Hennepin Technical College
Get Started
Hennepin Technical College

You are here:

Graduation

Watch graduation ceremonies, find about the next commencement, read the checklist, and get your questions answered!

Related Pages

Recent News

Graduation Checklist
Graduation FAQs
Application for Award eForm
Preferred Name Request

Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Hennepin Tech’s 2025 Graduation Ceremony took place on May 20, 2025, celebrating the achievements of our graduates.

Watch the Commencement Ceremony

View & Purchase Official Photos

Graduate photos will be taken by Lifetouch. You may view and purchase your photos from PhotoDay. Please use access code 420943GY25

2026 Commencement

Are you in your final semester at Hennepin Tech? It is time to start preparing for graduation!

Students who expect to complete their program by the end of Spring Semester 2026 are encouraged to apply for graduation. You can get started by meeting with your advisor or by filling out the Application for Award eForm.

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know if you have been approved to graduate. Approved graduates will receive a Save the Date email with early details about the 2026 Commencement Ceremony.

Full ceremony details will be available by May 1, 2026. Watch your student email for important updates, and check the College Calendar and Student webpage for the latest information.

If you are inviting guests to Commencement who live outside of the United States, visitor requirements can be found on the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Consular Affairs Website.

Note: a letter of invitation is not needed to apply for a visitor visa, and is not one of the factors used to determine whether or not a visa will be issued to your guest. For this reason, Hennepin Tech does not provide letters of invitation.

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

View Calendar

Optional Graduation Products for Purchase

Graduates, if you have any questions about photos, please send an email to: SpecialEvents@LifeTouch.com

Graduation Checklist

Submit Your Application for Award eForm

Check with OneStop to verify you have completed an Application for Award eForm. Failure to complete the following steps by April 4, 2025 may result in your name being omitted from the commencement ceremony program.

  1. Meet with your program faculty advisor to review award requirements and discuss if you will complete award requirements at the end of Fall 2024, Spring 2025, or Summer 2025.
  2. Complete the online Application for Award eForm for your degree, diploma, or certificate for which you are applying.
  3. Course transfers must be completed by March 14, 2025.
    • If you are transferring courses from another college or transferring an articulated course, confirm that your transfers have been completed by viewing your DARS audit in your eServices account.
    • If you have courses from another MnSCU institution that have not been transferred or are in progress, submit an eTranscript Retrieval form.
    • Please refer to Residency Requirements for credits earned at Hennepin Tech.
    • Please contact the Transfer Center at Eden Prairie Campus with any questions.
  4. If you are planning to test out of a course, all test-outs must be completed by March 14, 2025.
  5. Verify your current address and correct name through eServices.
  6. Watch your email for a response from Hennepin Tech regarding your graduation status.

Commencement Ceremony

  • If you want to participate in the commencement ceremony on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, check the box on the Application for Award eForm.
  • All caps, gowns, tassels, honor medals and other recognition stoles will be given out at graduate check-in at the venue on ceremony day.
  • Commencement Ceremony Information (PDF)

Graduation FAQs

  1. You should meet with your program faculty advisor or a Student Success Advisor to go over your transcript and DARS audit to see if you have met all the graduation requirements.
  2. If so, you should submit an Application for Award eForm.
  3. Your faculty advisor needs to digitally sign this form indicating that they have reviewed the award requirements and whether you are on track to complete them.
  4. Once your faculty advisor has digitally signed and submitted the form, the Assistant Registrar will finalize the application review.
  5. An automated email communication will be sent to you regarding program completion readiness and next steps.

Stop at the OneStop Center and ask them to check your records.

At the graduation ceremony, you will get a diploma cover, not your actual degree, diploma or certificate. If you have met all eligibility requirements and submitted an Application for Award form, your degree, diploma, or certificate will be mailed to you approximately 12 weeks after the conclusion of the semester.

No. Just make sure you submit your Application for Award eForm.

Watch your Hennepin Tech email to see that your Application for Award is approved. After that, all you have to do is show up at the designated graduate arrival time.

On Commencement Day and you will be provided a cap, gown and tassel.

No.

The $10 fee is non-refundable, and the charge will remain on your account even if you decide not to attend the ceremony.

Please email Hennepin Tech’s Assistant Registrar to inform her that you have already turned in your Application for Award eForm, but changed your mind about attending the ceremony. The $10 ceremony fee will be added to your account and you will be able to participate in the ceremony. (You may pay the fee online through eServices.)

In order to have your name printed in the graduation program, you must submit your Application for Award eForm by the posted deadline date on the Graduation Checklist, and you must meet all graduation eligibility requirements.

Yes. All students who were approved to graduate by the deadline date noted on the Graduation Checklist will be listed in the program that is given out at the ceremony. If there are any programs left after the ceremony, they will be available at the Reception Desk on each campus the week after commencement.

Tickets are not needed. You may invite as many guests as you want however, seating is based on a first come, first served basis. Saving seats is not permitted, if your guests would like to sit together they should all plan to arrive at the same time. There will be an area outside the auditorium to listen to the commencement in the event that all seats fill.

All graduation apparel will be given out at the ceremony and is not available earlier.

A vendor will be at the ceremony giving out caps and gowns. They will be equipped with many petite to XXXL sizes, as well as some larger caps. There will be a cap and gown for you.

No, you are being celebrated for the successful completion of this particular academic reward, in this case, a certificate. You will be with your classmates gowned alike for the reception of this certificate. You only wear your highest degree as a faculty/staff member in a commencement, university inaugural, or convocation.

If you are graduating with honors (overall/cumulative 3.5 GPA and above), you will receive an honors medallion when you check in on graduation day at the ceremony location.

Overall GPA is calculated using all the courses you have taken through the end of fall term. Current semester grades cannot be included in the calculation since grades are not received by graduation day.

Honor medallions are not given out for program GPA, only for overall/cumulative GPA. If you do not know your overall/cumulative GPA, please check your eServices.

If you are a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) member who continues to meet the GPA requirement for membership, you will also receive your PTK stole when you check in on graduation day at the ceremony location. If you have questions please contact the PTK Advisor.

If you are indicated as a Veteran in your student record, you will be given Veteran’s cords when you check in at the ceremony. If you have questions, please contact the Hennepin Tech Veterans School Certifying Official.

If you are in the TRIO ESL/SSS Program, you will receive a stole when you check in at the ceremony. If you have questions please contact TRIO.

No, we want to make sure every graduate has their one cap, gown, tassel. No extras will be available.

No, we want to make sure every graduate receives a certificate cover. No extras will be available.

Here is a list of restaurant options close to the Convention Center. Keep in mind this is not an exhaustive list. You will need to contact the restaurant to make sure it meets the needs of your party and to make reservations.

We expect the ceremony to last approximately 2 hours. Out of respect for other graduates we ask that you and your guests remain seated for the entirety of the ceremony.