordering or reservations for in-person distribution pick-ups are not available. Pre-ordering or reservations for in-person distribution pick-ups are not available.


    If you are Purchasing your regalia, you can add the two hoods that you need to your cart while shopping online. If both programs require the same hood color, you only need to purchase one.

  • +Is In-Person Distribution First-Come First-Serve? Do I Need to Reserve/Pre-Order My Regalia In Advance?

    Reservations and pre-orders are not available for in-person distribution. You will simply visit in-person to complete your rental. There will be plenty of regalia available for in-person distribution, you do not have to be concerned about USC Bookstore running out of regalia.

  • +If I Rent My Cap, Gown, and Hood* Online Can I Pick It Up at USC Bookstore?

    Online orders for regalia will be shipped directly to your home, shipping is free. There is no in-store pick-up option for online rentals. Please see more information about cap and gown rentals on our Rent Regalia page.


    *Hoods are only for master’s and doctoral graduates.

  • +What Do I Do If I Missed the April 7 Deadline to Rent a Cap & Gown?

    USC Bookstore will have in-person distribution of caps, gowns & hoods* beginning May 6. For more information on in-person distribution, please visit our Rent Regalia page.


    *Hoods are only for master’s and doctoral graduates.

  • +Can I Keep My Cap, Gown, and Hood* If I’m Renting My Regalia?

    TTo reduce our carbon footprint, we use rental gowns and hoods that must be returned following your ceremony. You can keep your cap and tassel as a souvenir. Please see more information about cap and gown rentals on our Rent Regalia page.


    *Hoods are only for master’s and doctoral graduates.

  • +Do I Need to Know My Cap Size If I’m Renting My Regalia?

    No, you do not need to know your cap or hat size. All rentals will come with a SureFit Cap, which is one size fits all. If you need a larger size cap, please contact Wesley Mitchell via email at wdmitche@usc.edu..

  • +Do I Need to Purchase a Tassel If I’m Renting My Regalia?

    No, you do not need to purchase a tassel. All regalia rentals of caps, gowns, and hoods* come with the standard USC signet tassel. Please see more information about regalia rentals on our Rent Regalia page.


    *Hoods are only for master’s and doctoral graduates.

  • +Can I Purchase a Cap, Gown, and Hood* Instead of Renting?

    Information about purchasing regalia is available on our Purchase Regalia. Please allow 6-8 weeks for manufacturing and an additional 1-4 business days for shipping. Be sure to choose the proper expediting options to ensure your purchased regalia arrives in time for your ceremony.


    *Hoods are only for master’s and doctoral graduates.

  • +When Purchasing My Cap and Gown, There’s an Option for “Initials in Gown”. Where Will the Initials Be Placed?

    The initials will be on the back of the gown, on the tag. This is to help identify the owner of the gown in case there are multiple gowns hanging together. There is no extra cost to add your initials to the gown and we recommend adding them for this reason.

  • +Can I Purchase My Cap and Gown After Commencement Has Passed?

    Yes, graduation regalia can be purchased year-round. Please see information about purchasing regalia on our Purchase Regalia page.

  • +Can I Purchase Only My Hood?

    Yes, master’s and doctoral graduates can purchase hoods as individual items. Please allow 6-8 weeks for manufacturing and an additional 1-4 business days for shipping. Be sure to choose the proper expediting options to ensure your purchased regalia arrives in time for your ceremony. Please see information about purchasing regalia on our Purchase Regalia page.

  • +How Do I Know If My Hood Is the Correct Color?

    Please refer to the USC Hood Color Chart

  • +How Do I Purchase a Doctoral Tam?

    If you’re renting doctoral regalia, but wish to purchase a tam, you can do so on our website. We have sizes 6 7/8 to 8. Shipping is currently free. If you wish to purchase a doctoral tam, please refer to our Purchase Regalia.


    If your tam size isn’t available through our website, you can order a doctoral tam directly from Herff Jones HERE.

  • +When Will I Receive My Order?

    HomeShip Rental Orders will be shipped within 7-10 business days of your order placement. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Orders will be delivered by May 8.

    Regalia Purchases will ship in 6-8 weeks unless you choose expedited manufacturing or shipping when placing your order.

    Diploma Frame will ship in 4-5 weeks.

    Announcement Orders will take 7-10 days for manufacturing and ship in 3-5 business days (excluding Sunday) unless the expedited option is selected.

  • +Can I just purchase a Diploma Frame separately?

    Yes, USC Bookstore sells diploma frames year-round. Please visit the store or our USC Diploma Frames page for more information.

  • +How Do I Know The Size Of My Diploma?

    The standard size for most diplomas is 8.5” x 11”, except for these four degrees: Dental – DDS, Pharmacy, MD, and Juris Doctorate – JD. Diplomas for these four degrees are 11” x 14”. Please visit our USC Diploma Frames page for more information.

  • +Are Sashes Required?

    Sashes are optional and are only available for purchase, not for rent. Many students choose to purchase a customized sash to commemorate their collegiate honors and accomplishments.

  • +How do I order a sash?

    There are three ways to order a sash.

    Option 1: Come to USC Bookstore and purchase a standard non-customized sash. These standard sashes cost $54.99.

    Option 2: Order a standard non-customized sash on our Graduation Sash page and have it shipped to your home.

    Option 3: Order a customized sash through our partner Pride Sash’s Builder.page. The starting price for a customized sash is $75. Customized sashes take up to 6 weeks to be delivered. The deadline to order a customized sash to receive it by USC Commencement is March 22. Customized sashes can be ordered year-round. Customized sashes ship directly to your home from Pride Sash.

    NOTE: If you have purchased a standard non-customized sash and would like to have it customized, you have the option of personalizing your sash at the USC Custom Shop located on USC Bookstore’s 3rd level. For more information, please visit USC Custom Shop in-person.

  • +If I Am Participating in May 2024 Commencement, But My Degree Was Conferred in December 2023. What Year Do I Put On My Customized Sash?

    If you graduated in a previous year or are graduating in a later year but want to join friends in photos for this year, you can customize a sash with the year of your choosing. More information is available on our Graduation page.

  • +I Am Trying to Order a Cap, Gown and Hood*, But I Can Only Enter the "All Majors" Option Under the Area of Study When Ordering My Cap, Gown and Hood*. Where Can I Enter the Correct Information to Ensure I Order the Right Cap, Gown and Hood*?

    After choosing your school, your graduation month and year will appear, then you will choose your degree type (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate). When filling in the Cap & Gown Student Information “Area of Study,” you will see either the option “All Majors” or an option to choose your specific major. If you receive the option “All Majors,” do not worry. That simply means that within your school, every master’s and doctoral Student receives the same velvet hood color.


    *Hoods are only for master’s and doctoral graduates.

  • +When Will I Receive My Honor Cord?

    Honor Cords are overseen by each school’s department and are available in late April. Each school will distribute more information regarding Honor Cords to their respective students. Honor Cords are for bachelor’s graduates only.

  • +I Am Graduating with Both My Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees As Part Of A PDP (Progressive Degree Program). What Regalia Do I Order If I Want to Attend Both the Bachelor’s and Master’s Ceremonies?

    For those graduating as part of a PDP program, we recommend ordering master’s regalia. If you plan to attend both ceremonies, you can walk in the bachelor’s ceremony with the master’s cap and gown, then add your program’s hood for the master’s ceremony.