All-University Commencement Ceremony
About the Ceremony
We invite you to join us in a celebration to honor this year’s graduates. The All-University Commencement will take place at Nickerson Field (guest entrance is on Agganis Way) and will feature speeches from President Melissa Gilliam, the Commencement Speaker, and the Student Speaker. The ceremony will also include presentations to the Honorary Degree Recipients and Metcalf Award winners, and the conferring of degrees. As part of Boston University’s tradition, the names of the Commencement Speaker, Honorary Degree Recipients, and Metcalf Award winners will be revealed at the annual Senior Breakfast in May.
Graduates of the Class of 2026 will be seated at the All-University Commencement with their respective school/college and recognized collectively. (Note that the school/college convocation is where students will have their names called and the iconic handshake photo is taken.) Eligible graduates are encouraged to attend the All-University Commencement, their respective school/college convocations, and all other weekend events.
Ticketing and Guest Information
Graduates attending the All-University Commencement must have a ticket for entry. Each graduate may request up to four guest tickets.
On April 6, eligible graduates will receive an email with instructions for obtaining tickets. Only those graduating may request tickets; family members cannot do so on their behalf. All tickets are free.
The ceremony starts promptly at 1 pm. Access to Nickerson Field starts at 11 am. Guests are encouraged to arrive early and be seated on Nickerson Field prior to the start of the ceremony. In case of safety or crowd control considerations, later arrivals may be directed to Agganis Arena to view the high-quality, real-time livestream of the ceremony, which includes ASL interpretation and closed captioning. (Agganis will also be used as a cooling station for the event.)
Graduating students should plan to be in attendance and through security by 12:30 pm in order to be seated with their school/college.
Graduates with unused tickets may transfer them to classmates through the Ticketmaster app. Tickets will be required for anyone attending the day’s ceremony, whether they are at Nickerson Field or Agganis Arena.
NOTE: Individual school and college convocation ceremonies do not require tickets for entry, and there are no limits on how many guests can be invited. These celebrations are held over the course of a few days leading up to, and including, the day of the All-University Commencement. Graduates receive individual recognition—name reading, crossing the stage, and receiving diploma covers—at these smaller convocation ceremonies.
Livestream
A livestream with CART transcription will be available on our website.