Two people drape a hood over a male graduate's head at the Master's Hooding Ceremony

Master's Hooding Ceremony

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL SPRING 2026 GRADUATES!

The Spring 2026 Master's Hooding Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in the Northeastern Illinois University Auditorium. The first ceremony, for students graduating from degree programs in the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education, will begin at 5:30 p.m. The second ceremony, for students graduating from degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business and Technology, will be held at 7:30 p.m. 

In late February, an invitation will be sent to your NEIU email address from MastersHooding@neiu.edu with an RSVP link. The RSVP deadline is Sunday, March 29, 2026, but we ask that you RSVP as soon as you receive the invitation. It will help us with our planning for the celebration.

Caps and Gowns

Caps and gowns are required to participate in the ceremony. The deadline to order caps and gowns is Friday, April 3, 2026. This is a hard deadline from Jostens, Northeastern’s official cap and gown manufacturer, to ensure students receive their orders before the ceremony. All orders placed online will be mailed directly to the address provided with the order, not to Northeastern.

Order your cap and gown today!

All inquiries regarding cap and gown orders should be directed to Jostens at (800) 854-7464 or via their customer service help center.

Please note: Caps and gowns are required to participate in the Master’s Hooding Ceremony. In keeping with the formal nature of academic regalia, robes and hoods must be fully visible; caps may be decorated; and graduates may wear stoles, chords or medallions signifying academic honors, University clubs/organizations and veteran status with their regalia.

Master’s Hooding Ceremony Guest Tickets

  • Guest ticket pick up deadline is Monday, April 6, 2026. 

  • Due to limited seating, graduating students participating in the Hooding Ceremony may request up to 2 (two) guest tickets each when they RSVP. Guest tickets will be offered until seating capacity is reached on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Graduates, when they RSVP, will have the opportunity to place their name on a waiting list to receive additional tickets should there be any remaining tickets available.

  • Guest tickets will be available for pick-up at the Commencement Resource Fair being held on the Main Campus in Alumni Hall from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Monday, March 30, 2026 and from 3 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. 

  • If you are unable to pick up your guest tickets at the Resource Fair or by the April 6, 2026 deadline, please email us at MastersHooding@neiu.edu or call (773) 442-6011 to request other arrangements.

After the Monday, April 6, 2026 guest ticket pickup deadline, if we have not reached seating capacity, we will distribute remaining tickets to our wait list and cannot guarantee the availability of your guest tickets if they have not been picked up. 

Please note: Ticketing is separate for the Master's Hooding Ceremony and Commencement. You'll need to pick up tickets for each event if you plan on attending both. If you have questions about Commencement tickets, please contact commencement@neiu.edu or (773) 442-4630.

The Day of the Master’s Hooding Ceremony

  • Complimentary parking is available on the 3rd and 4th floors of the Parking Facility, which is marked as Building 16 on the NEIU Campus Map.

  • Wear your gown and cap and bring your hood

  • Leave personal belongings in your vehicle or with your guests; the University is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

  • Go to the check-in table located outside of the Auditorium to obtain your reader card which will feature your name and program. It will be used to announce your name as you walk across the stage.

  • An usher will be available to escort you and your guests to the appropriate seating area. Your guest(s) will not sit with you during the ceremony.

  • No balloons will be allowed inside the Auditorium.

Social Media

We encourage graduates, friends, and family to use the hashtag #NEIUgrad on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don't forget to follow NEIU on Facebook and Instagram (@neiulife) and Twitter (@neiu)!

Have Questions About the Master’s Hooding Ceremony? 

Contact the College of Graduate Studies and Research at MastersHooding@neiu.edu or (773) 442-6011.

Commencement Information

 

 

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