Graduation FAQs

All students who submitted their application will receive an email from the PC Commencement Committee. 

The 2023 commencement ceremony will be located at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which is near the State Fairgrounds, west of campus, and downtown Phoenix.

The coliseum's street address is:
1826 W. McDowell Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85007

It will take place on Friday, May 10, 2024, at 6:00 pm.

Each graduate will receive ONE parking permit for one vehicle only.  Additional parking is $12 per car.  Graduates can pick up their parking permit in the Hannelly Center, Welcome Desk.

If you arrive late, accommodations will be made in the best way possible.  Please be leave home early, and check for traffic problems, including freeway closures, in advance.  

The ceremony is expected to last approximately two hours.

There's no limit to the number of guests a student can invite.  Tickets aren't required.

Yes.  The Graduation Program includes:

• Information about the commencement ceremony
• Graduate names, with degree/certificate earned, as well as their distinctions and honors

Please note that the names of students who applied to participate in commencement after the priority date (3/1/24) may not appear in the program.

Browse, and download, the program from the Commencement Details page.

ASL interpreters will be on stage.

Please contact Disability Resources & Services for accommodations:
   
    Phone:             (602) 285-7477
    Video Phone:   (623) 208-4063
    Email:               drs@phoenixcollege.edu
    Fax:                  (602) 285-7663  

Yes, a professional photography service will be available.  You'll have the opportunity to purchase pictures through GradImages.

The ceremony will also be live streamed for those that cannot attend in person: phoenixcollege.edu/live.

For safety reasons, balloons, confetti, confetti cannons, etc. (or any items of this nature) are not permitted inside the coliseum. There will be a marked, unsecured, designated area for these types of items outside the venue to be retrieved after the ceremony.

Phoenix College will offer a limited number of free cap/gown/tassel packages for Spring 2024 commencement.  Stop by the Hannelly Center Welcome Desk to see if we have your size in stock.

If we don't, or if you'd prefer to order regalia yourself, graduates may purchase the package from the manufacturer.  Place your order from Balfour https://www.buildagrad.com/pcm who will ship the package directly to you.

           Pricing:   $12.95 for Regalia Package
   Tassel Only:   $1.65
Shipping Fee:    $12.95
 

IMPORTANT
Orders placed less than 4 weeks prior to graduation are not guaranteed to be delivered in time for the commencement ceremony.   

Yes, you may decorate your cap. 

However, you must refrain from using offensive, or distasteful decorations.  Phoenix College will ask you to remove your cap if it deems the decorations to be objectionable.  We'll provide you with a replacement cap to wear during the ceremony.

Yes.  Students who've earned a 3.5 GPA, or higher, will receive a gold cord to wear during the commencement ceremony.  You'll receive the cord when you check in at the commencement ceremony.

Qualifying for a distinction cord:

• GPA for the ceremony/cords will be calculated based on the previous semester.
• GPA is calculated by the grades for the student's degree. Transfer credits are also included.
• The final GPA will be calculated when grades are posted and will be reflected on the student’s diploma/transcript.

Distinction cords are different than designations for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and the Phoenix College Honors Program.  See the next FAQ for information about regalia related to those programs.

Phi Theta Kappa
The minimum GPA to become a member of PTK is 3.25.  For eligibility and particpation details, visit the Phoenix College Phi Theta Kappa page.  Already a member?  Students may purchase regalia online by visiting the Phi Theta Kappa store:  https://store.ptk.org

PTK regalia must be ordered prior to commencement in order to receive it on time; refer to delivery timeframes at the PTK store.

Questions regarding PTK regalia?  Email PC-Honors@phoenixcollege.edu, and indicate your inquiry is related to PTK and Commencement.   PTK designations aren't handled through Admissions, Records & Registration. 

Honors
To qualify as an honors student, graduates must have completed 15 credit hours of honors classes.  They must have also maintained a GPA of 3.5.  Visit the Phoenix College Honors Program page for more information.

Questions regarding Honors regalia?  If you're receiving designations from the Honors Program, contact the program coordinator directly at PC-Honors@phoenixcollege.edu.  Honors designations aren't handled through Admissions, Records & Registration. 

Designations for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and the Phoenix College Honors Program are different than the designation for students with high GPAs. See the previous FAQ for details related to Distinction Cords, which are automatically disributed to students who've earned GPAs of 3.5, or above.

Yes.  Certificate holders are encouraged to participate.  They should follow the same application process as students who are earning degrees.

Graduation application forms, and submission procedures, are discussed in detail on the Apply for Graduation Page.
You'll also need to apply to participate in the commencement ceremony, by completing the Apply to Paricipate in Commencement Form.

Yes, providing a check sheet will eliminate any chances of your application being denied for missing requirements. 

The check sheet is discussed in detail within Step 2 - See Your Advisor on the Apply for Graduation Page.

Yes, application forms for both degree and certificate earners are available for download.

The application forms, and submission procedures are discussed in detail within Step 3 - Submit Your Application on the Apply for Graduation Page.

Students Participating in Commencement

To meet the priority deadline, apply for graduation and apply to participate in commencement, by March 1, 2024.  Applications submitted later will be processed when received; however, your name may not be printed in the commencement program book.

APPLY FOR GRADUATION
Follow the steps on the Apply for Graduation Page.

APPLY TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMENCEMENT
Register online, by completing the Application to Participate in Commencement Form.

Students Not Participating in Commencement

Submit your application at any time.  Follow the steps on the Apply for Graduation Page.

Students who are completing their courses during Summer 2023 can participate in the Spring 2023 commencement.

IMPORTANT

Students won't, however, receive their diploma until all courses and all grades are posted.  All financial obligations to Phoenix College must also be rectified.

No.  Students won't be charged a graduation fee if they elect not to participate.

Graduates in need of a duplicate diploma should email pcgraduation@phoenixcollege.edu.

The fee for this service is $5.