The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UH Hilo) requires all graduating students to wear formal academic regalia for commencement ceremonies. This includes a graduation gown, mortarboard cap, and a maroon tassel for undergraduate students. Graduate-level students must also wear a hood representing their degree.

Undergraduates typically wear a black gown with a maroon tassel. Graduate students wear a gown, hood, and mortarboard cap, with tassel colors and hood details confirmed through the UH Hilo Bookstore or Registrar.

UH Hilo offers a traditional red kīhei (Hawaiian shoulder wrap) as part of the ceremony to reflect local culture and island heritage. Student veterans are recognized with a red, white, and blue Veteran’s Honor Cord, awarded through the Registrar’s Office.

The university does not provide honor cords or stoles for Latin honors (cum laude, magna, summa); these achievements are recognized verbally during the ceremony and recorded on transcripts. Faculty members wear traditional academic robes, with hoods reflecting their highest degree or discipline. Graduates must order regalia, including cap, gown, tassel, and hood if applicable, in advance through the UH Hilo Bookstore to ensure availability.

Overall, UH Hilo’s commencement combines standard academic dress with cultural elements such as the kīhei, and recognizes veterans with a distinctive honor cord, offering a dignified, unified, and meaningful graduation ceremony experience.

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