Commencement FAQs

• When is Commencement 2024 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 18, 2024 at 6 p.m. at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA.

  Please see the complete Schedule of UC Riverside 2024 Ceremonies here.
   

  

   

  • Apply to graduate
    • Deadline passed in April, but you can contact your academic advisor to inquire about late applications. Once your late application is approved, contact commence@ucr.edu for ceremony details.
  • Submit Intent to Participate
    • Deadline to submit forms is May 10 for SRC ceremonies and May 24 for Toyota Arena.
  • Purchase cap, gown, and other regalia
    • If you didn’t attend Grad Fair in April, you can get what you need anytime at the UCR Campus Bookstore.
  • Attend Senior Week 
    • During May 21-23, feast on barbeque at the Barn, enjoy music around the Bell Tower, decorate your cap, and take a Class of 2024 group drone shot around the UCR sign.
  • Order guest tickets and a complimentary graduate parking pass
    •  Visit ticketmaster.com in early June (for Toyota Arena ceremonies) or request via the Intent to Participate form (SRC ceremonies).
  • Attend senior/year-end celebrations 
    • Check events.ucr.edu for a list of celebrations hosted by various schools/colleges and departments happening across the campus. 
  • Sign the Class of 2024 Yearbook
    • Select posts will be featured on ceremony jumbotrons.
  • Smile on the Commencement stage
    • Grad Images will capture individual images as graduates cross the stage. Proofs will be emailed or mailed directly to graduates and will be available for purchase. 
  • Take the First Destination Survey 
    • Share your first career steps as a UCR graduate within six months.
  • Keep in touch with UCR's Alumni Association
    • Get your Philanthropy Cord to wear with your cap and gown.
    • Continue your journey as an alum through volunteering, networking, career services, and sharing your story.
• Do I need to apply for graduation to participate in the Commencement ceremony?

  Yes.

  If you are a UC Riverside student who graduated Fall 2023 or are expected to graduate in Winter 2024 or Spring 2024, you are eligible to participate in the Class of 2024 Commencement. If you expect to graduate Summer 2024, you may be approved to participate if you submit your Summer graduation application by May 2024 (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, i.e. cap and gown. 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 2024 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 17 through Wednesday, April 19 at the UCR Campus Bookstore. 

  Grad Fair Hours 2024: 

  • Monday, April 17, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 19, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Do I need to RSVP for the reception at The Barn?

  Yes.  Invitations to register were emailed to eligible students. A reservation is required to attend the event, also for your guests.

  

   

• Where can I sign the Class of 2024 Yearbook?

  Sign the Class of 2024 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 2024 Yearbook

• Is there a program for the ceremony?

  Yes, please download the printable PDF here:

  Program PDF

   

  

   

   

   

• Where is the Toyota Arena in Ontario?

  Toyota Arena, Ontario

  PARKING GUIDE

  
  

  
  Parking map:

  

   

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

  Eight (8) tickets will be provided per graduate for the School of Business ceremony so please plan accordingly. 

  Additional ticket requests may not be considered due to Toyota Arena's maximum capacity for Commencement ceremonies.

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

  The UCR Business Commencement will be streamed live on YouTube. The stream will go live on June 18 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time / Los Angeles.
   

   

  Campus will make the recording available on their YouTube channel in the 2024 Commencement playlist. We will add the recording as well to the UCR School of Business Commencement playlist on YouTube.

• Will Toyota Arena parking be complimentary for graduating students?

  Yes, registered graduates will receive one complimentary Graduation 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. 

  Additional information on the distribution of Graduate Parking Passes and parking instructions will be added to this website as information becomes available.

  PLEASE 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.

• Are there any specialized audience celebrations this year?

  Yes. Those interested in participating in specialized audience celebrations can get more information here:

  • May 29 at SRC: AAPI Grad hosted by Asian Pacific Student Programs
  • May 30 at SRC: Honors Cording Ceremony hosted by University Honors
  • June 1 at SRC: Black Grad hosted by African Student Programs
  • June 2 at SRC: Raza Grad hosted by Chicano Student Programs
  • June 6 at HUB 302: Lavender Ceremony hosted by LGBT Resource Center
  • June 7 at Alumni & Visitors Center: Family Grad hosted by Women’s Resource Center
• 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 on May 23, 2024.

  Register for Senior Sendoff 2024

  
  Attend Senior Week 

  During May 21-23, feast on barbeque at the Barn, enjoy music around the Bell Tower, decorate your cap, and take a Class of 2024 group drone shot around the UCR sign.

• 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.