Sunday, May 17 , Monday, May 18
Preparing for Commencement
Congratulations to all eligible spring 2026 candidates for graduation! Please make note of the dates and times below. The following guidelines will assist you in preparing for commencement.
GRADUATION FAIR
Seniors graduating in May 2026 are invited to attend the Graduation Fair on Wednesday, March 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Mack Student Center Atrium, North Campus. At this event, you will be able to order your academic attire, schedule your senior portraits, order class rings, and ask questions regarding commencement. If you are unable to attend the event, please follow the instructions in the Ceremony Attendance and Academic Attire Orders paragraph below.
CEREMONY ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC ATTIRE ORDERS
To confirm graduation ceremony attendance and order academic attire, please visit hofstra.edu/academicattire. You will be directed to the Hofstra portal. Scroll down to enter your ceremony, height, and weight, and carefully check your order; click submit. You will receive an email from the Commencement Office indicating that your order for academic attire has been received. Orders for academic attire must be received by midnight on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. If you miss the deadline to order attire, we will have additional attire available. Please follow the instructions in the Academic Attire Distribution paragraph.
ACADEMIC ATTIRE DISTRIBUTION
Academic attire and ticket distribution will take place on Wednesday, May 6, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the David S. Mack Physical Education Center (PEC) main gym. Undergraduate and graduate candidates for graduation may also pick up attire an hour before the ceremony on Sunday, May 17, at the Mack Physical Education Center. Maurice A. Deane School of Law graduation candidates can pick up their academic attire during the pickup times listed above or an hour before the ceremony on Monday, May 18, at the Mack Physical Education Center. There is no fee for the academic attire, and it is yours to keep after the ceremony.
When you arrive at academic attire distribution, you will be asked to present your Hofstra ID or provide your Hofstra ID number. You will be given an index card (see card colors below). Please bring this card with you to the ceremony. This card will be used to place you in the procession, to announce your name at the ceremony, and to identity you as Island Photography takes your picture. Check the card to be sure your name is listed correctly.
Please check your academic attire package. ALL candidates for graduation should have a cap, gown, and tassel. Master’s, advanced certificate, doctoral, and School of Law graduation candidates should have a hood representing their school in their academic attire package. Doctoral students will have tams (circular caps) instead of mortarboard caps.
INDEX CARD COLORS BY SCHOOL
Pink Card (Undergraduate)
Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs; School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts; School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics); School of Education; School of Health Sciences; Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies Green Card (Undergraduate)
Frank G. Zarb School of Business
The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication
Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science
Yellow Card (Master’s, Advanced Certificates, and Doctoral Degrees) All Schools (except Law)
Gold Card
Maurice A. Deane School of Law
HOOD COLORS BY SCHOOL
Master’s Degrees
Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – White School of Education – Light Blue School of Health Sciences – Sage Green
Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies – Apricot
Frank G. Zarb School of Business – Drab
The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication – Crimson
Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science – Orange Doctoral Degrees
Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – White (Dark Blue for PhD) School of Education – Light Blue
Maurice A. Deane School of Law – Purple School of Health Sciences – Sage Green
Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies – Apricot
Spring 2026
Graduation Celebrations and Commencement Schedule
FRIDAY, MAY 15
4 p.m. Celebration of Scholarly Excellence
John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus (Attendance is by invitation only.)
SUNDAY, MAY 17
All ceremonies are held at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, North Campus.
9 a.m.
Undergraduate Ceremony
Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs; School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts; School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics)
School of Education
School of Health Sciences
Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies
1 p.m.
Undergraduate Ceremony
Frank G. Zarb School of Business
The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication
Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science
5 p.m. Graduate Ceremony
Master’s, Advanced Certificate, and Doctoral – All Schools (except Maurice A. Deane School of Law)
MONDAY, MAY 18
5 p.m.
Maurice A. Deane School of Law Ceremony
COMMENCEMENT GUESTS
Guests arriving at the Mack Sports Complex are encouraged to arrive early and travel light. All guests entering the complex will be subject to routine security measures, including metal detector screening and bag searches. The Mack Sports Complex does not provide an area to check bags, coats, or any other personal belongings. Entrances, which will be clearly marked, have been designated to assist with the flow of guests entering the building.
Entrance E – Accessible • Entrances B, C, and D – General admission
Graduates and guests are reminded that proper and appropriate conduct is expected at all times.
TICKET INFORMATION (UNDERGRADUATE ONLY)
Each spring undergraduate degree candidate will receive five (5) assigned seat tickets. The Graduate and Maurice A. Deane School of Law ceremonies do not require tickets.
Ceremony registration and cap and gown order emails go out beginning the first week of March. Students use the link in the email to access the ceremony form, where they can request additional undergraduate tickets until the April 1 deadline.
Undergraduate students may request as many additional tickets as desired. If a student is selected in the lottery, they will be awarded a maximum of 2 tickets for that selection. If a selected student requested more than 2 tickets, their name will remain in the lottery. This process will continue using the same method of selection until all remaining tickets are distributed. Tickets distributed via the lottery are not guaranteed to be in the same location as a student’s original tickets.
Lottery winners will be notified via their Hofstra Pride account beginning Friday, May 8, at 10 a.m. Tickets can be picked up by the requesting student or someone on their behalf with the student’s Hofstra ID number. Tickets must be picked up on Tuesday, May 12, or Wednesday, May 13, at the Hospitality Desk located in Room 112 Mack Student Center between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are not guaranteed to be available after those dates.
There will also be a webcast of all the commencement ceremonies at hofstra.edu/commencement. Please click the link “Watch Live Webcasts” at the ceremony start time.
GRADUATION LINEUP
All undergraduate and graduate candidates for graduation (except law graduates) will line up in the Mack Physical Education Center, adjacent to the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, North Campus, one hour before their ceremony on Sunday, May 17. Maurice A. Deane School of Law degree candidates will line up one hour before their ceremony on Monday, May 18. You will be instructed to wait behind the stanchion with the placard indicating your school. Hofstra staff will be available to assist in lining up candidates in proper order and to answer any lastminute questions.
LENGTH OF CEREMONY • Each ceremony will last approximately 2 to 2 ½ hours.
PHOTOS, FLOWERS, RINGS
Senior Portraits
Monday-Friday, March 23-27; Monday-Friday, April 13-17 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Room 141 Mack Student Center, North Campus
Please visit hofstra.edu/seniors for more information and to make an appointment.
Please be prepared to provide the photographer with your major. Don’t forget that you can use these portraits for professional networking and job search sites as well. There is a $15 sitting fee due at your appointment. The method of accepted payment is credit/debit card. Cash is not accepted. Please Note: It is important that you arrive on time for your scheduled appointment. No walk-ins will be permitted. Questions regarding your portraits should be directed to 516-767-1234 or custserv@islandphoto.com.
Flowers
The Commencement Group will be selling flowers at the ceremony, or you can order them online at www.thecommencementgroup.com/hofstra These flowers will be available for pickup near the main entrance to the Mack Sports Complex prior to the commencement ceremony.
Rings and Diploma Frames
Information on class rings can be found at Balfour’s page at www.balfour.com/hofstra.
Information regarding diploma frames, alumni gear, and gifts can be found on the Hofstra Bookstore website at www.hofstra.bncollege.com
Commemorative Class of 2026 sweatshirts and T-shirts are available for purchase at www.thecommencementgroup.com/hofstra
DIPLOMAS
The Office of Academic Records will notify you when your diploma is ready. It takes approximately three (3) months after graduation for the diploma to be processed. You can either pick it up in Room 207 Memorial Hall, South Campus, or have it mailed to you. Make sure your current address is on file.
Once again, congratulations! We hope you and your guests enjoy the ceremony. If you have any questions, or if we can assist you in any way, please contact the Commencement Office at 516-463-4346 or graduation@hofstra.edu.