
Traditions & Eligibility
The UH Class Ring is a milestone of the UH student experience. It reminds us of our commitment to the UH community, participation in campus traditions, and personal success through academic achievements.
The UH Class Ring is reserved for alumni and currently enrolled undergraduate students who have completed 70 credit hours. Graduate students may order a ring at any time during their study.
The interlocking UH logo adorns the top of the official class ring. The right shank presents the University seal – a variation of Sam Houston’s coat of arms – that features flanked martlets, two greyhounds, and a winged hourglass with the motto “In Time” above it. The wearer’s graduation year is also featured on this side. The left shank bears the wearer’s degree, a façade of the Ezekiel Cullen Building, and the University’s founding date, 1927.
Receiving the UH Class Ring is a very important moment in the life of an UH student. The UH Alumni Association celebrates this moment by hosting a ceremony where all rings are presented. Ring recipients learn about the history and symbolism of the ring, take a picture with Shasta and Sasha on stage, sing the Alma Mater, and pose with family and friends after the event.
Once the doors open for the Ring Ceremony, students will register alphabetically with the Alumni Relations staff so students can receive their contact card. Guests can head directly to their seats. The ceremony is approximately two hours long. Students will be dismissed to head back stage to pick up their rings, line up backstage to be called by name, take a photo with our Alumni Foundation Board members, cross the stage to take a photo with our Mascot, then exit the stage to return to their seats.
The night before the UH Ring Ceremony, UH tradition is that each student has the unique and distinct privilege of having his or her UH Class Ring watched over by Shasta in his habitat. We invite students to come to the Houston Zoo the day before the Ring Ceremony to participate in the Guarding of the Rings. If you aren’t able to make it, we’ll have pictures and videos to share!
Tradition dictates that current students wear the ring facing inward. Only alumni should wear the ring with the logo facing outward.
Yes, Balfour has added new ring purchase options through the Kendra Scott and University Collection rings. They are included with the UH traditional rings in both the Guarding of the Rings and the Ring Ceremony.
Ordering
The UH Class Ring is considered a milestone for students. Students are encouraged to order their UH Class Rings as soon as they become eligible. The deadline to order your UH Class Ring in the fall is mid-October, and mid-March in the spring.
The UH Class Ring can be ordered during the Grad Fair in the Bookstore at the UH Student Center (usually in September or February). You can also order your UH Class Ring at the Ring Order Event, hosted by UHAA, a few weeks following the Grad Fair. Or you can order online here.
Balfour representatives visit the Bookstore in the UH Student Center once a semester to take ring orders. This event is known as Grad Fair, which usually occurs in September and February. Students can check for updates at here.
Students are not required to attend the Grad Fair. UH does encourage students to participate so that Balfour representatives can answer questions about the ring and help determine appropriate sizing for each student. It is the best time to order for students interested in participating in the UH Ring Ceremony.
Balfour is the official licensed vendor for UH Class Rings. Other vendors do not carry the official UH Class Ring.
Balfour has a printable ring sizer on their website here. The University of Houston Alumni Association (UHAA) office, located at 3204 Cullen Blvd Suite 201, has samples and sizing tools. Walk-ins are welcomed anytime Balfour also brings those items to the Grad Fair which is held in the campus bookstore during the semester so you can determine your ring size in person.
Students are encouraged to order rings during the Grad Fair with Balfour in person or online. This timing ensures delivery for the UH Ring Ceremony and participation in the Guarding of the Rings.
Balfour accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express and offers payment options, such as payment-in-full and credit card installment plans. For more information, call 1-866-225-3687.
For timely deliveries, graduating students can place orders as late as the last day of the Grad Fair (mid-October and mid-March).
Most students order at the beginning of each semester to participate in the UH Ring Ceremony. Once the order deadline for the ceremony has passed, rings generally take 6-8 weeks to be produced. Each ring is custom made to order. Creating each ring takes a series of steps including creating the mold, casting, polishing, stone setting, engraving, and final inspection.
Balfour will work with you on making sure your UH Class Ring fits. For more information about the lifetime warranty, please click here.
Yes, Balfour has added new ring purchase options through the Kendra Scott and University Collection rings. They are included with the UH traditional rings in both the Guarding of the Rings and the Ring Ceremony.
Students – Your rings will be shipped to the Alumni Center and held for both the Guarding of the Rings and the Ring Ceremony. If you can’t attend the Ring Ceremony, you may pick up your class ring in the UHAA office at the specified date that you were provided. We are in the Athletics-Alumni Center at 3204 Cullen Blvd. Suite 201 Houston TX, 77204, Suite 201. Please bring a valid photo ID. If you need to have someone pick up your ring from our office on your behalf, please email lnburrou@central.uh.edu with the first and last name of the person picking it up. If you do not pick your ring between the dates you were given, your ring will be shipped to the address on your ring order form.
Alumni – Your rings will be shipped directly to you unless you request it be sent to the Alumni Center and held for Ring Ceremony.
All UH Class Rings ordered by the ring deadline are automatically included in the Guarding of the Rings & Ring Ceremony. Balfour asks for your home address on the order form just in case you are not able to come to the Ring Ceremony to pick up your ring. They will then ship your class ring to the address provided
UH Ring Ceremony
The UH Ring Ceremony is part of the UH Ring Tradition. It’s an opportunity for you to show off your UH pride with your family and friends. Students are encouraged, but not required, to participate. All the rings will automatically be included in the Ring Ceremony.
The UH Ring Ceremony occurs each semester in early December and May. Specific dates are announced on the UH Class Ring website here.
Invitations to participate in the UH Ring Ceremony and Guarding of the Rings with Shasta are sent via email to students who recently purchased their UH Class Ring.
Seating is limited due to venue capacity. Ring recipients who order by the deadline will receive an email with instructions on how to register themselves and their guests for the ceremony. Ring recipients may request to bring additional guests after registration closes. Space for additional guests is reserved on a first-come-first-served basis and can only be granted in space is available.
The goal of the UH Ring Ceremony is to explain the symbolism of the official UH Class Ring and how it represents UH’s values and shared experiences of UH students and alumni. Only students who order the Official UH Class Ring from Balfour are invited to participate in the ceremony and tradition of the UH Class Ring.
GradImages is the official ring ceremony photographer and will capture photos of each student and their UH Class Ring. GradImages will email you your free photo proofs from the ring ceremony as soon as 48 hours after the event. For more information, you can contact the GradImages Customer Service Department at 800-261-2576 or ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. To pre-register with GradImages to receive a discount code, click here.
After the UH Ring Ceremony, you may pick up your ring the following Monday and Tuesday at the Alumni Center. If you do not pick up your ring on that Monday or Tuesday, it will then be shipped to you.
Pricing & Shipping
Ring prices vary depending on ring style and type of metal used. Pricing can be found online here. From there, click on either of the links titled “His” or “Her” to see the different ring styles available as well as metal options and prices.
All rings ordered by the deadline to participate in the UH Ring Ceremony are shipped to UH. Rings ordered after the deadline will be shipped to the address listed on the ring order form.