Commencement FAQs

• When is Commencement 2025 taking place? Is there a roadmap?

  Ceremonies for Master's and Bachelor's degree candidates in the School of Business are scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 6 p.m. at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA.

  Please see the complete Schedule of UC Riverside 2025 Ceremonies here.
   

  
• Do I need to apply for graduation to participate in the Commencement ceremony?

  Yes.

  If you are a UC Riverside student who graduated Fall 2024 or Winter 2025 or are expected to graduate in Spring 2025, you are eligible to participate in the Class of 2025 Commencement. If you expect to graduate Summer 2025, you may be approved to participate if you submit your Summer graduation application by May 2025 (Toyota Arena location).

  You must submit your graduation application via R’Web. In addition to this, bachelor's degree students of the School of Business must also complete their college graduation application.

  Master's degree students must also complete the Advance to Candidacy application under R’Grad.

  For instructions on how to file your graduation application, please visit the Registrar's Guide to Graduation Website.

• How should I dress for Commencement?

  Graduating students are required to wear graduation regalia, which has switch from black to blue caps and gowns. Master’s students must also wear their master level hood. Business casual clothing is recommended for attendees/guests and under graduation regalia.

• Where do I order my cap and gown?

  Regalia packages are available for purchase at the UCR Campus Bookstore through Commencement weekend at full price.

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  You can purchase your cap and gown at the 2025 Grad Fair at the UCR Campus Bookstore.

  Grad Fair is your one-stop Commencement shop for everything Commencement. Grad Fair was held in-person from Monday, April 15 through Wednesday, April 17 at the UCR Campus Bookstore. 

  Grad Fair Hours 2025: 

  • Tuesday, April 15, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 16, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, April 17, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Do I need to RSVP for the reception in the School of Business Building?

  Yes.  Invitations to register will be emailed to eligible students.

• Where can I sign the Class of 2025 Yearbook?

  Sign the Class of 2025 Yearbook online!

  

  It’s time to say congrats and farewell to the UCR students who have completed their Highlander journey. Leave as many messages as you'd like.

  • Graduates: Messages can be about your educational journey, congrats to graduating friends, appreciation for your support systems, etc.
  • Friends, family & fans: Address your message to an individual graduate, group, class, school/college — or to the entire graduating class.

  Get featured at Commencement:

  • Select messages will be featured on the jumbotron at the Toyota Arena Commencement ceremonies.
  • The digital yearbook will be open indefinitely but only messages posted by May 24, 8 a.m., will be considered for the jumbotron.

  Sign the 2025 Yearbook

• Is there a program for the ceremony?

  We will have a printable PDF for you to download closer to the event.

   

   

   

   

   

• Where is the Toyota Arena in Ontario?

  Toyota Arena, Ontario

  PARKING GUIDE

  
  

  
  Parking map:

  

   

• How many tickets will each graduate receive for their ceremony?

  Students who submit their Intent to Participate form by the May 16 deadline can receive up to 6 guest tickets. Ticket quantity will be selected via your Intent to Participate form, available April 14 - May 16. Please note, ticket ordering is not on a first-come, first-served basis. All graduates who are registered through the Intent to Participate form are guaranteed the maximum number of tickets for their ceremony. Graduates who register after the deadline are not guaranteed the maximum number of tickets.

  Graduates do NOT need a ticket for commencement entry. Children under the age of 2 do NOT need a ticket to attend. 

  UCR Commencement tickets are the property of the University and are issued to participating graduates at no charge. The sale, purchase, or duplication of Commencement tickets is strictly prohibited.

• I have family and friends who want to watch the livestream online. How can they do that?

  The link for the UCR Business Commencement livestream will be coming soon, in the meantime take a look at the highlights from the 2024 UCR Business Commencement Ceremony:
   
• Will Toyota Arena parking be complimentary for graduating students?

  Yes, registered graduates will receive one complimentary Graduate Parking Pass for the designated graduate parking lot at Toyota Arena. This parking pass is valid for GRADUATES ONLY and will be verified by a parking attendant at Toyota Arena. 

  Registered graduates will claim their one complimentary Graduate Parking Pass via Ticketmaster when they claim their guest tickets.

  NOTE: The Complimentary parking pass is only valid for the ceremony you will be participating in and will not be accepted by Toyota Arena if you are attending a different ceremony as a guest

• How much is parking for guests attending Commencement at Toyota Arena?

  The parking fee for guests is $15 per vehicle so please consider carpooling. Please note, Toyota Arena parking attendants accept major credit cards; MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover. Cash will not be accepted.

  Disabled parking spaces are available in each parking lot. For more information on parking, please visit the Toyota Arena parking guide

• Will guests be assigned a seat on their Toyota Arena ticket?

  No, guests will not be assigned a specific seat on their Toyota Arena ticket. Toyota Arena tickets guarantee entry and seating for one guest per ticket. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

  Tickets are required for entrance to all UCR Commencement ceremonies and may only be scanned once for admittance. Children under 2 do not need a ticket but will need to remain on a parent's lap for the duration of the ceremony.

• What items are prohibited at Toyota Arena?

  To ensure efficient entrance into the venue, visit the Toyota Arena website for venue policies and prohibited items.

• How can I request accessibility accommodations at Toyota Arena?

  Find accessibility details on the Toyota Arena website. For ADA requests and inquires please reach out to the Toyota Arena Guest Services Manager, Josh Salcedo: JSalcedo@toyota-arena.com.

• Can I have my preferred/lived name read during graduation? How will my name appear on the Commencement program?

  If you would like to update your preferred/lived first name and middle name for Commencement purposes, you are required to update your information in R'Web.

  Graduates names will NOT be printed in an official program. Graduates must check the correct spelling of their names on the Intent to Graduate application.

  For more information on how to update your preferred/lived names, please visit the Registrar's website here.

• Does UC Riverside provide invitation letters for visas?

  UC Riverside does not provide invitation letters for visas. Students who are graduating from UC Riverside and need a Commencement invitation letter for visiting family members from overseas should follow the instructions here.

• Will AAPI, University Honors, ASP, and CSP Celebrations still be held on campus?

  Yes, these celebrations will continue to be held on campus at the Student Recreation Center the same weekend as the School of Medicine and Graduate Division Hooding ceremonies.

• When is Senior Send Off and Senior Week this year? Where can I register?

  Senior Send Off is an event dedicated to graduating UCR students. It's a jovial celebration where seniors can learn more about “what’s next” for them as a Highlander alumni. All local affinity and regional alumni chapters will be present to welcome seniors into their networks. Music will be provided by our own KUCR team to pump everyone up. Along with a photo booth, there will also be celebratory stations set up for seniors, like a graduation cap decoration station, a philanthropy cord station, and yummy treats and swag! Pick up your senior gift from the Alumni Association, enjoy entertainment, food trucks, and learn about alumni resources available to you after graduation.

  Senior Sendoff will be held by the Bell Tower Lawn on May 21, 2025.

  Register for Senior Sendoff 2025

• How can I stay connected after I graduate?

  Please stay in touch! We take great pride in our graduates and want to ensure your further success. Join the UCR Alumni Association to stay connected, meet fellow alumni and build a beneficial network.

• Congratulations on graduating! We want to hear what’s next!

  Undergraduate Students: If you are a business undergraduate, please update us here.

  Graduate Students: If you are an AGSM graduate (MBA, PMBA, MPAc, MFin, or MSBA) please update us on your current employment status (details with the form to fill out will be emailed to you). Please know that this information will remain confidential.
   

  

  
  Please note, the link will only be live to graduating students within their final quarter before graduation and 6 months after graduation.

  Your story matters! Each year, the UCR Career Center hosts the First-Destination Survey to capture information regarding the first career steps of UCR graduates within six months of graduation. They proudly track and highlight these outcomes that constitute the UCR success story. We believe every story matters, and this survey is about each student's unique journey and their first destination. 

  Share your first career story to inspire current and future UCR students.