Commencement

Commencement 2026

Graduate Ceremony
Keynote Speaker

Friday, June 12, 2026 at 9 a.m.

UCLA Royce Hall
10745 Dickson Ct, Los Angeles, CA 90095

8:00 a.m. Students arrive at Royce Hall West Lobby
8:10 a.m. Class photos
9:00 a.m. Commencement begins
11:45 a.m. Reception

Undergraduate Ceremony
Keynote Speaker

Friday, June 12, 2026 at 3 p.m.

UCLA Ackerman Grand Ballroom
308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095

1:45 p.m. Students meet at Kerckhoff North steps
2:00 p.m. Class photos
3:00 p.m. Commencement begins
4:30 p.m. Reception

Preparing for Commencement

Commencement ceremony regalia (caps, gowns, hoods, and tassels) will be available to order beginning February 28th for undergraduate students and April 1st for graduate students. Non-UC faculty regalia requests must be submitted by April 5th. Graduation Etc. will take orders through graduation day, however, it is best to have student orders placed by mid-May to ensure they have the inventory to accommodate you. Students can order their regalia by going to Graduation, Etc. at Ackerman Union, Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or by visiting the Graduation, Etc. website.

MPP, MSW and MURP candidates can see samples of Advanced Degree Academic Regalia at Graduation, Etc. There are two models – one wearing a Master’s hood and the other a Ph.D. hood. Graduation, Etc. will have stations for returning caps and gowns at the Commencement location. Please note: The hoods for each department are different. Be sure to request regalia for your Urban Planning, Public Policy or Social Welfare master’s degree. Urban Planning and Social Welfare Ph.D. candidates order Ph.D. regalia. If you keep your regalia a little longer (for family photo sessions, etc.) you must return them to Graduation, Etc. in Ackerman Union. Deadline for returning caps and gowns is June 20th at 5:00 p.m. or a $50 late fee will be assessed. See the dressing instructions for the academic hood.

Public Affairs BA candidates must wear a black cap/mortar board, black gown, and royal blue tassel. Students are eligible to wear honor cords (or, fourragere) if they are graduating with Latin Honors or College Honors, and/or if they are recipients of the Chancellor’s Service Award. Purchase and distribution of honor cords begin in June. 

In addition to wearing honor cords, students are permitted to wear sashes, cords, and/or other regalia that programs and student organizations give to graduating students. You can also wear sashes, cords, and leis that are given to you by family and loved ones.

Guest Tickets

All guests are required to have a ticket for entrance into Royce Hall and Ackerman Grand Ballroom. All tickets will be sent digitally directly to the graduates. Tickets will be available in 2 forms: digital and print at home. Graduates are responsible for distributing tickets to their guests. Tickets will be sent 1-2 weeks in advance of the ceremony from the Central Ticket Office, not the Luskin School of Public Affairs.  Your student advisors will let you know how many tickets you will be receiving.

Children and Tickets

• Lap-sitting is permitted if a child is 3 years old or younger and they are small enough that the child’s head is no taller than that of the adult when sitting in their lap.
• Children 4 years old and above, and any child requiring their own seat, requires a valid ticket for entry.

Please be advised that all bags may be subject to search. Use of clear bags may expedite entrance to the venue. We recommend guests arrive at least 30-60 minutes in advance of the ceremony to allow ample time for health and bag checks. Large balloon displays, noisemakers, and confetti poppers will be confiscated.

Undergraduate Commencement Parking

Commencement parking is $16 per day (prices are subject to change). Parking will be in parking structures 4 and 8. UCLA Parking Services will staff lots according to ceremony times and locations. Pre-paid Commencement Parking Permits are available for purchase ($16 per permit) through Bruin ePermit starting in May. Please see Bruin ePermit document for more information on ordering permits. You can pre-purchase parking starting May 1.

Parking Structure 4: 221 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Parking Structure 8: 555 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095

UCLA Parking Map (pdf) | Interactive Campus Map

Graduate Commencement Parking

Commencement parking is $16 per day (prices are subject to change). Parking will be in parking structures 2 and 3. UCLA Parking Services will staff lots according to ceremony times and locations. Pre-paid Commencement Parking Permits are available for purchase ($16 per permit) through Bruin ePermit starting in May. https://transportation.ucla.edu/campus-parking/commencement-parking. Please see Bruin ePermit document for more information on ordering permits. You can pre-purchase parking starting May 1.

Parking Structure 3: 215 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Parking Structure 5: 302 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles, CA 90095

UCLA Parking Map (pdf) | Interactive Campus Map

Wheelchair Seating & Sign Language Interpreters

UCLA does not provide wheelchairs or campus shuttles; guests requiring mobility assistance should arrive one hour early. Curbside drop-off is available at Gateway Plaza and the Dickson Plaza Flagpole.

• For Graduates: If you require mobility assistance (e.g., special entrance to Pauley Pavilion or floor access), contact the College Commencement Office or your department immediately.
• For Guests: All venues have ADA-accessible seating. While ushers can assist with seating, guests must bring their own wheelchairs as none are available for rent or loan on campus.

Royce Hall has a variety of accessible seating available. In addition to seating space that can accommodate a wheelchair with a companion seat, Royce Hall is also equipped with select aisle seats that have folding armrests on aisle sides to make transfer easier for those with mobility limitations.

Accessible parking spaces in Parking Structure 5 are located on level 4. For oversized vehicles, please use level 6. Guest drop off is located at 10745 Dickson Court, Los Angeles, CA 90095 – at the flagpole and at level 4 of Structure 5.

Commencement Day

Arrive Early

MPP, MRED, MSW and MURP candidates will assemble in the Royce Hall West Lobby by 8:00 a.m. Candidates for graduate degrees wear their tassels on the left side of their caps before, during and after the ceremony.

Public Affairs BA candidates will assemble in the north side of Kerckhoff Hall at the top of the stairs at 1:45 p.m. Class photos will be taken promptly at 2:00 p.m. Candidates for bachelor degrees wear their tassels on the right side of their caps before the ceremony and must move your tassels to the left once conferred.

Please note that you should not bring anything with you that needs to be carried, like purses, jackets, etc. because there is nowhere to secure personal belongings at the venue. All items that you cannot personally carry should either be left in the car or with one of your family members.

Your student advisors and other staff will be there to explain the seating arrangements and to assist you in lining up for the processional. Printed programs will be available on the day of Commencement.

Prohibited items for guests and graduates
Clear bag policy for Royce Hall

Photos

Prior to the processional, you will have the opportunity to take a class photo with your fellow graduates. We have limited time before the processional so this will be your only organized opportunity to take photos as a class. Class photos will be available for download at www.luskin.ucla.edu.

GradImages professional photography will take each graduate’s picture as they receive the scroll and handshake. If you want to receive proofs of your photographs, you must fill out the address information that will be on the back of your name card. Additional cards will be available at the ceremony. Filling out a card and receiving proofs does not obligate you to purchase photographs.

Processional

MPP, MRED, MSW and MURP candidates: The order of the march will be the dean and keynote speaker, faculty, Ph.D. candidates, then Master’s candidates. You will be directed to line up inside the Royce Hall West Lobby and proceed through the audience onto the stage.

Public Affairs BA candidates: The order of the march will be the dean and keynote speaker, faculty, followed by you- the graduates. You will be directed to line up along the Kerckhoff South Patio and proceed through the audience onto the stage.

Students will sit on the front rows of the main seating area. Please fill in the seats beginning with the first row. School and Commencement staff will be on hand to assist you. If you will not be able to march in the processional, notify your advisor so that other arrangements can be made for seating you.

Presentation of Candidates

Master’s and Bachelor’s candidates will come to the lectern and hand their name card to a person designated to read each name. Do not stand and wait while your name is read. Immediately proceed across the stage to your department chair. While you are shaking hands with your chair face the photographer so your photo can be taken. In order to keep the line moving each row will stand and move forward as the preceding row finishes. Again, School and Commencement staff will be on hand to assist. When returning to your seats, remember to follow the same path as when you were first seated. Please note: you will not receive your actual diplomas at the ceremony.

Recessional

The recessional will follow the same order of march (Dean, faculty, and students). Students will be directed to march through the audience and then they may join their family.

A light reception will be held for graduate students following the Ceremony on Dickson Plaza lawn directly in front of Royce Hall.

A light reception will be held for undergraduate students following the Ceremony at the Wescom Student Terrace.

Diplomas

Diplomas are produced by the UCLA Office of the Registrar. The name that is reflected in your official university record (not your preferred name) will appear on your diploma. If you would like a different name to appear on your diploma, please complete the Name Change or Correction form and submit it no later than the last day in your degree-expected term.

The Registrar’s office will mail out diploma information approximately six weeks after the end of your degree term (Winter graduates will receive their information in June; spring graduates will receive their information in August).

If you would like your diploma mailed to you, click here to download and print out the form. Fill in the required information and send it to the address on the form along with your choice of payment options.

For additional information call (310) 825-2754 or (310) 825-8883. To change your address log into MyUCLA, go to Settings > My Contact Information and make address updates.

Public Affairs BA Candidates: For more information about diplomas and graduation procedures, please visit the Public Affairs Graduation & Commencement website

Additional Information

For more information, visit the University web site at http://www.commencement.ucla.edu

You may also contact your graduate advisor or Tammy Borrero at (310) 206-4612 or tborrero@luskin.ucla.edu.