BUSSW Commencement

Doors will open at 3:00PM.

Please enter Walter Brown Arena from the 285 Babcock Street entrance unless you have discussed an alternate accessible entry plan with the BUSSW planning team.

BUSSW staff will be present to guide guests to their destination.

Please note that bag size will be limited to 12″ x 12″ x 6″ for all guests, graduating students, faculty and staff, and all bags will be physically inspected prior to entry. Additional information about BU security protocols will be available at bu.edu/commencement/security closer to the event date.

Additional details will be sent to graduating students, faculty, and staff via email.

Diplomas & Transcripts FAQ

Will I receive my actual diploma at Commencement?

On May 14, you’ll receive a diploma folder.  The actual completed diploma will be mailed to you in July once balances are paid and exit counseling has been completed,

When will the transcript show that I graduated?
For those graduating in January, it will appear on your transcript around 1/25, for those graduating in May it will appear around 5/20 and for those graduating in August, it will appear around 8/25 of the year you graduate. View the graduation calendar here.

When can I request a certificate of completion?
Once you are designated an official graduate by the Registrar’s Office, you can request a certificate of completion which states that you have completed all the requirements for the degree and your official graduation date. Once the graduation date has passed, your graduation information will appear on your transcript and you’ll be able to order a certificate of graduation.

How do I request a certificate of completion?
A certificate of completion can be ordered by emailing or calling the BU Office of the Registrar at registrar@bu.edu or 617-353-3612. As soon as you see all your grades posted on the Student Link under transcript preview, contact the School of Social Work Registrar at swreg@bu.edu to ensure that your degree requirements have been met. Then the SSW Registrar can approve your request for a certificate of completion to the University Registrar.

When can I request a certificate of graduation?
A certificate of graduation can only be obtained after the graduation date has passed. More information on how to order a certificate of graduation can be found here: bu.edu/reg/graduation/certificates-of-graduation/

I have questions regarding ordering my transcript and/or my diploma. Who should I contact?
Questions regarding ordering transcripts should be directed to the Office of the University Registrar at registrar@bu.edu or 617-353-3612. Transcripts can also be ordered on the Student Link. Those with questions regarding diplomas should email diploma@bu.edu or call 617-353-3604 or diploma@bu.edu. For more information, visit the University Registrar’s Diplomas & Graduation webpage and the Ordering a Transcript webpage.

When will my diploma be mailed?
For information on when your diploma will be mailed or when you can pick it up, please check the University Registrar’s Office for their Diploma Ordering/Mailing Schedule.

The Walter Brown Arena is a large venue, so no tickets are needed for your guests. Doors to the arena will open at 3:00pm.

Information about accommodation requests will be available closer to the event date at BU’s Accommodations webpage.

The commencement ceremony will be live-streamed for those unable to attend.

In order to watch the livestream, simply return to this page at the ceremony start time. An embedded video live-stream will show up at the top of the page. It will be publicly viewable; there are no access restrictions.

The livestream will have closed captioning.

The livestream plays in real-time, so be sure to tune in by the beginning of the ceremony (4:00 pm Eastern Time on May 14th) to catch the full ceremony. Due to BU privacy protocols, we are not able to provide a recording.

Student regalia is handled by the University. A selection of items will be available for purchase (or rental, if doctoral) through BU.

Go to the University regalia webpage, bu.edu/commencement/for-students/caps-gowns, to order your cap and gown and find the most up-to-date information on deadlines, prices, pickup, and more.

Please contact regalia@bu.edu with any questions.

Please note BUSSW does not apply Latin Honors to graduate student records but students are welcome to wear their own cords at the ceremony.