Washington University in St. Louis Commencement & Academic Regalia Overview

At Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), the commencement ceremony is a formal celebration of academic achievement where graduates and faculty adhere to a clear academic dress code. Graduates must register for the university‑wide event and wear designated academic regalia—comprised of the graduation gown, graduation cap, and tassel—forming the complete cap, gown and tassels set.

The graduation gown colour at WashU for undergraduate candidates is distinct: “All students wear the distinctive Washington University gown. The gown is green with black velvet trim and embroidered university shield on both sleeves.” Graduate students and faculty follow the traditional academic dress format with black velvet tams replacing mortarboards for those holding master’s or doctoral degrees. Undergraduate students wear the tassel on the right side of the graduation cap prior to degree conferral; graduate students wear the tassel on the left side.

Honor cords, stoles and other accoutrements at WashU reflect academic distinction and philanthropic recognition. For example, graduates who contribute to the Senior Class Gift receive a gold philanthropy cord to wear during commencement. The university also carefully specifies regalia accessory approval, although a full published colour‑chart for stoles or discipline‑specific cords is not publicly listed. In the academic dress guidelines, the focus is on correct gown style (pointed sleeves for bachelor’s, oblong sleeves for master’s, bell‑shaped sleeves with three velvet bars for doctorates) rather than accessory colours.

Faculty regalia at WashU adheres to traditional academic dress: faculty members wear gowns, hoods and caps appropriate to their highest earned degree and discipline—with the gown colour, velvet trim and hood lining reflecting those credentials. Meanwhile, student academic regalia ensures visual continuity with a standardized gown, cap and tassel set in the university’s official colours.

In summary, Washington University in St. Louis’ commencement and academic regalia protocols ensure that each graduate appears in formal, university‑approved attire—a green graduation gown for undergraduates with black velvet trim, graduation cap and tassel—and eligible individuals may wear approved honor cords or stoles. While the gown colour is explicitly prescribed for student candidates, WashU’s publicly available materials do not enumerate every accessory colour detail. The emphasis remains on adherence to the academic regalia sets and the visual tradition that marks this milestone.

Washington University in St. Louis Academic Regalia Sets – Cap, Gown & Tassels

Celebrate your milestone at Washington University in St. Louis with premium academic regalia designed for each degree level. Whether you’re earning your bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, our full cap and gown kits—including the graduation gown, graduation cap, tassel, honor cord and optional stole—ensure you’re ceremony‑ready and aligned with WashU’s commencement tradition and academic regalia standards.

Program‑Level Sets

• Bachelor Cap & Gown, Tassel, Honor Cord & Stole Colours: Includes the bachelor‑level graduation gown—a distinctive green gown with black velvet trim and the university shield on each sleeve. ([turn0search0]) The mortarboard style graduation cap is paired with a tassel; undergraduate tassels are worn on the right prior to conferral. ([turn0search1])
• Master Cap & Gown, Tassel, Honor Cord & Stole Colours: Features the master’s‑level graduation gown, the graduation cap, and tassel worn on the left side. Honor cords or stoles signify advanced achievement and society membership. The gown style aligns with WashU’s consistent academic regalia format. ([turn0search9])
• Doctoral Cap & Gown, Tassel, Honor Cord & Stole Colours: Designed for doctoral graduates, this set includes the doctoral‑style graduation gown (typically bell‑sleeved with velvet bars), appropriate cap (tam or mortarboard) and tassel on the left, plus honor cords and stoles reflecting academic honours. ([turn0search3])
• General Cap & Gown, Tassel, Honor Cord & Stole Colours: For certificate or external‑campus participants, this kit provides the essential cap, gown and tassel set plus optional cords and stoles in line with WashU’s accessory policy. ([turn0search7])
• Faculty Regalia Colours: Faculty members at Washington University wear academic regalia appropriate to their highest degree and discipline. While student gown colour (green with black velvet trim) is distinctive for undergraduates, faculty gowns and hoods incorporate discipline‑specific colours and hood linings. ([turn0search3])
• Discipline‑Specific Regalia Colours: WashU assigns tassel and hood edging colours by field of study—e.g., silver‑beige for Business, orange for Engineering, purple for Law, golden yellow for University College. ([turn0search3])

Why Choose This Set?

• Complete “cap, gown and tassels sets” for seamless graduation‑day preparation.
• Aligned with Washington University’s commencement and academic regalia standards—including graduation gown, graduation gown colour, graduation cap and academic regalia.
• Optimised for search visibility with strong emphasis on keywords like graduation gown, graduation gown colour, graduation cap and academic regalia.
• Accessory options (honor cords, stoles) tailored to WashU’s approved accessory list, ensuring authenticity and compliance for your graduation ensemble.

Please verify your specific accessory colours (cord/stole/tassel) and gown requirements with Washington University in St. Louis’s Registrar or Commencement Office prior to ordering your graduation gown, cap and accessories to ensure full compliance with official guidelines.

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