Northeastern University

Northeastern University (NEU) celebrates its annual commencement ceremonies with formal academic tradition that honors graduates’ scholarly achievements with classic academic regalia. Graduation celebrations take place across NEU’s global campuses and culminate in ceremonies at historic Boston venues like Fenway Park. All participating students must wear complete academic regalia — including a graduation cap, graduation gown, coordinated tassels, and optional honor cords or stoles — in accordance with the university’s commencement policies.

Northeastern University’s commencement ceremony blends tradition and personalization, inviting graduates to celebrate with official academic dress — from cap, gown, and tassels to honor cords and optional stoles — that embody academic accomplishment and institutional pride.

Northeastern University Commencement & Academic Regalia Guide

Northeastern University’s commencement ceremonies spotlight scholarly achievement with formal academic tradition. Graduates from bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs participate in structured commencement celebrations that feature complete academic dress including the classic graduation gown, graduation cap, coordinated tassels, optional honor cords, and stoles. Northeastern provides complimentary regalia when ordered by deadline, allowing students to keep mortarboard, gown, and tassel sets as memorabilia of academic success.

Northeastern University Bachelor Cap & Gown, Tassel, Honor Cord & Stoles Color

Graduation gown color: Standard black graduation gowns unify bachelor’s candidates across colleges, reflecting academic regalia tradition.
Graduation cap: Classic black mortarboard cap is required and included in the cap and gown set provided to students.
Tassel: Tassels coordinate with academic attire and may reflect the graduate’s major field of study or institutional style.
Honor cord: Undergraduate honor cords (gold) are awarded to students with GPA ≥ 3.5 and may be worn during commencement ceremonies.
Stoles color: Optional stoles representing cultural identification, leadership roles, or organizational affiliation are worn by some graduates; official stoles are generally provided by recognized student groups or programs.

Northeastern University Master’s Cap & Gown, Tassel, Honor Cord & Stoles Color

Graduation gown color: Master’s candidates also wear traditional black gowns with academic sleeve style that distinguish graduate level academic dress.
Graduation cap: Mortarboard cap and tassel are included as part of the master’s regalia set.
Tassel: Tassels may follow a color scheme linked to the academic discipline or remain in standard colors for master’s candidates.
Honor cord: Master’s honor cords may be worn by graduate students who have achieved institutional academic distinction.
Stoles color: Approved stoles for advanced students can denote program leadership or specialized achievement during commencement.

Cap & Gown, Tassel, Honor Cords & Stoles (General)

Academic regalia: Full cap, gown, and tassel sets are required for all graduates to participate in commencement and are provided when ordered before the deadline.
Graduation gown color: Black gowns provide a unified and classic academic appearance for all degree levels.
Tassels sets: Tassels, included with regalia, symbolize academic tradition and visual unity during the ceremony.
Honor cords: Gold honors cords recognize scholastic excellence and may be distributed at pick‑up events prior to graduation.
Stoles: Optional stoles representing heritage, leadership, or organizational recognition add personal meaning to academic regalia.

Faculty Regalia Color

Faculty regalia: Faculty wear scholarly robes with colors and hoods that reflect their highest earned degrees and academic disciplines, enhancing the traditional commencement procession.

All Other Discipline Regalia Color

Discipline regalia: Graduates may select tassels or regalia accents tied to specific majors or academic fields that reflect traditional academic dress color conventions.

Northeastern University’s commencement event blends time‑honored academic regalia — from traditional graduation cap, gown, and tassels to honor cords and custom stoles — celebrating scholastic achievement and personal distinction for each graduate.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Northeastern 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.