Commencement is the culmination of all your efforts to earn a graduate degree, and it will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026. Commencement week provides multiple opportunities for celebration, including a Dean’s Reception, the University-wide Morning Exercises, the Diploma Awarding Ceremonies, and the Champagne Reception and Luncheon.
Please note that photos and videos will be taken throughout Commencement activities. Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may use your name, likeness, voice, image, language (as a quotation), and other identifying features and information in connection with its use, including display to the public through the internet or other means.
Degree recipients from November 2025, February 2026, and May 2026 are eligible for May 2026 Commencement activities. If you anticipate participating this year, here’s what you need to know:
- Register to Participate in Commencement Activities: All graduating students must register to participate in Commencement activities and order tickets! This is a separate process from applying for your degree through my.harvard. Registration and ticket ordering will be available from April 1 to May 1, 2026. You will receive an email from our office announcing when registration is live.
- Questions about Commencement-related events and activities? Please check the Commencement Events page for more information.
- Questions about retrieving your tickets after they are ordered? Please check the Commencement Tickets page for more information.
- Ticket Limits: Each participating graduate can order up to two guest tickets for the Dean's Reception, Morning Exercises in the Yard, and the GSAS Diploma Awarding Ceremonies in Sanders Theatre. Please keep this in mind as you and your guests make travel arrangements to Cambridge for next spring. This is a strict limit set by our venues to ensure we can accommodate all graduates who wish to participate, and we are not able to make exceptions.
- Secure Academic Regalia: Academic regalia is required for Commencement activities. Regalia ordering is now available through Herff Jones.
Watch this Guide to Commencement video to help you and your guests prepare for the day:
Still have questions? Check out the Commencement FAQ or contact the Harvard Griffin GSAS Office of Alumni Relations.
