GRADUATION

Commencement is the university-wide ceremony where the current graduating class is commemorated as a whole. During the ceremony, student, faculty, and guest speakers will address graduates and their families. 

Convocations at Northwestern are hosted by schools with the university. Students are recognized at their school’s convocation ceremony. A full itinerary of Convocations can be found here. 

Celebrations are events surrounding Commencement and Convocations, such as Congratulatories and Receptions. 

Diploma information is sent to the vendor after all grades are finalized, usually in the first full week of July. Diplomas are printed and mailed about 4 weeks after that.

You will receive a diploma cover at your school’s convocation. If you are not attending your convocation, please contact your school representative to discuss how you can receive one. 

You can find the full list of our contacts on the questions index page. If still unsure, email the Graduation Office and we are happy to help direct you.  

All communications sent by the Graduation Office can be found here. If you are not receiving these emails, but believe you should be, please contact the Graduation Office with your name, school, and NetID.  
 

To add your parent to the NU Parents & Family Mailing List, please fill out and submit this form.

In June, Chicago-area weather conditions and temperatures can vary greatly. Those who are sensitive to the sun should be prepared with sunscreen and appropriate protective headgear. Comfortable shoes are recommended.

Graduation Weekend 2025

• June 13-16, 2025

Graduation Weekend 2026

• June 12-15, 2026

We have restrictions on what people can bring in into the venue for the safety and comfort of all our viewers. Both Northwestern University and the United Center do not allow the following items:

• air horns or any other artificial noise makers, including instruments
• animals (excluding service animals)
• bottles or cans
• cameras with detachable lenses
• confetti of any kind
• coolers
• fireworks
• glitter
• laser pens or laser products of any type
• outside food or beverage of any kind (alcoholic beverages included)
• poles or sticks
• projectiles
• selfie sticks
• umbrellas (any size)
• weapons of any kind, including guns, knives, ammunition, explosives, pepper spray and mace
  

The United Center has additional restrictions prohibiting banners, signs or flags, GoPros, iPads, laptops, masks, and plastic bags, and reserves the right to determine other items unacceptable upon entry. The United Center will not store any of the aforementioned items. 

Strollers at the United Center must be checked in at any of the Guest Relations booths located at Gates 2 or 6. 

A PDF version of the Commencement Program will be available online for the ceremony, and print copies of the program can be ordered to be shipped to you free of charge.  

You can always download the PDF of the program. An initial program will be available at the time of Graduation Weekend, and a complete program including Latin honors will be available in late summer. A small number of final program print copies will be available, with the ordering link coming in the June graduation communications.

Yes, the printed program will include all Latin Honors. Please note that the digital version of the program available for the Commencement ceremony will not have Latin honors, as the event is taking place before final grades are due. 

A schedule of school convocations can be found on the Convocations page. Convocations will be available to graduates, community members, and guests in June. Your school will be sharing more information on this ceremony.

An email will be sent from The Graduation Office to everyone eligible to participate. While registration is not required, this email includes the link to request guest tickets to the ceremony and order your regalia, which is required to walk in any ceremony. 

An email will be sent from your school to everyone eligible to participate. This email will include the link to request guest tickets to the ceremony and any additional registration information required. 

Because ceremonies are taking place before final grades are due, we are unable to calculate honors to be read at the ceremonies. Honors will be listed in the printed Commencement Program and any related items will be mailed to you. 

Double majors only attend their home school ceremony; dual degree students may be invited to attend more than one ceremony, depending the degrees and school(s). 

For information on how to order your regalia, visit the Regalia page. 

Donning your purple gown is an excellent way to celebrate your achievements and is required to participate in Commencement and convocations. All regalia is available to be shipped to the University Bookstore at Norris for in-person pick up, and non-rental regalia can also be shipped to an off-campus location for a small shipping fee. 
 

Regalia recycling will be available after the ceremony. 

Only those with an approved petition to graduate through the Registrar’s Office have been added to our ordering system. If you believe this applies to you, but are still experiencing difficulties, please contact the Graduation Office.  

Graduates do not need to reserve tickets for themselves for either their school convocation or Commencement. 

Waitlist tickets are filled based on tickets that are not claimed through the initial ticketing rounds and tickets that are returned by other graduates because their guests’ plans changed. You may receive all or some of your requested waitlist tickets, and you may receive different amounts of tickets at different times as tickets are donated back. Once you are notified that you have received waitlist tickets you have 72 hours to log into the system and complete your cart to claim your tickets. 

You can distribute tickets to guests by text or by downloading and sending a PDF. If you have guests that are not tech-savvy or who do not have smartphones you can send those tickets to others in your party to hold, but those guests must enter together. 

Please see the Tickets page for instructions on key ticketing actions. 

Each ceremony is a separate event with seating capacities. You will need separate tickets for each event you would like to attend. 

Children 3 and under who will sit in a caregiver’s lap do not need tickets; everyone else needs a ticket. 

Tickets to all ceremonies are general admission. When ordering tickets, the system will prompt you to enter how many guests in their party require accessible seating for a guest who uses a wheelchair. Please note that every wheelchair space has one companion seat included. Because these spaces are limited and in high demand, we are not able to seat entire parties together. We have a limited number of wheelchairs inside of each venue that can be used for transporting guests during the ceremony. We also have the names of companies that will rent mobility equipment for the entire weekend. Please see the Accessibility page on the Graduation website for additional information.

At the United Center, guests are limited to a small purse or personal bag up to 10x6x2. We do not have sizing restrictions at our campus venues, but at all venues bags will be inspected by security personnel and guests will pass through magnetometers.

Please note, the following are not permitted at any graduation venues: noisemakers, instruments, balloons, confetti, glitter, food or drinks, long lens cameras, signs, weapons, or anything else that would interfere with another guest’s sight lines or enjoyment of the ceremony.

We have many exciting activities planned for the Class of 2024 on Sunday, June 9. All are welcome for all the activities on campus. We hope that you can join us!

• 166^th Annual Commencement – 10:30 am, United Center, Chicago (tickets required)
• Baccalaureate – 4:00 pm, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall (tickets are not required)
• March Back Through the Arch – 6:00 pm, Deering Meadow (undergraduate focused, tickets are not required)
• Graduating Students Reception for Class of 2024 & Guests – 7:00 pm, Lakefront Reception Tent (tickets are not required)
• Fireworks! – 8:45 pm, Lakefront Reception Tent (tickets are not required)