Frequently Asked Questions

Graduation is the fulfillment of your degree requirements, while Commencement is the ceremony that honors that achievement. 

We encourage undergraduates and families to attend both the main Commencement ceremony and their senior recognition ceremony for the full experience. 

The main Commencement ceremony for the undergraduate class will be held at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. This ceremony is fun and celebratory, degrees are conferred, the UMass Wind Ensemble performs, and remarks are given by university leaders, the keynote speaker, and the student speaker. All members of the Class of 2026 are encouraged to attend and are recognized en masse by school or college.

School and college senior recognition ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 9; Friday, May 15; Saturday, May 16; and Sunday, May 17, 2026. Senior recognition ceremonies are smaller and more intimate. Names are read, students walk across the stage, and individual portraits are taken. 

When the registrar released the number of CNS students expected to graduate it was significantly larger than in previous years and would have meant reducing the number of tickets allowed to only three tickets per student. By having two ceremonies each student is now eligible for six tickets, which must be reserved in advance through Tassel. 

The undergraduate ceremony on May 15 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium is outdoors. 

All other ceremonies are held indoors.

We are proud to introduce Geskus as our portrait photography partner for the 2026 Commencement. Photographers from Geskus will be on campus to take cap-and-gown photos as well as professional photos during the week before Commencement in the Campus Center. Book your session now.

Final exams are scheduled for Monday, May 11–Thursday, May 14. Friday, May 15, is reserved for make-up exams only. Any make-up exams will conclude by 10 a.m. 

• Graduating seniors are automatically approved for permission to stay late and will receive an email in April confirming their status.
• Students affiliated with Commencement activities as a student employee or performer will have their names submitted for permission to stay late by their supervisor or group leader in the spring semester; they will also receive an email in April confirming their status.
• Other students (for instance, students with a graduating sibling) may request permission to stay late in the spring semester. All students who are granted permission to stay late will need to move out no later than May 18 at 10 a.m.
• Learn more about UMass Move-Out.

Yes! Doctoral candidates will be hooded during the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Saturday, May 9. Your advisor or chosen faculty member will be able to participate and hood you. Please RSVP in your Tassel account starting in the spring and indicate who you would like to have hood you. 

• Associate’s Degree (AS)

  Graduates earning an associate’s degree are invited to attend the ceremony on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. in Bowker Auditorium, where their names will be read as they cross the stage and their degree will be formally conferred.

• Bachelor’s Degree (BS/BA)

  Graduates earning a bachelor’s degree are invited to attend the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

  In addition, bachelor’s degree graduates are welcome to participate in their College of Natural Sciences senior recognition ceremony on Sunday, May 17, 2026, where their names will be called as they walk across the stage.

Undergraduates

Order your cap, gown, and tassel free of charge from Herff Jones to be picked up at the Commencement Fair on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. 

Students who live away from campus may elect to have their cap and gown shipped to them for a small fee. 

Undergraduate Regalia ordering instructions

1. Visit https://herff.ly/umass
2. Select Cap and Gown
3. Choose Undergraduate Students from the drop down menu
4. Then choose Pick Up Regalia on Campus - Deadline 4/1/26 from the next drop down menu
5. Next select your Degree Type
   1. Associate for 2-year Stockbridge School 
   2. Bachelor for all other undergraduate degrees
6. Click the maroon SHOP button
7. Follow the menu to choose among the grad packages which include options to purchase additional announcements, frames, stoles, and more. Your regalia will still be free of charge. 
8. On Graduation Regalia enter your first name, last name, area of study, height, and weight
   1. Your area of study is your college for most students
   2. If you are studying in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA) your area of study is specific to the degree you're earning. Select Bachelor of Arts for most majors;  Bachelor of Fine Arts; Bachelor of Music. If you are unsure, consult your Academic Requirement Report in SPIRE.  
9. Click the maroon ADD TO CART button. 
10. Click ADD MORE if you'd like to continue shopping for stoles, key chains, memorabilia or click CHECKOUT.
11. Enter your Billing information
12. Click the maroon CONTINUE button
13. Review your order then click the maroon COMPLETE ORDER button

Undergraduate University Without Walls/Distance Learners

Undergraduate University Without Walls students/distance learners received an email with instructions on how to secure their cap, gown, and tassel on March 3. 

Order your cap, tam, gown, hood, and tassel free of charge from Herff Jones to be picked up starting May 4, 2026 at the University Store. You will receive a confirmation email when your order is complete.

Master's and Doctoral Regalia Ordering Instructions:

1. Visit https://herff.ly/umass
2. Select Cap and Gown.
3. Choose "Master and Doctor Students".
4. Then choose Pick Up Regalia on Campus - Deadline 4/1/26 from the next drop down menu, then: "Master" or "Doctorate".
5. Next select your Area of Study.
6. Click the maroon SHOP button.
7. Follow the menu to choose among the grad packages which include options to purchase additional announcements, frames, stoles, and more. Your regalia will still be free of charge. 
8. On Graduation Regalia enter your first name, last name, area of study, height, and weight .
9. Click the maroon ADD TO CART button. 
10. Click ADD MORE if you'd like to continue shopping for stoles, key chains, memorabilia or click CHECKOUT.
11. Enter your Billing information.
12. Click the maroon CONTINUE button.
13. Review your order then click the maroon COMPLETE ORDER button.

If you are living away from campus or need your regalia early, you may opt to have regalia shipped to your residence for a small fee. If you'd like to use this option, select Ship Regalia to Home - Deadline 4/17/26.
 
 

We are excited to be partnering with Herff Jones this year to provide commencement regalia. Through their services, faculty have two options when ordering regalia:

1. Order regalia online to be shipped to campus for pick up in the Campus Center.
2. Order regalia online to be shipped to your home address.

The deadline to request rental regalia is April 15, 2026. 

We are proud to partner with Tassel to provide graduates with an online platform where they can register for each ceremony they plan to attend, reserve guest tickets, and verify how their name will be pronounced at their senior recognition ceremony, doctoral hooding, Master's and Education Specialist Commencement Ceremony, or Stockbridge School of Agriculture Associate Degree Commencement Ceremony. Graduates will receive an email with a customized link to access their Tassel account and complete registration for each ceremony they plan to attend. 
 

Guest tickets are required for all senior recognition ceremonies, the Master's and Education Specialist Commencement Ceremony, and the doctoral hooding.

• Graduates need to register for each ceremony they are attending, including the undergraduate ceremony, but do not need tickets to participate in the ceremonies themselves.
• All graduates need to RSVP and register with Tassel in order to have their name called and secure tickets for their guests.

Guest tickets are not required for the undergraduate or Stockbridge School of Agriculture degree conferral ceremonies. However, graduates need to register to attend each ceremony in Tassel to assist with planning the student processions and seating at McGuirk Alumni Stadium and Bowker Auditorium. 

Based on the expected number of graduates and the size of the venue, the guest ticket allocation for each undergraduate student per school or college is detailed below:

The guest ticket allocation for each graduate student per ceremony is detailed below:

To request guest tickets, students need to be registered for the ceremonies they plan to attend and reserve the tickets in Tassel. 

Guest tickets will be distributed to students’ Mullins Center accounts in May after students complete those steps. 

During the week of Commencement, students will be notified by the Mullins Center via email and receive instructions on how to access and distribute their tickets to guests.

• Due to the finite number of seats available, we cannot exceed the designated allotment of tickets per graduate.
• If you fail to reserve guest tickets in Tassel before the April 2026 deadline, please contact your individual school or college to inquire about tickets.
  • The deadline for the doctoral hooding and CHC Celebration of Excellence ceremonies is April 12, 2026. 
  • The deadline for all other degree conferral and senior recognition ceremonies is April 18, 2026. 
• Most ceremonies will be live-streamed so that family members and supporters can join the celebration from anywhere. Degree conferral ceremonies are live-streamed and links are posted on the Commencement website on the day of the ceremony. Schools and colleges will indicate if their senior recognition ceremony is live-streamed on the specific ceremony page. Links to those pages are posted on the commencement schedule page. 
• The university does not currently host viewing sites where guests gather to watch the live streams together. 

No. All guest tickets are free of charge. 

With the number of graduates and venue capacity limits, ticketing ceremonies ensures all graduates have the option of guests attending and prevents guests from being denied entry due to capacity constraints.

• There is a designated security checkpoint and entrance for guests with mobility challenges. Commencement ambassadors will be present to assist with directing guests to the accessible entrance (Portal 20).
• Portal 20 (the northeasternmost portal of the stadium) provides full access to restrooms and accessible guest seating on the field. Guests can, of course, choose to sit in the stands. There are ramps to the stadium stands at the southern end of the stadium. The first row of the stands is available from those ramps. All other seats in the stands are only accessible via stairs.
• Accessible seating is available for guests and graduates on the stadium field; however, it is in the open sun. Guests should take appropriate precautions related to the weather. Guests sitting in the stands and in the accessible area on the field may want to bring sunscreen and visors/hats for sun protection.
• The pathway from the Lot 11 Graduate Assembly Area to the stadium field and student seating (for processional/march) is an even-grade, paved surface and accessible by wheelchair.  
• Note that portions of the stadium grounds on the east side (for guests) and west side (for graduates) are covered in gravel and may be difficult for a wheelchair to traverse. However, the paved sections, concrete sidewalks, and installed floor provide accessible pathways to most of the stadium.

Learn more about accessibility on the Mullins Center website.

Accessible seating is available at all Commencement and senior recognition ceremony venues. To secure accessible seating, be sure to arrive at the venue early and have your guest ticket ready if applicable. Guest tickets are required at all ceremonies except for the undergraduate and Stockbridge School of Agriculture degree conferral ceremonies. Be sure to review the accessibility information for McGuirk Alumni Stadium and the Mullins Center above if you are attending a ceremony at those venues and need accessible seating. 

Yes, a limited number of on-campus residence hall rooms are available that address the requirements of the Jewish Sabbath. Please contact Conference Services at @email to indicate your interest and learn more about this option.