As graduation rolls around, so do extra costs for students. There are, however, ways for students to save money during the graduation season.
Melissa Goitia, executive director in the Office of University Events and Protocol and the Office of University Ceremonies, said in order to graduate, students pay a graduation fee of $100.
The fee mainly covers the student's diploma, the diploma case and the processing of the diploma; it also goes toward additional costs.
Goitia said the University charges students a fee when they graduate, instead of adding it to the student's tuition, to ensure everyone is paying the same price to graduate.
If it were added to a student's tuition, she said, students who finish their degrees at different times would pay different amounts.
"The reality is that not everybody graduates at the same time," Goitia said. "If it takes you three and a half years to graduate, but it takes somebody else six years to graduate, at the end of the day, they're actually paying more."
She said the University tries to cut costs for students, such as not charging for tickets.
Regarding graduation regalia, Goitia said cords are given to students as a recognition of their academic honor. Stoles are not provided by the University, she said, but students can purchase them through the bookstore.
To help students cut costs on graduation regalia, the University offers some resources.
Gianelly Esquer is the program manager for TRIO at ASU, which is an organization that serves first-generation and low-income students, as well as students with a documented disability.
Esquer said the organization offers members access to cap and gown rentals and a TRIO stole for its students.
Beyond financial relief, Esquer said TRIO also relieves obstacles first-generation, low-income and students with disabilities face when navigating college.
She said providing the graduation regalia is a way for them to show students support.
"In college, there's just a lot of limitations that they experience," Esquer said. "This is for you to succeed. That's exactly what TRIO is for, is to have that obstacle not even be a question."
On a broader scale, the Regalia Scholarship Fund, which is managed through the ASU Foundation for a New American University, also helps students needing graduation attire, an ASU spokesperson said in a statement.
Established last year, the spokesperson said the fund is supported through gifts from donors and is sponsored by Herff Jones, ASU's cap and gown provider.
The spokesperson said recipients are chosen based on merit and need.
"It aims to expand the number of graduates who receive support for cap and gown expenses through the Sun Devil Regalia Award," the spokesperson stated. "This award is a resource to support undergraduate students with cap and gown expenses."
Outside of University resources, online platforms serve as a way for students to purchase used regalia.
Maya Sampath, a senior studying biomedical engineering who is graduating in May, said she took to Reddit to find her graduation regalia at a lower price.
Sampath said that because graduation costs are expensive, she did not want to spend extra on a stole, which typically goes for about $40.
While her search was successful, Sampath said she wished graduation costs were included with tuition or have the University participate in a rental program for students to receive regalia.
"It is very overpriced, especially if it's something you're gonna only wear once," Sampath said.
Sampath said she would recommend students to try platforms such as Facebook Marketplace or the ASU Discord, Devil2Devil, to reach out to people looking to resell the regalia they are no longer using.
Goita said she would encourage graduating students to attend at least one ceremony happening during the week of graduation.
Whether it be commencement or convocation, she said all students should celebrate their hard work and achievements.
"Take advantage of it," Goita said. "You've done the work, you should celebrate your achievement with your friends, with your family."
Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, Senna James and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at alillest@asu.edu and follow @allylillestol on X.
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Allison LillestolCommunity Reporter
Allison Lillestol is a reporter for the community and culture desk. She is in her 4th semester with the State Press. She also works for Arizona PBS.
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