what to include in a graduation speech

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How to write a graduation speech .

Writing a graduation speech can be daunting. It’s natural to want to give the best speech possible to commemorate such an important milestone in your life. But How to write a graduation speech that is worthy of the day?

This page will be a comprehensive step-by-step guide for how to write a graduation speech that inspires and motivates. It will walk you through everything you need to know, how to write a graduation speech that leaves your audience teary-eyed. 

At the end of this page, I have written a sample graduation speech using this guide. 

I have spent days asking how to write the perfect graduation speech. I remember the banging of my head on my desk in frustration when I was preparing for my graduation speech. The reason for this paranoia was that I too, just like everyone else, wanted to give the best speech possible to commemorate such an important milestone of my life. 

The amount of time and energy I had spent in preparation for my graduation speech prompted me to put up this page. 

So here it is:

LET’S UNPACK with the No. 1 problem in How to write a graduation speech? 

The number 1 problem which everyone faces when setting out to write a graduation speech is where to start?

Well naturally before you start preparing your speech you will need to know what you want to talk about. You can call this a theme, a topic, an idea, or the subject of your speech. At this stage, it can be a one-liner or even a word that describes what you want to talk about. 

Again I know it is easier said than done. That’s why I have listed some approaches to help you figure out the topic of your graduation speech.

There are different approaches you can go by, but I will write a few which helped me.

How to find the subject of your graduation speech?

How to write a graduation speech around your core beliefs..

The first place I will recommend you to look for inspiration is your core beliefs. If you very strongly believe in something then talk about it. This could be what you stand for. Or what you will always stand for? Or what do you advocate? Maybe these beliefs are human rights protection, prevention of female objectification, and child labor, or maybe you believe in socialism or the importance of family structure.

The idea behind talking about your core beliefs is that you are genuinely passionate about them, and you will most likely have enough to talk about them. 

How to write a graduation speech based on Timeline.

I like to call this a timeline-based approach in deciding what to talk about during your graduation speech. Evident by the name you will pick up a moment or time and will talk about that time and how great or challenging that period was in your life. 

You can pick a period from your past to describe a challenge or a beauty of it and how it impacted your life and what lesson it has for others as well. 

You can pick a goal in the future which you want to accomplish and what motivates you in selecting this goal and how it will impact your life or people at large. 

To help you better understand, I have listed some examples. These examples sound generic but the actual events which happened to you will be unique for your audience. 

For the past based graduation speech, some ideas are: 

• A problem you faced to get to this position

• You had a certain difficulty, but you didn’t give up

• You faced trauma but still, you graduated or accomplished a goal.  

• What drove you, who motivated you, who built your passion, who never lost hope in you, who built your character and gave you confidence?

• What was your journey to get to this point?

• What took you to get here? 

• What were your expectations?

Remember: The purpose is not to tell your biography or how great you are. The purpose is to inspire with the underlying qualities which kept you going.

If you don’t want your speech to be sentimental you can always talk about:

• How fun your experience was

• How you will miss partying 

• How greatly have you lived your life here

• How amazing your friends, teachers, and institute were.

• How helpful everyone’s contribution was in your graduation. 

• You can go with funny events or can make very light fun at the expense of the audience. (Never insult.) 

• How has this time here changed you into a better person?

• How do you overcome your shortfalls

These are some past-based graduation theme approaches. Similarly, you can decide to talk about the future:

• Your goals

• Your optimism and how you plan to change the world.

• You always dream to follow your passion, and now you are one step closer

• You have an ideal personality who inspired you; now you can follow the lead.

• How you will miss this time, place, and people. 

• How you have learned to dream big and now explore

• No one is perfect, how you make mistakes, you will keep making mistakes, but this place taught you how to learn lessons from mistakes. 

• You look forward to stepping into the world.

• How guest of honor is your ideal and why do you appreciate them and want to follow the lead?

These are some of the examples I call a time-based approach in deciding how to write your graduation speech. 

Note: you don’t have to pick only one. You can relate a past event to achieve a future goal. 

How to write a graduation speech based on characteristics of value.

This one is simple really. When I was deciding how to write my graduation speech I came across this approach. In this approach of deciding your graduation speech theme, you can pick a characteristic and talk about it. In this case, you pick a characteristic value, and you start building your thoughts around it. 

• Value of Truth

• Importance of love

• Need of Courage

• Humbleness in sacrifice

• Lessons in failures

• Struggle for passion 

• Never giving up

How to write a graduation speech on the beauty of your passion. 

Here you find anything you are good at. It doesn’t have to be some sophisticated idea or any well-praised concept. It can be anything you are good at. 

It could be: 

• Any creative idea

• Participation in social causes

• Spirituality

• Gardening

Maybe you are passionate about gaming, or you have an interest in building stuff, or you like to experiment, or you have a sense of empathy and want to participate in social causes, or you have a knack for health and well-being. 

The point is it could be anything you like to do, which gives you happiness or a sense of fulfillment. You have to find out the good sides of this passion and talk about it. Link your source of happiness to real-world scenarios.

I mean there is a legendary speech about making a bed every day and how this one task is so great. 

How to write a graduation speech on delivering a point or argument.

The last approach I would recommend is delivering a point approach. Here you decide an end goal of your speech first then you build your argument around that goal. You have seen something wrong, or you would like some practice to change. Or in your view, a certain thing is not value-added but time-consuming or a method is not creative but laborious, and you would like it to change. 

You get the idea of what I am talking about. You may want to talk about human rights, and freedom of speech, you want to sound an alarm and talk about the environment, or you want to talk about any other modern-day problem. 

Here you have a point which you want to make. You will build your speech around that point. For example, you believe that home assignments are a waste of time. 

These are some approaches you can use to decide what you want to talk about. You can be creative and mix them or stick to one area. 

Now that you have your main idea, let’s start planning your graduation speech.

The planning stage of how to write a graduation speech.

Before you start writing your graduation speech there are some factors you need to know and understand when you are planning to write your graduation speech. We will figure those out during the planning process of the graduation speech together. 

Time and place

What time is your speech.

The first thing you need to know is which day, and where you will be delivering your speech. Usually the place of your graduation ceremony. It may be on campus grounds or in any other venue. 

But you need to know the time in a different context as well. 

Here you formally need to know at least three times for your graduation speech. Write that down for your reference. 

• First: Obviously what time is the speech?

• Second: how much time is allotted to your speech?

• Third: how much time do you have until your speech? 

How much time is allotted to you? 

You need to know how much time is allotted to your speech. You need to know that to prepare your speech. You need to know to create enough material to cover that time slot. Not too short, not too long.

My rule of thumb is at the planning stage when you are writing a rough draft for your speech your draft should have enough material to cover at least double the allotted time. You will need to consult with the organizers or graduation committee about how much time is allocated to you?  

How long should a graduation speech be?

Ideally, a graduation speech should be between 5 and 7 minutes long. That’s just enough time to deliver some inspiring words without dragging on (or putting your audience to sleep!).

Of course, each situation is different. If you’re the valedictorian or salutatorian, you may have a little more time to speak. And if you’re speaking at a smaller graduation ceremony, your speech may be shorter.

No matter how long your speech is, make sure you spend some time thinking about what you want to say. A well-written and well-delivered speech can be a memorable way to end your time as a student and start your new chapter as a graduate!

How much time do you have to prepare for your graduation speech?

The third and most important one is to know how much time you have for planning. You know this by allocating your time to your daily most important tasks. 

Know the Audience

This is tricky and an important factor to know before you write your graduation speech. Audiences come in all shapes and sizes. Know your audience before you start talking so that they feel welcome at the ceremony. You need to know who you will be addressing during your graduation speech. 

The common attendees are:

• Graduates

• Top students

• Faculty 

• And special guests

But keep in mind that among the audience all these people can also be 

• Media Personalities

• Influencers

• Potential employers

• Govt. officials

• Ethnic or minority groups

Beware of those who are attending, You don’t want to sound insensitive or hurt someone or a group of people’s feelings. For example, with a religious audience, you don’t want to talk against religion. Or might want to omit any jokes about physical features, or people with disability conditions if you have the same people in your audience. 

The second important thing to know about your audience is that you do not want to be specific to a small group of people. People of all ages and beliefs can be there, so avoid making specific cultural references to target only a small group of people. Instead, talk in broad general terms. 

There could be potential employers among the audience. You don’t want to sound cocky or to be remembered as arrogant. I mean it is entirely possible that a month later you are attending an interview and find out that the interviewer knows you already from your graduation speech with a bad impression. 

Tone when delivering your graduation speech.

This is important to know and decide. What will be your tone of speech? Do you want to sound formal or informal? Passive or assertive? Passionate or optimistic? Humorous or serious or do you want to keep it conservative or motivating? 

This might sound overwhelming but it is not. A lot of this has to do with the theme of the speech.  What I suggest is to choose according to your personality. Do you like to convey your message through humor or are you an optimistic person? But whatever you choose please keep it consistent. 

Having said that When practicing your graduation speech, it is a good suggestion to keep the tone upbeat. This is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates, so the speech should be motivating and inspirational. 

However, it is also important to be respectful and sincere. The graduation speech is an opportunity to thank the teachers, staff, and administrators who have helped the graduates along the way. It is also a chance to offer some advice and words of wisdom to the graduating class or future graduates. Whatever tone is used, it should be genuine and reflect the speaker’s excitement for the future of the graduates.

Avoid Cliches during your graduation speech

The Next thing in your planning stage is to avoid cliche. Everything has a place and time. Not everything should be said at all sittings. You might want to go political, or you might want to go activist. Even Though nothing is wrong with it, you don’t want your whole speech blaming others. 

In my opinion, if you can avoid it please do avoid it. The reason is not to discourage you from speaking up regarding social issues, but the reason is you just “graduated”. You have a diverse, more senior audience in front of you. Do, if you have to, refer to a certain issue or show your commitment towards it. But please do not give a lecture to your audience and make them feel responsible. You just freshly graduated and most likely you have not done anything substantial to change the problem you are talking about. 

Some other cliches are:

1. “This is the best day of my life!”

While it’s certainly an exciting time, your graduation isn’t necessarily the best day of your life. There are many other great days ahead, so try to avoid this clichéd line.

2. “Follow your dreams!”

This is another well-meaning but overused piece of advice. While it’s important to have dreams and goals, be realistic about what you can achieve.

3. “You’re the future!”

This may be true, but it’s also a bit daunting. Instead of putting pressure on yourself, try to focus on enjoying the present moment.

4. “It’s not goodbye, see you later!”

This may be the case for some people, but others are moving on to new chapters in their lives. Don’t try to force a sentimental moment if it doesn’t feel genuine.

5. “You’re going to change the world!”

This is a lot of pressure to put on someone. Instead, encourage your fellow graduates to focus on making a positive impact in their communities.

By avoiding these clichés, you can make your graduation speech more unique and personal. Instead of giving empty platitudes, focus on sharing your own experiences and lessons learned. This will make your speech more meaningful and memorable for both you and your audience. 

Distribution of your graduation speech

One thing which you need to consider is that your speech will be part of the record. It might be printed in a college journal, yearbook, or newspaper and will most definitely be recorded. It will be part of the internet or your collection. It is such a prestigious opportunity that you would want these words to be simple but memorable. You don’t want to waste this opportunity just for being funny or by roasting your friends or school. 

Be very careful if you are using facts and quotes in your graduation speech.

Make sure that you know your facts and stats if you are using them in your speech. Make sure you know the authenticity and origin of quotes if you are using them. Make sure you attribute the quotes and facts to the right person or institute.  

Start your graduation speech With a hook statement.

You only have a few minutes to make an impression, so you’ll want to start strong! Grab your audience’s attention with a compelling story, quote, or statistic related to the topic of your speech. Idea is to use bait to hook your audience with you throughout your speech. They would want to know how your story will relate to what you are saying. 

P.S – Hook statements are super fun, super engaging and can really turn the mood of the audience. This is a quality everyone should know regardless of this particular context of graduation speech. This article of American express explains it beautifully with examples.

A video example of using a hook statement.

An excellent example of this is this speech. 2015 World Champion: ‘The Power of Words’ Mohammed Qahtani, Toastmasters International

Note how the speaker’s first words and actions hooked the audience before he said a single word.

Write your graduation speech as You Talk

One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing speeches is trying to sound overly formal or ‘preachy’. Remember, this is YOUR graduation speech—it should reflect YOUR unique voice and perspective. It should bring out your persona.

Use Personal anecdotes in your graduation speech.

A great way to connect with your audience is by sharing personal stories or anecdotes that illustrate the main point of your speech. For example, if you’re giving a speech about resilience, you could share a story about a time when you faced adversity and how you ultimately overcame it. Just be sure not to make your stories too long—remember, you want to keep things concise! 

A video example of using personal anecdotes.

Watch this video for a brilliant speech and notice how the speaker used little personal experiences to draw conclusions and delivered his speech brilliantly.

End your graduation speech on a High Note 

Just like you want to start strong, you’ll also want to end strong! Leave your audience with something memorable—a call-to-action, inspirational quote, or final thought that sums up the main point of your speech perfectly. 

Edit, Edit, Edit!  

Once you have a draft of your speech written out, take some time to edit it for grammar errors and clarity issues. Then, ask a friend or family member to read it aloud, so you can get feedback on how it flows and sounds before delivering it on graduation day! 

Alternate the source of information

The fact is you are not the first person to give the graduation speech and most likely will not be the last person ever. Hundreds before you have been to the place where you are now. They had to prepare for their graduation speech and where did they go for inspiration or to get the idea? 

The same place where you are, The Internet. 

The point is most of the things which are on the internet have been said and done. Most of the stories have been told, and most of the quotes have been said. So what should you do? 

Change the source. 

Get your inspiration from another source. From a real event, an incident, a book you like, a poem you used to sing, or a song stuck in your head. Anything which no one has thought about. 

One of the great sources of inspiration for me is my older relatives, Grandparents, or uncle. Take a break, sit with them, and listen to their stories. They have lived years of more life than you. You can simply let them talk about their golden days or ask them specifically about an idea.  

The good news is that there are plenty of places to look for inspiration when it comes to writing a graduation speech. Here are just a few of them:

Your life up to this point: 

One of the best places to start when it comes to writing a graduation speech is by looking back at your life up to this point. What have been some of the biggest highlights? What lessons have you learned along the way?

Your future goals: 

Another great source of inspiration for your graduation speech is to look ahead at your future goals. What do you hope to accomplish in the next phase of your life? How can you inspire others to pursue their dreams?

Your favorite quotes: 

Another great way to get inspiration for your graduation speech is to look at some of your favorite quotes. Whether it’s a motivational saying or something more lighthearted, a great quote can often capture the essence of what you want to say in your speech.

Your favorite books: 

If you’re a reader, then one of the best places to look for inspiration for your graduation speech is in your favorite books. What messages do they convey that you feel are significant for your fellow graduates to hear?

Your favorite movies: 

Like books, movies can also be a great source of inspiration for your graduation speech. What scenes or dialogue from your favorite films can you use, to illustrate the points you want to make in your speech?

These are just a few of the many places you can turn to when you’re looking for inspiration. 

So here we are. We have our main theme. We have the necessary attributes for our speech. It is time to brainstorm and put words on paper. 

The way I recommend is that I divide the speech into a set formatted structure. 

Structure of Graduation speech

Just like any speech, I divide the speech into three main parts. 

1. Introduction

·         Acknowledgement

·         Hook statement

·         Transition

·         Main Point/ Passion statement/ Struggle/ achievement/ Goal/ Issues of Society etc. (depending on your topic)

·         Supportive argument/ Outcome/ process of achievement/ Benefits/ suggestions etc. 

·         Supportive argument/ your future goal based on main point/ plea for change etc. 

3. Conclusion

·         Reaffirmation/ wrap up your speech around the main point. 

·         Thanks and best wishes

Let’s write an actual graduation speech using this guide

As I mentioned at the start of this page when writing a graduation speech our number 1 problem will be what to talk about. What will be our central idea or theme of speech? 

To find a suitable theme for the speech let’s brainstorm for some inspiration. We will have to introspect : 

Let’s see, some of the Ideas I believe in are as follows. 

These are just some ideas. You can add as many boxes at the bottom and list all the brainstormed ideas. Now we have a list of ideas that we can go through with our friends, family, and peers. A Great way for some thoughts on your ideas is to discuss them with your parents. Remember this is not just your big day, it is a very proud day for your parents as well. 

The key is to choose the topic in which you are comfortable speaking, and you have enough to speak about it. 

As I’m a big fan of the Harry Potter books, let’s see if we can find some inspiration from the story of Harry Potter. The tale of Harry Potter is an instant classic. There can be so many points to talk about. This is a story of friendship, sacrifice, courage, redemption, hope, and good vs evil. I always believe in the one quote from the books. That is “love is the greatest magic”. 

This is a good topic. It is not controversial, it’s not political and love truly is one of the key attributes to living a happy life. 

Ok, Now we have a quote from our favorite book. Let’s turn that into a moving speech for our audience. My introduction will be something like this: 

“Good evening/morning, Distinguished guests, faculty members, staff, families, friends, and fellow graduates. Today we stand here in our fancy gowns and caps to celebrate one of the precious chapters of our lives. It is barely over, and it is already becoming nostalgic but that’s the talk of later times.

Today I am here to tell you a very peculiar thing I have come to learn in recent years. I know you won’t believe it when I tell you, that in the past few years, I have met some magicians and have seen some real magic. I am saying this in every non-fictional sense.  As for the past few years, We all have walked through the halls of this institute growing together, making memories but always under the protection of magic, rarely knowing about it. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I am talking about “love”. As another headmaster Albus Dumbledore, somewhere else in another universe puts it, that love is the greatest magic of all. As we are one foot into the next chapter of our lives, I want to talk about the most powerful magic and how it shaped us.

Alright, this is our introduction paragraph. As you can see it has three distinct parts colored differently. There is a clear acknowledgment/ introduction, followed by a very important Hook statement, and then followed by a transition line into the body of the speech. 

Let’s work on the body of the graduation speech. 

Ladies and gentlemen, As I look back, I cannot help but agree that often taken for granted and almost always overlooked, this simple yet most magical emotion was always there. It was there when our families supported us, our friends encouraged us, or even when our mentors disciplined us. All of these great magicians capable of loving us in our lows, have provided us with a strong foundation to build on. 

And that is just not it, Love was also there in us for our passion, love shaped our activities and the subjects we chose which in turn sparked our curiosity and allows us to grow our talents. 

To be truthful I have been thinking a lot in recent weeks, and I concluded that love is not just a feeling, I mean it has to be a forceful action. The willingness I have seen in my parents to sacrifice their comforts for me was not just a feeling, they did act on it. The steadfast support of my friends in every hour of need was more than just a boastful announcement, they actually stood with me. The promise of my mentors to go above and beyond to help me was not just a promise, they actually put extra effort to share their wisdom with me. How can it be just a feeling when all these wonderful people went beyond and actually acted and actually helped me to be here where I am? 

As we look ahead to the future, we can be confident that love will continue to guide us and will always help us to go through new opportunities and challenges. And I am 100% sure that we not only need the support of love to succeed in real life, but we also need love to get to the best version of ourselves. 

In all of our life up until now, we have been at the receiving end of this magical spell. Having said that it is also paramount that we learn to cast this spell now. Let’s be there for our family and friends as they were. Let’s just not sit back and hope that things will work out. Let’s take action to make sure that things do work out. Let’s promise to go out of our way to support and care for them, even when it’s difficult or inconvenient. Let’s listen to them when they need to be heard and offer a shoulder when they need it. 

Let’s cultivate a sense of love for ourselves as we strive to navigate through life and let’s extend the love to the precious people around us as we attempt to build a world that is more just, compassionate and beautiful. This is my resolution in life.  

In conclusion, today is a day to celebrate the power of love, and a day to express our gratitude to the beautiful magicians around us. We have accomplished a great deal, but we could not have done it alone. It is the love of those around us that have supported and sustained us through this journey. We are truly indebted to our teachers, this prestigious institute, our parents and family, and our friends. Thank you for your unconditional Love. As we move forward, let us hold onto the truth that love is the greatest magic of all. Let us be guided by the power of love, as we seek to make a positive impact on the world and to live lives that are full of purpose and meaning. 

Congratulations to every one of you on this incredible accomplishment, and may the magic of love continue to light our way into the future. Thank you

It is finally finished. 

P. S: I cannot show the whole work which I did to write this speech. Just so you know, a lot of editing and back-and-forth re-writing went into it just in case you are struggling to write it and want to give up. Don’t worry this is part of the process. 

Conclusion:  

Writing a graduation speech may seem daunting at first, but following these simple steps will help ensure that yours is one that will be remembered long after the tassels have been turned! And remember: this is YOUR story—so don’t be afraid to let YOUR unique voice shine through!

Read Also: How to fast track your bachelor’s degree.

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6 tips to write a great graduation speech (with examples) 

by Laura Jones

Published on November 24, 2022 / Updated on January 3, 2024

Being chosen to write a speech for a graduation ceremony is exciting, but also utterly terrifying, for many people. It’s not just your classmates in the audience, it’s parents and faculty too. And with some incredible student graduation speech examples out there (not to mention the perfection that was Steve Jobs’ speech ), there’s a lot to live up to. With that in mind, here are some tips and graduation speech examples to help you create the perfect commencement speech.

• Pick a theme
• Write an outline
• Pen a catchy introduction
• Write a thank-you paragraph
• Look back and look ahead
• End your graduation speech

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1. pick a theme.

The overall goal of graduation speeches is to inspire and move your audience. But there are lots of ways to do this, and picking the right theme is a big part of it. Popular themes are the importance of friendship; perseverance and overcoming adversity; having big dreams and imagination; making a difference. Once you have your theme, it will be easier to choose anecdotes, quotations , and examples to put into your speech.

2. Write an outline

The next step for any commencement speech is to write an outline. Breaking it up into manageable parts not only makes it feel less overwhelming, but it helps to give your speech structure, making it easier for the audience to follow. A good speech will have the following: 

• A catchy introduction
• A look back
• A look ahead
• A pithy ending

3. Pen a catchy introduction

Begin by thanking everyone for attending and for choosing you to be their speaker. Then, grab your audience’s attention from the very start with a hook. Lots of people choose to begin with a quotation that captures the theme of the whole speech. 

Example: I want to begin with a quotation from Nora Ephron: “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” 

Other ways to hook your audience are by telling a short, personal story that your classmates can relate to, or by giving a statistic or question that fits with your theme. And never shy away from humor. A speech by James Glaser at Tufts University contained only questions , one being: “Would you believe that my 5’1” sister met her 5’4” husband in a short story class?” This would be a very funny way to begin a speech about meeting special people. 

4. Write a thank-you paragraph

Now your audience is paying attention, it’s time for gratitude. Thank your teachers and other staff at the school who have made a difference and tell an anecdote about someone to personalize this. 

Example: “I know I speak on behalf of all of my classmates when I thank the catering staff, who have made sure we fuel our brains with more than just fries and soda during exam times.”

Now’s the time to thank the families in the audience too. You can do a personal shout-out to your mom and dad, but be inclusive and remember that your classmates will have received support from a range of people. 

5. Look back and look ahead

The bulk of your speech will be spent talking about your time at the school and about how you see the future unfolding. Now is the time to focus on the theme that you chose, and to include stories about your shared experiences. 

If you chose to focus on overcoming adversity , recall a challenge you faced that you know a lot of other people did too. Share how a lesson you learned at school will help you after you leave, and remind everyone that you have learned much more than what was on the syllabus. 

Example: As Rita Moreno said, “The day you graduate, you do not arrive. This is not the end. This is the beginning for you. To graduate is to change gradually.” I know we’ve all changed so much already and we will continue to do so.

6. End your graduation speech

End with some advice and a call to action. Lots of people end with a quotation, and this can be from someone famous or from you. 

Example: 

• George Saunders said, “Do all the other things, the ambitious things—travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes…but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness.”
• C.S. Lewis told us that “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” So let’s go find them.

Writing a great graduation speech

Beginning with a theme and an outline helps focus your speech, which should make it easier for you to write with clarity and to find the right stories and quotations to use. Telling personal stories that everyone can relate to, sprinkled with humor, is a wonderful way to keep people engaged throughout your speech. And, ending with a bang in the form of an amazing quotation will help inspire your audience and leave them feeling upbeat. 

Laura Jones

Laura is a freelance writer and was an ESL teacher for eight years. She was born in the UK and has lived in Australia and Poland, where she writes blogs for Lingoda about everything from grammar to dating English speakers. She’s definitely better at the first one. She loves travelling and that’s the other major topic that she writes on. Laura likes pilates and cycling, but when she’s feeling lazy she can be found curled up watching Netflix. She’s currently learning Polish, and her battle with that mystifying language has given her huge empathy for anyone struggling to learn English. Find out more about her work in her portfolio .

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Graduation Speech Examples

50 top graduation speech ideas (& examples).

Try to search online and you’ll find a lot of graduation speech examples. If you’re in charge of giving a speech during this important event, you have the choice of whether to compose a long or short graduation speech. As long as you’re able to convey your message, the length isn’t that relevant.

Table of Contents

• 1 Graduation Speech Examples
• 2 What should you write about in your graduation speech?
• 3 Graduation Speech Outlines
• 4 Structuring your graduation speech
• 5 Graduation Speech Templates
• 6 High School Graduation Speech
• 7 Tips for writing graduation speech
• 8 College Graduation Speech

What should you write about in your graduation speech?

Most people wonder what to write for their graduation speech examples. Whether you need to compose a high school graduation speech example or a college graduation speech example, you must put a lot of careful thought and consideration into the contents of your speech.

In the past, writing a graduation speech template wasn’t that intimidating. But now, you should remember that there’s a high likelihood that the people present at the event will post your speech on social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube. This makes it imperative that you compose a speech that’s effective, interesting, and won’t end up offending anyone.

A lot of incredible speakers start their speech-writing process by creating an outline. So, if you want to come up with a great speech, you may want to start off with a graduation speech outline . Here, you include everything you want to include in your speech. From there, writing becomes easier.

Graduation Speech Outlines

Structuring your graduation speech

When it comes to the structure of your graduation speech, you have a few options to choose from. As you create your graduation speech outline, you’re giving it a structure for you to follow when it’s time to start writing.

You may create a long or short graduation speech depending on how much you want to say and how long you want to stand in front of the graduating class. You can even create a graduation speech template using the structure of your choice. This makes it easier for you for the next time you need to come up with a speech.

If you have no idea where to start, you may go online and read high school graduation speech examples or college graduation speech examples. Use these as your reference or for your inspiration as you write your speech.

Graduation Speech Templates

Either way, these examples will be a great help to you if it’s your first time to compose such a speech. To guide you, here are some structures to follow for your graduation speech:

• Use a few themes which you illustrate with non-fictional or personal stories For this type of speech, you can use a couple of themes which you introduce early in your speech. From reaching their dreams of finding their own place in the world, there are so many themes to choose from. Then illustrate these themes further using non-fictional examples or stories from your personal life.
• Use several themes which you illustrate with short anecdotes or personal stories For this structure, you come up with a number of themes for your audiences. But instead of sharing those themes at the start of your speech, you share short anecdotes or personal stories which illustrate those themes. Then you give helpful advice to your audience to help them in their future endeavors. However, this structure isn’t ideal for short graduation speeches. Since you’re going to use several themes, this means that your speech would be relatively long. Therefore, it’s probably a good idea to use this for a college graduation speech, not one for a high school graduation .
• Use an autobiographical narrative If you plan to use this structure for your graduation speech examples, it means that you want to open up and share more details about your life to your audience. It’s sort of like a mini-memoir wherein the audience learns a lot about the experiences you’ve had in your personal life. As you share these experiences, you also share a lot of life lessons with them. Although you don’t give advice directly at the beginning of your speech, you would incorporate these little bits of advice throughout your speech. Talk about your own experiences after graduation, how you dealt with the real world, and how you overcame different kinds of challenges.
• Use the main theme and some personal references Finally, you can also structure your speech in such a way that you’re leading up to one main theme or point. A lot of people find this structure to be extremely difficult to put together because they feel like it’s too limited. But as long as you create a graduation speech outline, following this structure won’t be that much of a challenge.

High School Graduation Speech

Tips for writing graduation speech

Whether you’re representing the graduation class or you’re asked to come and give a speech to the graduating class, you have to come up with your own graduation speech. The good news is that there are a lot of graduation speech examples which you can use as a reference.

Writing a graduation speech doesn’t have to be a difficult task. As long as you have an idea of what to write and you know what you want to say to the graduating class, the words will start flowing from your mind. But if you need some help, here are some tips to guide you:

• Brainstorming Any great speech starts with a brainstorming session. You can begin by asking yourself what you want to write in your speech. If you’re the representative of the graduating class, then think about all of the learning and experiences you’ve gained throughout your education. If they asked you to speak for the graduating class, then think about the advice you want to share to them in order to inspire them and somehow prepare them for what’s to come. Brainstorming involves a lot of thought, especially about the future. There’s nothing wrong with talking about the past and the present but since you’ll speak to a graduating class, talking about the future is much more relevant. As you think about the things to say, write everything down on a piece of paper. Later on, you can review your ideas to see which ones to keep and which ones to remove from your speech.
• Choosing a theme After your brainstorming session, you’d have a lot of ideas, stories, and advice to share to your audience. Now it’s time to begin shaping all of these into one coherent speech. To do this, you may want to think about the theme to focus on for your speech. Whether you want to choose a single theme or a collection of themes which you will link with one another, this step makes speech writing easier. Also, having a theme makes the speech more memorable and impactful to the audience. With a theme, you’ll also be able to sort through the things you’ve written down more effectively only choosing the ones which relate to your theme.
• Building the structure After you’ve identified the theme, you can start building the structure of your graduation speech. Here are some steps to help you out: Make sure that your introductory statement grabs the attention of your audience right away. In other words, get the audience “hooked” from the beginning so they will feel compelled to listen to your entire speech. Illustrate the theme you’ve chosen by telling stories. Keep in mind that the best stories always have a beginning with a challenge or obstacle, a middle where you share how you overcame it, and an end where you discussed how this experience helped you grow. For the end of your speech, tie together all of the points you’ve discussed throughout your speech. Also, make it clear how your message applies to your audience. You may also share valuable advice to your audience in the conclusion of your speech.
• Practicing your delivery Even after you’ve written your speech, the work doesn’t end there. You also have to deliver it to the graduating class. For a lot of people, this part is a lot more intimidating, especially for those who aren’t used to speaking in front of an audience. Here are some pointers for you: If you’ve created a short graduation speech, you may want to try memorizing it. This helps you focus on your delivery to make it more personable. Don’t speak too fast even when you’re feeling nervous. Try practicing in front of friends and family so you can learn how to consciously slow down your speaking rate. Once in a while, pause during the delivery of your speech. You can either pause to emphasize your point or to give the audience some time to consider what you’ve said. If you want to keep your audience engaged, make eye contact. Don’t feel stressed or stop if you make any mistake. Just continue with your speech.
• Other tips for you Don’t forget to thank everyone who helped you on your journey. If you aren’t part of the graduating class, thank the person who invited you to give the speech. Be as lively and enthusiastic as possible when delivering your speech. If it’s your first time to deliver a speech, practice again and again. Have fun with it! Feeling stressed won’t help.

College Graduation Speech

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How to Write a High School Graduation Speech (+ Examples)

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

I was in several clubs in high school, I was the valedictorian, and I happened to be the youngest in our graduating class. Needless to say, I had to write and give more than one speech at our graduation.

Being asked to give a graduation speech in high school is a tremendous honor and responsibility. It takes a lot of preparation, from planning to writing and editing your speech.

My guide should show you how to write a graduation speech for high school, especially with the examples I’ve included. Follow the template and tips, and you’re sure to receive a standing ovation from your audience.

How Long Is a High School Graduation Speech?

The best high school graduation speeches aren’t long and boring since the ceremonies already take hours. Aim for an address that doesn’t exceed 10 minutes. Keep your audience’s attention and save some for other people’s speeches.

Your graduation speech should only be around 500 to 600 words. You have to read it slowly and articulate the words clearly. One way to keep it shorter is by removing cliches and other unnecessary content.

High School Graduation Speech Template

Essays and speeches usually have three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. Here is a structure you can follow for a memorable high school graduation speech.

Introduction

• Thank people for attending. Acknowledge the presence of your teachers, parents, and fellow graduates.
• Introduce yourself. Not everyone in the room knows you, even if you’re the class valedictorian.
• Catch the audience’s attention by sharing a motivational quote or saying. Your personal narratives and advice will later be based on this saying.
• Recall memorable high school experiences. Anything is worth sharing, whether it’s a simple day in class or your debate competition.
• Encourage classmates not to forget these beautiful memories.
• Share helpful advice for this new chapter of their lives.
• Restate the quote or saying you mentioned in the introduction.
• End with a call to action that will encourage the graduates to make a difference.
• Thank the audience for hearing you out.

How to Write a Graduation Speech for High School

Public speaking takes a lot of preparation. Here are some tips you should follow when writing and delivering a graduation speech for high school.

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Pick a Theme

Inspirational high school graduation speeches leave a mark on people. If you want to create one, try building it around a central message.

Think about everything you experienced in high school and look for patterns. Was high school about learning from mistakes? Or was it about achieving big dreams with small steps? Consider not only what is essential to you but also what is important for your fellow graduates.

Once you have picked a theme, selecting a quote, including advice, and recalling high school memories will be much easier. Here are some popular themes you can consider using for yours, but make sure to choose ones that are relevant to you and/or your class.

• Embracing failure
• Big things take time
• Achieving big dreams with small steps
• Facing change with grace
• Overcoming adversity
• Becoming a lifelong learner
• Being more intentional and responsible for your future

Begin With Gratitude and a Self-Introduction

Once you step on stage, you must start with a few formalities. Know the name of the previous speakers and acknowledge their excellent speeches. Then, thank everyone in attendance, including the teachers, parents, and fellow students.

Say it’s a privilege to speak before the audience on this special day. This is also the best time to introduce yourself.

Don’t assume that everyone in the room knows who you are. State your name and why you were tasked to create the speech. Below is an example.

“Thank you, Mr. Jones, for the wonderful speech. And thank you to the parents, teachers, staff, and fellow graduates in this room who have made the past four years unforgettable. It’s a pleasure to stand in front of everyone and represent the class of 2022 at this address. I am [name], your class valedictorian.”

Make It About Everybody But You

Your graduation speech is not a mini-biography of your accomplishments. Only sprinkle a few personal anecdotes, then include what the four years of high school have been like for the other students. Below is an example.

“Four years ago, we were freshmen walking through the doors of [school name]. While some of us want to be doctors, artists, engineers, and singers in the future, we all had one goal in mind during that time: to leave a mark on the school in the next four years.”

Recall High School Memories

Tap the ceremony’s nostalgia by recalling important events from the past four years. You can include prom, school fairs, and even mundane scenarios. Include hardships, such as the sudden shift to online classes during the pandemic.

If you are a valedictorian , you should know which memories everyone treasures. Try interviewing some of your peers about their best high school memories. Below is an example.

“Every batch of graduates from [school] has a common core memory. For us, it was probably prom 2022. Instead of getting our beauty sleep the night before the dance, everyone stayed in school until 8 PM because of the last-minute changes. While that experience was full of pressure and chaos, we look back on that memory remembering teamwork and dedication.”

Share Advice

Your advice is the most crucial part of the speech. It serves as a call to action the students will follow in the future.

Make sure to keep it positive and remind everyone that anything is possible. You can also advise them to advocate for others and treat everyone equally.

Here’s an example showing what I mean.

“The future is uncertain, and the only thing we can do is be optimistic about it. We learned to stay determined in the past four years, so we can do it again throughout college or our careers.”

Incorporate Your Personality

Just because you’re speaking for the rest of the class and following an outline doesn’t mean your speech should be boring. You can still infuse your personality through humor, anecdotes , and life experiences.

You can also open your address with something funny, as long as it’s appropriate and timely. If you’re a valedictorian, self-deprecating humor will be a hit. Try adding quirky memories from classes that will immerse your audience.

Leave Your Audience Inspired

You are not at the graduation to merely receive your diploma. As a speaker, you need to leave your audience inspired on the next chapter of their lives. Encourage them to find their purpose and make a difference in the world.

Some speakers end their speeches with another quote. Here is the one I used in my high school speech, but there are tons to be found on the internet you can use that might better suit your needs.

• “All our dreams can come true… if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney

Finally, thank everyone for taking the time to listen to your speech. Express gratitude toward your classmates for the memories over the last four years.

Proofread Your Work

Read your writing out loud and fix parts that don’t sound pleasing. Doing so will make your writing more powerful and precise. Look out for flowery language, excessive adjectives, and lengthy sentences.

When editing, make sure to remove cliches from your writing. These are words and phrases that have been overused in speech and writing. These include phrases like “all walks of life,” “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Try sharing more personal anecdotes and collective memories than tired pieces of advice. This will make the speech more interesting and customized for the audience. Find out what your fellow high school graduates and the rest of the audience want to hear and know, then write it concisely and effectively.

Once you’re done fixing clarity issues, it’s time to fix structural errors. Perform several edits on your speech to remove all spelling and grammar mistakes.

Practice Your High School Graduation Speech

There’s no exact formula for the perfect valedictorian or commencement speech. But if you follow my tips and examples and speak from the heart, your fellow graduates will live by your words as they go about their futures.

Remember to keep your engaging speech positive and inspiring. Recall memories from high school, then make them look forward to creating new ones in their careers or college.

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How to Write a Graduation Speech

Published by Boni on August 26, 2023 August 26, 2023

What is a Graduation Speech?

A graduation speech is delivered at the graduation event to congratulate the graduates and provide them with advice and motivation . The speaker could be a student or professor. Your chance to shine in front of the entire school will be during your graduation speech. This day has been long overdue, and it has now happened! The address should be brief, short and contain a blend of humor and heartfelt good wishes.

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It keeps the atmosphere at the graduation ceremony cheerful and helps the commencement speakers relax. A graduation speech is an occasion to rejoice, reflect on the previous year, and look forward. For the rest of your life, you will recall this moment. The speech needs to be brief, engaging, and peppered with humor.

Elements of Graduation Speech

Here are some key elements of the graduation speech that will make the graduation memorable and cheerful:

• Brief: Be truthful while keeping the audience interested.
• Timing: This should be shortened to fit the time provided.
• Memorable: Keep in mind to include unique events.
• Accomplishments: Celebrate accomplishments.
• Reflection: Consider important occasions and reflect on them.
• The future: knowledge and skills gained for an improved future.

Graduation is the last significant task many students must complete before summer break, even when school is practically over. Graduation ceremonies are important life events, whether finishing high school or receiving a college degree. The pressure may also mount if you have been requested to speak at the graduation.

It takes extraordinary thought and creativity to create a graduation speech since it combines art and inspiration. It is a chance to make a deep impression on the audience and the graduates. Use the stages below as a guide to help you write an engaging and memorable speech or you could alternatively use a free speech writer generator .

• Choose a topic

 Building the talk around a main subject or message will help if your goal is for the audience to leave your graduation feeling moved and motivated (Who does not, right?). As you speak, consider what matters most and what you want listeners to learn from you. Whenever you have a theme in mind, choosing quotes and stories that relate to it will be simpler, allowing you to give a speech that will amaze your audience. Discover a segment suggesting engaging informative speech topics for college students.

• Begin with brainstorming ideas

Prepare your speech by considering what you want to say. What have been your trip’s high points so far? What have you gained from this experience? Think about how you may share your experiences, obstacles, and wins with your audience in a way that will be relevant and motivating to them. Any thoughts you have should be put on paper. Try to reduce them to the most crucial or essential concepts.

• Start with gratitude

On graduation day, you must start with a few formalities before taking the stage. It would be best to begin by expressing gratitude to the audience and the previous speakers. Then, describe how it made you feel to be allowed to address the crowd at such an important event. Remember to take this step on the big day and write it down before.

For example, Thank you for coming today, [prior speaker’s name], and to friends, family, the professors, and the other graduates. It is an honor to commemorate this occasion with you.

• Personalize your speech

Sharing personal anecdotes with your audience—even ones that involve failures or humiliations—is a potent approach to establishing an audience connection and making your point. Build on your experiences as a student when you write your speech, and be specific about how those experiences have shaped and prepared you for the future.

• Infuse your personality

While graduation speeches may have a set format, that does not mean they must be monotonous. Draw on your sense of humor, original stories, and life experiences to give the speech personality and appeal. What does this look like in use? Being wholly yourself might make your speech stand out even if you are not an author or comedian. For example, you could tell the lecturer why you have ever been thrown out of the class.

• Write an outline

Once you have a general framework, write a more thorough outline that contains the precise themes and illustrations you intend to use in your speech. This will keep you on task and guarantee that your address is flowing. With primary themes and examples supporting each part, your outline should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. Make sure to think about how you want to switch between points and how you want to organize your speech as a whole. Your address will be easier to write and have a clearer, logical framework if you have a well-organized plan.

• Reflect, then look ahead

Start drafting your speech while using your outline as a reference. At this point, do not worry about making it flawless; get your ideas down on paper. Use examples and personal experiences from your own life to explain your arguments and make your writing more engaging. You can also use quotations or material from other sources to strengthen and add credibility to your opinion. Keep in mind to write with sincerity and in your voice.

• Avoid clichés

Being motivational without using clichés is challenging to accomplish while writing a graduation speech. It is doubtful you will resort to cliched, overused words if you incorporate personal tales and personality into your address. But occasionally, they still manage to get in. If that is the case, consider replacing them with a different perspective.

• Edit and revise

Once you have a draft of your speech, proceed back and revise it to ensure it flows smoothly and is error-free; pay attention to your grammar and punctuation; check for any awkward or repetitive phrasing; consider your speech’s tone and style; and make sure it is appropriate. For more extensive editing and revision, you might want to consider seeking the assistance of a tutor or writing center.

• Practice, practice, practice

Practice your speech multiple times to ensure you feel at ease addressing a crowd. Ask a friend or family member to listen to you and provide criticism while you practice in front of a mirror. Be mindful of your body language, loudness, and pacing while speaking to ensure it is clear and confident. By practicing your speech, you will grow more comfortable with the content and be better able to give it on graduation day.

• Finish with a firm conclusion

Summarize your main points and impart a memorable and motivating message to your audience. This could be a quote, a call to action, or a heartfelt thank you to your friends and family. Your speech’s conclusion should be robust and memorable to wrap things up that would make a lasting impact on your audience. Consider the message you want your fellow students to gain from your vocabulary before you write your conclusion. If you are unable to accomplish all these, you could get assistance from a reputable speech writing service .

Sample Graduation Speech Outline

Here is an outline of how to write a speech for a graduation:

1. Introduction

• Appreciate the previous speaker

Gratitude and grace should come first. Do not just thank the person who brought you to the platform; thank them for their efforts at the school. 

• Introduce yourself

Never assume that everyone in the room will be familiar with you. Please introduce yourself and state your name.

2. Main Points

• Share an inspiration message

Prepare to share a personal story or inspirational phrase with your peers. Explain how it relates to the school experiences of your class. This will be a great chance to gather and invigorate your classmates’ interest in the future.

• Share some valuable advice

This may be the most crucial section of your speech. Give some wise counsel for the future. Highlight a few of the things you might expect in the future. You might also impart wisdom on the individuals and experiences yet to come. Maintain an optimistic attitude. Remind everybody that they are capable. 

3. Conclusion

• Reaffirm your inspirational phrase

Give more context to the inspirational quotation you started with by repeating it at the end. Even though you just briefly reminisced about one of those “good times,” the future is what everyone is most excited about.

• Create a call to action

Encourage your fellow classmates to take action. Inspire them with a motivational statement that exhorts them to change the world.

• Gratitude to all

Thank everyone for their time, please. Thank them for listening to your speech and their time during the past few years’ memories.

Tips to Help you Write Graduation Speech

It takes careful planning, honesty, and practice to create a graduation speech that captures the soul of your journey and motivates the audience. You may construct a discourse recognizing your achievements and providing insightful advice for the future by reflecting on your experiences, selecting key topics, and sharing personal stories. Remember that your words can inspire, motivate, and leave a lasting impression on your fellow graduates and everyone in attendance. Below are tips on how to write a good graduation speech:

• Draft your speech

Create an outline for your speech. This would make it simpler for you to put your ideas into writing.

• Create An Introduction

You should only use a few sentences for your introduction. You should thank the previous speaker and introduce yourself in this section.

• Your speech should be memorable

Incorporate a motivational saying or remark into your speech. While maintaining focus on your speech’s initial objective.

• Match the wording to your audience

Keep your vocabulary simple enough for your readers to understand. Use terms that are more widely used or recognized. Your audience includes both adults and children. Look for phrases that appeal to the broader people.

• Edit and revise rour speech

Before giving your speech:

Make revisions. If you still have room for correction, always go back and do it.

Verify your work for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Make sure your tone is appropriate for the audience by reviewing it.

Honesty and connection are vital mechanisms for writing a memorable graduation speech. Your speech will have more meaning if you reflect on shared experiences, incorporate personal anecdotes, and embrace essential ideas. Your speech serves as an inspiration for the graduating class by addressing both previous accomplishments and anticipated difficulties. Explore the best demonstration speech ideas and topics.

Remember that keeping your speech brief and sincere helps sustain involvement. Thank everyone who helped, and after some practice, speak confidently when you deliver your message. Summarizing the key points and offering a concluding statement that sticks in the mind can help you make a lasting impact. Your commencement speech turns into a guiding light that shows the way forward.

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Anatomy Of A Great Commencement Speech

Cory Turner

Right now, roughly 7 million students in the U.S. (plus their parents) are sitting through commencement speeches. iStockphoto hide caption

Right now, roughly 7 million students in the U.S. (plus their parents) are sitting through commencement speeches.

It's that time again — graduation season. And that means next week or last week or right this very minute, some 7 million students in the U.S. and lots of doting parents have to sit through a commencement speech.

If you're stuck listening to a particularly bad one — or just need an inspiration infusion — the NPR Ed Team has sifted through hundreds of past speeches (going all the way back to 1774) and built an online database of the very best.

In the process of building this massive hub of hope and optimism, we noticed a few patterns among the best speeches.

Rule #1: Be Funny

Comedian Amy Poehler's 2011 address to Harvard grads is a model of inspirational fun, forcing us to coin a new term: "Funspirational." Actually, a quick Google search suggests we've come late to the "funspirational" party. Oh, well. We do our best — as did Poehler when she kicked off her Harvard speech with this zinger:

"I can only assume I am here today because of my subtle and layered work in a timeless classic entitled Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. "

Funny? Check. Poehler also manages to cover Rule #2.

Rule #2: Make Fun Of Yourself

This rule applies to presidents as well as to comedians. When then-President Ronald Reagan addressed Notre Dame grads in 1981, he used this masterful bit of self-deprecation:

"I thought the first degree I was given was honorary."

We say "masterful" because he's head of the free world. He can't meet the Poehler bar for self-mockery: utter humiliation. It wouldn't be proper. So he finds this crafty little jab to poke fun at himself. And the crowd loved it. In fact, the line was such a hit that Reagan used it again the next year on the Eureka College class of '82.

Comedian and actress Amy Poehler addresses Harvard University's graduating class of 2011 on the school's campus, in Cambridge, Mass. Steven Senne/AP hide caption

Comedian and actress Amy Poehler addresses Harvard University's graduating class of 2011 on the school's campus, in Cambridge, Mass.

Rule #3: Downplay The Genre

See, good speakers can never seem to remember the speeches when they graduated:

"Among the many things that I am unable to remember about the speaker that spring morning: name, gender, age, race, physical build and voice. I've run out of fingers."

That's novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, speaking last year at Middlebury College. He, like Poehler, checks two boxes at once: He downplays the genre, and he's funny about it.

But let's get to the heart of the commencement speech:

Rule #4: You Must Have A Message

And here's where things get tricky — because these days there are two very different kinds of speeches. On one side is the traditional message:

"You have to trust in something," Steve Jobs told graduates at Stanford in 2005. "Your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn path."

Comedian Ellen DeGeneres said much the same thing to grads at Tulane in 2009 (while also crushing Rule #1 on her head like a beer can):

"Stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else's path — unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path, then by all means you should follow that."

Let's call this the "You're Special" speech. Message: Follow your heart because life is about you and yourspecialness .

Then comes this insidious other kind of speech:

"You're not special."

So said English teacher David McCullough Jr. — son of the great historian — addressing the Wellesley High School class of 2012. He then elaborated:

"Even if you're one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion, that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you," he told the crowd.

The goal of the "You're Not Special" speech is to say to grads: As hard as you've worked, you also lucked into plenty, including your parents and your country.

The Best Commencement Speeches, Ever

"And with luck comes obligation," author Michael Lewis told the Princeton class of 2012. "You owe a debt, and not just to your gods. You owe a debt to the unlucky."

Not quite the message grads are used to hearing as they take a victory lap. Besides, they're in debt enough. But how do they repay this debt, to Lewis' unlucky?

"You must find a way to serve."

That's Oprah Winfrey's advice, speaking at Spelman College a few weeks before Lewis. Side note: 2012 was a big year for the "You're Not Special" speech.

"Martin Luther King said that not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service," Winfrey told the Spelman grads.

Service. That word comes up a lot in "You're Not Special" speeches. But, sometimes, the message isn't even about what you do for the world but how you view it. In short: Are you empathetic? Are you kind?

In 2005, writer David Foster Wallace spoke at Kenyon College. And, in a speech that went viral long ago and seems to find a fresh audience online every year, he challenged grads to step outside of themselves, to imagine the value and richness of every life — even when they're stuck in line at the supermarket.

"It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer hell-type situation as not only meaningful but sacred — on fire with the same force that lit the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down," Wallace said.

Torn by this fight for the soul of the commencement speech? Never fear. Oddly enough, these two kinds of speeches — as different as they seem — complement each other. Taken together, they say:

Congratulations. You are special. Just remember ...

So is everyone else.

Home » Ideas » 51 Best Graduation Speech Ideas (Serious, Funny, etc.)

51 Best Graduation Speech Ideas (Serious, Funny, etc.)

Presenting a graduation speech is both exciting and a bit terrifying. You are both the first and last high school voice many in your audience will hear. You will be speaking to your fellow graduates, parents, teachers, and extended family members, so your speech must be understandable to everyone. You need to engage your listeners immediately and share a speech that is both enjoyable and informative. To be successful, you must remember that the key to creating a graduation speech that is both memorable and enjoyable is preparation. We will walk you through the process, discussing the different types of graduation speeches, how to pick a theme for your graduation speech, and how to write and deliver your graduation speech.

Table of Contents

Types of Graduation Speeches

You probably will not be the only speaker to take the podium. When it is your turn, you want your speech to grab your audience’s attention and keep it. Think about the last few years of your schooling, the general personality of your class members, and what makes your educational experience unique. Graduation speeches can be divided into several different categories:

Serious Graduation Speeches

Inspirational graduation speeches, funny graduation speeches.

Begin by brainstorming about your experience in school, asking the question: What has my school experience taught me and my fellow students about life, facing problems, and growing up? Then consider choosing one of the following upon which to base your speech:

Life Lessons

Students do not only learn subject matter in school. School teaches one how to relate to others, that hard work leads to success, and that you get the most out of any endeavor if you give it 100%. Some good speech ideas if you wish to talk about life lessons are:

• The Most Important Lesson I Learned in School
• Let’s Remain Lifelong Friends
• The Importance of Taking Risks

Facing and Overcoming Problems

Simply talking about the problems your graduating class has encountered leads to a depressing speech but recounting how those problems were overcome can be inspiring and uplifting. You may have lost a beloved teacher or fellow student, had an extreme weather experience that damaged the school, or had fundraisers for much needed supplies and equipment. Consider the following speech topics if you wish to talk about overcoming adversity.

• Never Give Up!
• Learn from Your Mistakes
• Remember This?

High school graduation frequently is the beginning of adulthood. Maturity involves being able to make good decisions, accepting responsibility, and being willing to be held accountable for our actions. Making comparisons about how you and your classmates behaved as freshmen and the changes you have made now that you are seniors makes for an interesting and fun graduation speech. Some speech ideas that deal with maturity are:

• Be Yourself
• Facing the Next Big Challenge

You may decide the best speech for your audience is one that will inspire them. You can move your audience to have an emotional response with one of the following:

• Reflections and Memoirs Looking back on your high school years and the changes you and your classmates have been through is an excellent way to create a speech that perfectly ends your high school years.
• Expression of Gratitude Thanking your parents, teachers, friends, and family members for support and assistance throughout your education careers can end with a standing ovation. Additionally, you may wish to have graduates present a flower to the person who helped them the most.
• Inspiring Quote Beginning your speech with an inspirational quote from a famous person or even a Bible verse can set the tone for your speech and provide a coherent theme.
• Song Lyric If you and your classmates have a popular song that most of you know and love, use some of the lyrics to create your theme. You might wish to quote the lyrics at the beginning of your speech and then close by playing a few verses for your audience
• Inspiring Story Use a popular media story or a few about inspiring class members, maybe one or two that overcame an obstacle to be successful.
• Anecdotes and Stories about Your Class Sharing some funny and serious stories about your class members sets the foundation for a fun speech. Just make sure the stories are uplifting and do not cause anyone embarrassment. The goal is to show how bonded your class has become.
• Student Accomplishments If you have one or more students or a sports team that made an impact on the school, sharing their accomplishments can provide a truly inspirational speech. Emphasize how their accomplishments strengthened the entire class.

If you are known for your sense of humor, you may wish to try a humorous graduation speech. Humor is never boring, if you have the talent for delivering this type of speech. Consider using one of the following approaches:

• Pick Appropriate Jokes Sprinkling a few jokes throughout your speech can keep your audience’s attention and provide a bit of humor. Consider some takes on why the chicken crossed the road or some silly knock-knock jokes.
• Use Funny Inspirational Quotes A quick google search for funny inspirational quotes will provide fodder for your topic. You could reminisce about your class after quoting, “Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.” (Abraham Lincoln)
• Use Irony Reference something surprising, such as a popular song, movie, or activity. For example, “Life Is Like a Monopoly Game.”
• Tell a Funny Story Specific to Your School Make sure your story is audience appropriate and they will relate to it. Telling a story about yourself, perhaps about a time in school when you failed, can provide humor.
• Poke Fun at the “Traditional” Graduation Speech Although it can be difficult to write, if done well, this speech is very funny. Use some of the clichés such as “dream big,” “never give up,” and “you are the future” as a springboard for your humorous speech. Speak slowly and distinctly, so that your audience can here every word. If people are laughing, stop talking for minute. You want your audience to have an opportunity to respond to your humor.

Graduation Speech Themes

Your graduation speech theme will help you tie all your ideas together. Your speech should last at least five minutes, but not longer than ten to twelve. Keep this in mind as you brainstorm ideas to pick a theme for your speech. Below we have listed some common graduation speech themes that have worked well for others. Remember that no matter which theme you choose, you can make your speech unique with personalized content – content that your audience can relate to.

• Who Are You?
• Believe in Yourself
• Be an Original, Not a Carbon Copy
• Step Up and Out
• Striving on to Perfection
• Learn from Other’s Mistakes
• Live in the Moment
• You Are What You Believe
• What I Learned in High School
• What Comes Next?
• Take a Leap of Faith
• Our Class United When
• Set Goals for Success
• Giving Back
• Follow Your Dreams
• High School Mistakes I Learned From
• Why I Don’t Want to Leave High School
• My Best High School Memories
• Overcoming Obstacles
• The Importance of School
• Never Stop Learning

8th Grade Graduation Speech

If you are in middle school and have been chosen to present an 8th grade graduation speech, keep your speech simple and short – not longer than five minutes – and follow the following format:

• Greet the audience.
• Introduce yourself.
• Reflect on your time in middle school highlighting a few special moments.
• Talk a bit about future expectations for your class.
• Thank your teachers, fellow students, and parents.
• Conclude your speech with a quote, Bible verse, or line from a song or poem.

High School Graduation Speech

Giving the high school commencement speech is truly an honor. If you are chosen to represent your classmates, choose a theme that reflects your personality and one you feel comfortable addressing because you know your topic well. Make sure you practice before the big occasion and memorize as much of your speech as possible. Have clear notes with you in case you forget something. Use engaging gestures, look at your audience, and speak in a slow, yet natural, pace.

Get your audiences attention with a quotation, anecdote, or a clever joke. Make sure your theme is clear and that all your content is cohesive and concise. Illustrate your theme with a story or example, reminiscing about the times you and your classmates enjoyed.

A high school graduation speech should last about ten minutes. Close your speech by thanking your audience; fellow students, parents, and teachers. Tie together the points you have presented during your speech and end with a clever statement your audience will remember.

How to Write a Graduation Speech?

Writing your graduation speech will be much easier if you have a plan. Our step-by-step guide on how to write a graduation speech will walk you through the entire process.

• Brainstorm Ideas Begin by brainstorming ideas. Think about the future and what kind of challenges you and your fellow students may face after graduation. Consider your past school experiences, concentrating on those which are unique and interesting.
• Pick a Theme Your theme may become obvious as you list your brainstorming ideas. If not, check out the list of themes we have suggested and pick one that fits your experiences and personality.
• Stick with Your Theme. Do not allow yourself to include anything in your speech not related to your theme. Find a quote, song lyrics, or a popular news story related to your theme if you wish to include one.
• Build the Basic Structure of Your Speech After identifying the theme of your speech, begin to organize your speech by creating an outline: Welcome Introduce Topic (Theme) Give Example, Testimonial, or Tell a Story or Joke Add Originality Conclusion Thank Your Audience Leave Them with a One Line Summation

Delivering Your Graduation Speech

Once you have completed your graduation speech, you are ready to prepare for delivering it. Find out when on the program you will be speaking so you will be ready. Knowing if you are first, last, or somewhere in the middle of the program can help you feel more comfortable about delivering your speech. Adhere to all the following suggestions to make sure your speech is the best it can be.

• Memorize Your Speech Reading your speech can destroy the delivery, making you sound robotic and impersonal. You will probably want to have some notes but try to speak as much as possible from memory.
• Time Your Speech You may be told how long you have for your speech. If not, try not to talk no more than about ten minutes; a longer speech may not keep your listeners’ attention.
• Speak Slowly When one is nervous, they speak faster. Try to speak slowly and enunciate each word. Pause when necessary for an audience response to a joke or funny comment.
• Speak with Emotion Vary your tone of voice and match your emotions with your content.
• Make Eye Contact Look at your audience. If doing so makes you nervous, pick a spot on the wall at the back of the room and look at it as you speak. You can also pick out a few people in the audience you know and make eye contact with them.

Before you deliver your speech, practice, practice, practice! Deliver your speech to your family, the mirror, your dog – anyone that will listen. Ask for advice and take it. When you give your speech, if you make a mistake, repeat the sentence or word and keep going. Smile at your audience when appropriate. Your enthusiasm for your subject will be felt and enjoyed.

Finally, remember to have pictures or a video taken while you are giving your speech. You have earned the privilege of speaking for your entire class – a huge responsibility and one you will remember for years to come. Smile, have fun, and your audience will enjoy and remember your graduation speech.

Susan majored in English with a double minor in Humanities and Business at Arizona State University and earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Liberty University. She taught grades four through twelve in both public and private schools. Subjects included English, U.S. and world history and geography, math, earth and physical science, Bible, information technologies, and creative writing.

Susan has been freelance writing for over ten years, during which time she has written and edited books, newspaper articles, biographies, book reviews, guidelines, neighborhood descriptions for realtors, Power Point presentations, resumes, and numerous other projects.

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40+ graduation speech ideas and tips.

Written by  Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Aug 14, 2020

Graduations and commencements ceremonies mark major transitional moments in your life. They celebrate all the hard work you put into your education and achievements, and look forward to the future. Through the years of school, you’ve made new friends, developed new skills, and discovered new things about yourself. And it can be extremely difficult to summarize these experiences into a single graduation speech. How do you explain how much the experience meant to you? How do you properly send off all your incredible peers? Don’t worry– we’re here to help you craft that perfect graduation speech. When you’re ready to put pen the paper, look to our graduation speech ideas below.

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The process on writing a graduation speech, graduation speech themes, commencement speech ideas and tips.

Even if you love to write, or have a lot you want to say–writer’s block is a common obstacle when it comes to speech writing. The best way to beat it? Just start writing. Know that your first draft (or the ten or twenty after that) doesn’t have to be perfect, or even very good. Just start writing all your thoughts down and eventually your speech will start to take shape. For specific guidance on speech writing, look to the steps below.

How To Start A Graduation Speech

Ready to start writing? Do your best to follow the guidelines below:

• Find all the inspiration you can. Search for and save your favorite graduation speeches, look for the perfect quotes , and try to determine the key themes to what inspires you.
• Pick a theme. Once you’ve found all your inspiration sources and come up with a general idea of what you want to talk about, make a list of key themes. Circle the one most important to you.
• Write down your favorite quotes and messages, and start planning where in your speech you want them to appear.
• Start off by introducing yourself. Not sure what to say? Use the graduation speech introduction examples below.

Graduation Speech Introductions Examples

• “Thank you [person who introduced you]. And thank you to the students, teachers, parents, and staff who made these four years everything that they were.”
• “It’s my honor today to deliver the commencement address for this incredible student body.”
• “It is my pleasure to welcome students, families, and faculty to graduation day at [school’s name]. Every one of you have made an impact on the graduates who sit here today.”
• “I stand here before you, looking back on four years of legacy we’ve all made together.”

How To Write A Graduation Speech

Once you’ve reached the body of your speech, consider keeping the tips below in mind:

• Take time to write out things you want to cover. Don’t edit yet, just write. Try to stay as undistracted as possible while doing this step.
• Take stock of your key messages and favorite phrases. Save these. Consider highlighting them to keep track.
• When in doubt, tell a story. Talk about your personal experiences and relate them to the whole class.
• Check out our graduation messages and wishes for special messages you might want to include.
• Once you’ve exhausted everything you want to say, take a break. Don’t edit until at least 24 hours later.
• Cut down everything that you don’t absolutely love. As painful as it might be to cut down your work, it’ll pay off in the long run.
• Connect the dots, but stay concise and to the point. Keep it simple.
• Repetition of key points can help your peers remember more of your speech.

How To End A Graduation Speech

Once you’re ready to end your speech, use these guidelines to find a memorable ending.

• End with something memorable that ties it all together. This may be a quotes, repetition of your central message, or just a fun send off.
• Start to edit. Cut it down. Then cut it down again.
• If appropriate, consider closing with one of these graduation bible verses .
• Have someone edit your speech for you. A fresh pair of eyes makes a world of difference when it comes to editing.
• Practice, practice, practice. Even if you have great presentation skills, only practice makes perfect!

Looking for the perfect graduation speech theme to tie it all together? Then check out our favorite funny, creative, and general themes for graduation speeches below:

Funny Graduation Speech Ideas

• Touch on Current (School) Events: A lot can happen in four years. Take the opportunity to reflect on past school happenings like beating your rival school, an accidental mishap in one of the science labs, or a senior prank. The students will surely love it.
• Turn Humility to Wisdom: Mistakes turn into lessons learned, and humility can help you turn funny and embarrassing stories into wisdom for the ages. Share them with your peers.
• Insta-Worthy: Find inspiration for our funny graduation captions to use for your graduation speech.
• Make it a Classic: Use the classic, hilarious quotes from our graduation quotes and sayings resource to keep your speech lighthearted and fun.

Creative Graduation Speech Ideas

• Step Out of Tradition: Step away from the traditional grad speech format. Try something like spoken word poetry, or using unique patterns and metaphors in your speech.
• Tell a Unique Story: We’re always ready to listen to new and interesting stories. What makes your experience so unique? What lesson has it taught you?
• Children’s Book Inspired: Use the classic children’s book quotes we’ve found for you to inspire a nostalgia filled grad speech.
• A Class Anthem: Use lyrics from a special graduation song to inspire a full speech, and connect back to the song for a theme your peers will love.

Class President Graduation Speech Ideas

• Never Give Up: Inspire your class to always keep striving for their goals by utilizing our words of encouragement .
• A Thankful Class: Take the chance of delivering the graduation speech to thank everyone who helped make it happen. Feel free to browse our gratitude quotes and appreciation quotes for help.
• Inspire Them Until the End: Center your commencement speech around a key inspirational idea or message. Visit our resource on inspirational quotes about life for help finding one.

Want a few final tips and tricks for making your graduation speech extra special? We’ve got you covered. Look to our advice below:

High School Graduation Speech Ideas

• Look to the future. Talk about the multitude of opportunities and possibilities your class has.
• Thank your teachers and parents. You can never thank the adults in your life enough for supporting and helping you all these years.
• Recall class memories. Nostalgia is a powerful tool that when used well can make a speech more memorable.
• Try not to rely on pop culture references. Pop culture fads come and go, and using them in your speech might mean it won’t age very well.
• Ask yourself: what makes this class unique? If you have an answer, feel free to share it.
• Is there anything you want to say but can’t fit it into your speech? If so, you may know exactly what to write in your yearbook for friends and classmates.

8th Grade Graduation Speech Ideas

• Focus on the positive. Even if not everything was always perfect in your school experience, it’s important to focus on the positive during a graduation speech.
• Keep it short and sweet. Long speeches typically mean not everyone will be able to pay attention. Keep it short and to the point.
• Remember to be inclusive. Talk about things that all of your peers can relate to, not just individual groups.

Elementary Graduation Speech Ideas

• Keep it short and simple.
• Use a lighthearted tone- Don’t try to make it too sentimental. Keeping the kids happy means the ceremony will go smoother.
• Give examples and short stories from the year. Elementary students usually connect to stories well and this will help keep their attention.
• Remember kids love to laugh. A joke here and there might be the perfect touch.
• If you’re helping a student write a speech, walk them through it. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but their parents are sure to love it.

Resources Related to Graduation Speech Ideas

If you liked this resource on graduation speech ideas and you’re looking for similar content, make sure to check out our related graduation resources.

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• How to Add an Expected...

How to Add an Expected Graduation to Your Resume + Examples

9 min read · Updated on August 13, 2024

Yes, you should include your expected graduation date on your resume.

You've been working hard for the past few years to make the grades and graduate from college. Now, that imminent graduation date is approaching, and you're excited about what lies ahead while also being a bit nervous about landing a job and starting life in the “real world.”  

It's okay. Some nerves are to be expected as you begin your job search journey. Fortunately, you have plenty of resources at your fingertips to support you in that journey, like this post.  

One of the first steps any college graduate has to take to land a job, similar to job candidates at any level, is to craft a well-written resume to garner the attention of prospective employers. As a soon-to-be college graduate, one common consideration as you embark on this task is whether you should include your expected graduation on your resume. 

In this post, we cover:

When to include an expected graduation date for college on your resume

When you shouldn't include an expected graduation on your resume

How to include an expected graduation on your resume

Tips on writing your education section

Expected graduation date resume examples

Pro tip: As you continue your college courses, bear in mind that you want to begin applying for jobs before you graduate. It's best to begin searching for jobs at least a semester prior to your graduation. It's common for employers to present job offers to college students before they graduate.  

Should you include an expected graduation date for college on your resume?

In short, yes, if you're on the traditional college path and know what your graduation date is expected to be, you should include that expected graduation date on your resume. Sharing your expected graduation date helps potential employers understand your current academic status and when you will be available for full-time work. It also presents them with information that helps define your level of experience – i.e., that you should be considered an entry-level candidate with little to no work experience for open positions.

But what if you're not on the traditional college path or going straight through college? Let's take a deeper dive into this question based on different scenarios that might define your situation.

Should I include an expected graduation on my resume if I'm far from graduating?

Suppose you still have a ways to go before you graduate or have just started a program. In that case, it can still be beneficial to include an expected graduation on your resume. This is especially true if you're applying for internships or co-ops during college. 

However, if your graduation date is more than a couple of years away, another option to consider using is “Anticipated Graduation Date” vs. “Expected Graduation Date,” since a lot of things can happen over a four-year period that could impact your graduation date.

Should I include an expected graduation on my resume if I'm taking a break from college?

It's not uncommon for students to take a break from college for various reasons today. You might be taking a semester off to clarify your goals or to gain experience through travel or work. Regardless, if you're still on the course to finish college, you should include your expected graduation date on your resume. To reiterate, this information is relevant to prospective employers when you're applying for jobs that commence after you complete your college degree. 

What information should I include if I'm not completing or didn't complete my degree?

If you didn't complete your studies to graduate or you know you're not going to complete your degree, then you won't have an expected graduation date to include. If you did include an expected graduation date under these circumstances, it would lack integrity, which is no way to start your job search journey. Instead, you will include the dates you attended following the degree you were pursuing, with the relevant coursework you completed. We include an example of how to do this near the end of this post.  

When should you not include expected graduation on your resume?

There are several reasons why including an expected graduation date on your resume is a smart idea. There are also a couple of reasons why you don't need to or shouldn't include it.

It's not relevant to the job you're applying to. It might be that you're applying for a job that doesn't require a college degree, or it's a part-time job that isn't related to your degree. In those cases, you don't need to include your expected graduation on your resume. 

You're not yet in college. If you haven't started college courses yet, don't include anything related to a college degree on your resume, even if you know for certain that you're going to college. Only include your college degree once you're in college, and at that time, include your expected or anticipated graduation date.

How to include an expected graduation date on your resume

When including an expected graduation on your resume:

Place it in the Education section next to the degree you're pursuing.

Include only your expected graduation date. Leave off the start date.

Use one of the standard formatting options and the mm/yyyy style for your date. 

In terms of what belongs in your education section, here are the required pieces of information if you have recently received or are pursuing a college degree:

Name of the degree

Issuing institution

Expected graduation date if still in college

If you recently graduated, you can include your graduation date, as well, though it's not required.

Here are the optional pieces of information you can include if you're a student or recent college graduate:

Grade point average (GPA) if you achieved a 3.5 or higher

Academic awards, like Dean's List or Latin honors, which include cum laude , magna cume laude , and summa cum laude  

Scholarships

Relevant coursework

Academic projects

Certifications achieved through academic coursework

As you advance in your career after landing your first job, it's good to know that people who graduated from college more than two years ago or have at least a couple of years of work experience under their belts should leave items like GPA, Dean's list, and scholarships off their resume. Employers are most interested in the degree obtained. 

Based on personal circumstances, it can still be beneficial to include academic-related information, like Latin honors, relevant coursework, projects, and certifications, as an experienced hire. 

When in doubt, you can always hire a professional resume writer to guide you.  

Tips for adding education and graduation information to your resume

Below are some tips to consider as you craft your resume's Education section.

Emphasize your education in lieu of experience

If you're a student or soon-to-be college graduate with little relevant work experience to include on your resume, you'll list your education above your work experience. If you happen to have a sufficient amount of relevant experiences, like internships, co-ops, work-study, or leadership roles in extracurricular activities, then you'll include your Work Experience section before your Education section. In either case, the name of your degree should always be listed first, with any additional details you choose to include coming after.

Include relevant coursework

If you've completed coursework relevant to the job you're applying for but haven't yet graduated, including such information on your resume can sometimes give you an edge over other candidates. List these courses under a subheading like "Relevant Coursework" within your Education section to highlight your specialized knowledge.

When writing an expected graduation date, it's important to keep it concise and clear. For instance, instead of writing "Expected to graduate in the spring semester of 2023," use any of the following formatting options following your degree:

Expected Graduation: May 2023

(expected May 2023)

(expected graduation May 2023)

Expected: May 2023

Expected 5/2023

Any of these options provide the necessary information in a more digestible format and don't take up as much space on your resume. Use the formatting that looks the best on your resume as a whole. In most instances, shorter is better.  

Use reverse-chronological formatting

The most used formatting option for resumes is the reverse-chronological format . If you have more than one degree, include your most recent degree first and work backward. The same goes for your Work Experience section – begin with your most recent experience first.

Use consistent formatting

Be consistent with the formatting you use throughout your resume. In other words, the date format you use in the Education section should be the same as what you use in your Work Experience section. The same goes for the type of font and bullet points you might use. 

Always remember that honesty is crucial when listing your GPA or expected graduation date. Misrepresenting this information could lead to complications down the line if an employer finds out that you won't be graduating when initially stated or have a lower GPA. 

Only include your GPA if it's 3.5 or higher. If there are uncertainties about your graduation timeline due to factors like double majors or part-time status, consider using "Anticipated Graduation Date" instead of “Expected Graduation Date.”

Now, let's take a look at some examples of how the above guidance all comes together on a resume. 

1. Expected graduation date example

Bachelor of Business Administration | ABC UniversityExpected Graduation: May 2024

2. Expected graduation date example with GPA

Bachelor of Science in Psychology (expected May 2024)WXY UniversityGPA 3.6

3. Expected graduation date example with honors

Bachelor of Science in Political Science (expected August 2025)XYZ UniversityDean's List, 4 semesters

4. Expected graduation date example with GPA and coursework

Bachelor of Arts — Clinical Psychology | Expected December 2024ABC University

COURSES: Abnormal Psychology, Psychology Theories and Techniques, Trauma-informed Approaches to Treatment, Childhood Development, Basic Pharmacology 

5. Expected graduation date example with multiple and advanced degrees

Master of Education - Counseling (expected May 2025)BBB CollegeBachelor of Art - Psychology ( cum laude ), 2023University of AAA

6. Example with incomplete degree and relevant coursework

Bachelors in MarketingXYZ UniversitySept. 2020 to Dec. 2022

Relevant courses: Introduction to Marketing Communications, Business Statistics, Marketing Analytics, Internet Marketing, Advanced Marketing Techniques 

Expected graduation on a resume is expected

Including expected graduation on a resume is necessary if you want to give prospective employers a clear idea as to your availability for work. Use the information provided here to guide you in incorporating your expected graduation on your resume, and best of luck with your job search!

Are you still wondering the best way to include expected graduation on your resume? Why not submit your resume for a free resume review and let our experts help you decide?

Recommended reading:

How to Include a Minor on Your Resume

How to Check if My Resume Is ATS-Friendly for Free

Hard Skills Explained (and the Top 8 for Your Resume)

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