California Commencement

Eligibility Information

Students who completed their degree program (degree has been conferred) in the Fall 2025 semester are eligible to participate in the 2026 Commencement ceremony in California. Students expected to complete their programs in the Spring or Summer 2025 semesters may be eligible to participate, pending their academic department approval. This includes all vocational, associate, bachelor, master, education specialist, and doctoral-level students. A student completing a certificate program is not eligible to participate in commencement.

For those expecting to complete their degrees in the Spring 2026 or Summer 2026 semesters, please review the policies below for your degree level to determine if you are eligible to participate in the 2026 California ceremony:

Undergraduate Students

A bachelor student may be eligible to participate in a commencement ceremony if one of the following conditions is met:

1. All program requirements are completed.
2. All degree requirements will be completed no later than the semester (or two terms) immediately after the one in which the ceremony occurs, as confirmed by the academic department.

Graduate Students

A master, education specialist, or doctoral student may be eligible to participate in a commencement ceremony if one of the following conditions is met:

1. All degree requirements are completed.
2. For programs that require a research project (e.g., thesis, applied research project, advanced applied project, dissertation), the project must be successfully defended/passed and documented 30 days before the commencement date as confirmed by the Division/Department Chair.
3. For programs that do not require a research project (e.g., thesis, applied research project, advanced applied project, dissertation), all requirements will be completed no later than the semester (or two terms) immediately after the one in which the ceremony occurs as confirmed by the Division/Department Chair.

If the timeframe or above requirements impacts a student, they may consider submitting a Policy Exception request to participate in the commencement ceremony.

If you believe you will meet the qualifications stated above for your degree level, you should proceed with submitting an Intent to Participate form.

Intent to Participate Form

Submissions for the 2026 Commencement are now closed. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Regalia Information

Regalia is available at Balfour Regalia Ordering.

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Questions? Email [email protected].

Guest Information

Doors will open to guests an hour prior to the start of the ceremony.

All guests must have a ticket. This includes any children that need a seat. Guests who require ADA related accommodations should contact [email protected]. The number of guests per graduate is determined by the total number of participants and venue capacity. Ticket information will be shared once the total number of participants has been determined.

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Questions? Email [email protected]​.