Illinois State University

Cap & Gown: All participating graduates must wear academic regalia (cap and gown) — purchased via the university’s designated vendor prior to commencement. Undergraduate Tassel Colors: For undergraduate degrees, the tassels on caps are in the university colors: red and white.

Graduate Tassels / Hoods: For graduates (master’s, doctoral, MFA, etc.), regalia includes hooding (where applicable). Tassels for master’s degrees are black; for doctoral degrees tassels are gold. The borders of graduate hoods are colored to reflect the field of study (discipline color), as per the 2024 commencement booklet.

Additionally, students in the Honors Program or Presidential Scholars may wear a red cord for their designation.

Stoles: While ISU’s official webpage emphasizes caps, gowns, hoods (for graduate degrees) and honor cords, there is no publicly available comprehensive “stole‑color chart.” Stoles are not explicitly tied to a university‑wide standard color scheme in the public materials.

Faculty Regalia / Other Disciplines: For graduate hooding and doctoral robes, border/hood colors correspond to academic disciplines — but ISU does not publish a public master‑list of all discipline‑to‑color mappings in its general commencement documentation. Hoods and tassels reflect the graduate’s field of study via colored trim, but the full color chart is only partially visible in the published program booklets.

Illinois State University Graduation Cap, Gown & Regalia – Bachelor, Master, Doctoral

Get ready for your ISU commencement with a full academic regalia set — cap, gown, tassel, and optional hood or honor cord — styled according to Illinois State University’s official graduation traditions.

Graduation Gown & Cap: Standard mortarboard and gown required for undergraduate and graduate degree ceremonies at Illinois State.
Tassel Colors by Degree: Undergraduate tassel – red & white; Master’s tassel – black; Doctorate tassel – gold. Matches ISU’s official color conventions.
Graduate Hood & Discipline‑Trim: Hood lined in ISU institutional colors (red and white); hood‑border trim reflects your academic field of study (as per ISU’s published hood‑border color chart).
Honor Cords for Graduating Undergraduates: Gold for Summa Cum Laude, Lavender for Magna Cum Laude, White for Cum Laude — for students meeting GPA & credit‑hour criteria.
Customizable Stole / Accessories: While ISU does not enforce a standard stole‑color chart, you can add a personal stole or ceremonial sash of your choice.
Perfect For: ISU commencement ceremonies, hooding events, graduation photos, alumni keepsakes, or gifting to graduates.

Important: Tassel, hood, and cord colors follow ISU’s published regalia guidelines; stoles and personalized accessories remain at your discretion or based on departmental/organization custom.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Illinois State University, you can reach out directly to the college's administration or the office responsible for commencement and student services. They can provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding academic regalia.