Hey University of Virginia Class of 2026, wondering when and where to pick up your UVA cap and gown? It’s hard to believe, but Final Exercises (aka Graduation Weekend) is just a few months away, and it’s almost time to pick up your caps and gowns!

 

 

Here’s what you need to know about picking up your UVA cap and gown:

 

• Undergraduates can pick up their Cap and Gown during “GradFest”: Monday, February 16th, 2026 through Friday, February 20th, 2026, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Graduate Students can pick up their Cap and Gown during Graduate Week, the week after: Monday, February 23rd, 2026 through Friday, February 27th, 2026, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Pick up your Cap and Gown on the second floor in the UVA Bookstore
• All students will need a valid photo ID: your student ID, Driver’s License, or Passport will work
• Caps and Gowns are free to all UVA students and do not need to be returned

 

 

Don’t forget to pick up your UVA Cap and Gown during these weeks! If you forget, you’ll have to wait until the days leading up to graduation (Wednesday, May 13 – Sunday, May 17).

 

And if you don’t get your cap and gown until finals weekend, you could miss out on a Graduation Photoshoot! 😩

 

 

What’s the Deal with Tassels?

If you pick up your Cap and Gown from the Bookstore, your tassel will reflect the school you’re graduating from:

 

• College of Arts and Sciences: Black
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: Bright Orange
• School of Architecture: Light Purple
• Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy: Turquoise 
• McIntire School of Commerce: “Gold” (lol it’s brown 🤣)
• School of Education and Human Development: Light Blue
• School of Nursing: Light Orange
• Darden School of Business: “Gold” (no really guys, this is just brown 😂)
• School of Law: Deep Purple (With Purple Formal Robes)
• School of Medicine: Yellow (With Green Formal Robes)

 

 

But don’t worry, if you forgot to pick up your cap and gown during Fourth Year or Graduate Week, but still want it in time for a UVA Grad Session, you can find a simple black Cap and Gown on Amazon (here). But you won’t get a custom tassel (which doesn’t matter if you’re in the College)!

 

Of course, Masters students have a slightly different gown, while Ph.D., Law, and Medicine students have totally different regalia! So it’s best to keep these dates in mind.

 

 

The Best Part About Picking Up Your Cap and Gown…

By the way, now that you know when and where to pick up your cap and gown, it’s a great time to schedule your UVA Graduation Photoshoot with Charlottesville’s #1 Graduation Photography team! We’ve photographed over 1,300 fourth years over the last decade, and have sessions for everyone!

• Sunrise sessions AND evening sessions!
• Sessions for individual grads AND group sessions for the whole squad!
• Sessions are available in March, April, AND May!
• Book a full-time professional photographer (not a UVA student or hobbyist)!
• We even photograph Family/Grad sessions over Graduation Weekend!

 

Click HERE to view our full availability, and schedule your session in minutes! And go Hoos!