Commencement 2026

Yes.

Ticket pickup information will be shared with graduating students. Before picking up tickets, students must first:

• Complete the Graduating Student Survey
• Return all materials borrowed from the Library
• Bring your HUID.

For both the GSD ceremonies and the University-wide ceremony, all children over 2 years old will need their own ticket; children 2 years old or younger do not. Please note that graduates and guests sit in separate sections, so we’re not able to coordinate children crossing the stage with you. However, for doctoral graduates being hooded, doctoral program staff may be able to help arrange for children to stand with you during the hooding.

To ensure the safety and security of all attendees, all individuals, bags, and personal items are subject to inspection before entering the GSD Class Day and Diploma Day ceremonies. If you are attending the morning exercises in Harvard Yard, please review their bag policy, as it differs from the GSD’s policy.

While we welcome families with young children, please ensure that strollers do not block the aisles. We encourage guests with strollers to sit along the outer aisles or in the back row so they can move more freely if needed during the ceremony.

No. You can bring different guests to different events. If you want to celebrate your graduation with more than two guests, this can be a nice way to allow all your loved ones to experience some portion of the day. Ultimately, how you distribute the guest tickets you ordered is at your discretion.

Tickets are not automatically guaranteed and handed out to every graduating student. To receive tickets, you must register for Commencement and pick up your tickets in person. The purchase and sale of Commencement tickets is strictly prohibited.

To ensure a comfortable guest experience while balancing the expected number of graduating students and their guests with the venue’s capacity, we must maintain a ticket limit.

Tickets cannot be mailed or sent electronically. If you’re unable to attend designated pickup times, there will be a process in place to authorize someone else to collect your tickets for you.

You can arrange to pick up your diploma at the Registrar’s Office.

Order before the deadline anyway. You can cancel later for a full refund. If you miss the deadline, prices increase and gown availability is not guaranteed.

Herff Jones sells regalia and extras such as class rings, announcements, diploma frames, and souvenir tassels. To rent the basic package (gown, cap with tassel, hood), select your school and degree on the Herff Jones site, then go directly to the Rental Cap and Gown tab.

Yes, but it is expensive. We generally recommend purchasing only if you plan an academic teaching career.

Yes, but you cannot keep the hood from your rental set. The rental is a full package (gown, cap with tassel, hood). You may add a purchased hood for an extra cost. The COOP may have a limited number of hoods for sale at pickup; if available, you may swap and pay only the price difference.

Note: Even with rental regalia, you keep your cap and tassel as a souvenir.

We strongly recommend shipping to the COOP for reliable, on-time delivery and lower cost. Do not select “mail to home” and enter the GSD address; the package will be returned, and GSD/Herff Jones are not responsible for lost mail.

Consider home delivery only if you have left the GSD campus, no longer live locally, and may not have time to visit the COOP in May. The COOP opens early on Commencement morning, so same-day pickup is possible even if you arrive the night before.

On the Herff Jones site, choose Dual Degrees Cap and Gown, then Master Dual Degrees. Your degree combination should appear under “area of study.” Your regalia will include insignia for both the GSD and your other Harvard school (SEAS, HKS, or HLS).

Email: [email protected].

Graduates whose loved ones require accessible seating may contact [email protected].

• GSD Class Day: The person with the disability does not have to sit alone. All graduates get the same Tent Tickets (2), which can be used for accessible seating.
• Morning Exercises in the Yard: Each graduate gets 2 tickets. The guest using accessible seating may have one companion seated with them in the accessible seating area.
• GSD Diploma Ceremony: The person with the disability does not sit alone. All graduates get the same Tent Tickets (3), which can be used for accessible seating.

Standing is not permitted in the accessibility seating sections, as it can block the view of guests who are unable to stand. Please take this into careful consideration when deciding whether accessibility seating is the best option for your family.

Yes. Service animals trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities are welcome at all Commencement events. If you are requesting tickets for the accessibility seating sections, it is helpful—though not required—to let us know if your family will be accompanied by a service dog.

These terms refer to animals that provide comfort by being present with a person. Because they are not trained to perform a specific job or task, they are not considered service animals under the he Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) . Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are generally not permitted in public places in Massachusetts. Under both the ADA and MA state law, (ESAs) are not classified as service animals and therefore do not have the same access.

Yes, these interactive maps provide information on accessible pathways and building entrances around the university.

Yes. Gund Hall has wheelchair-accessible restrooms, including a single-user, gender-neutral, accessible restroom on the first floor off the info-commons L20 as well as and additional restrooms on other floor levels.

There is a ramped entrance at the Quincy Street entry to Gund Hall, and the Cambridge Street entrance is level with the sidewalk and does not require stairs. Two elevators can be found in Gund Hall with access to all floors. If you need assistance with the doors to Gund Hall, please use the Quincy Street entrance and the on-site Security guard will assist you.

The GSD will have ambassadors and a limited number of wheelchairs available to assist guests who need help traveling from the drop-off area to their seats.

For those attending the Yard Ceremony there will be staff at the gates to Tercentenary Theatre on Commencement. These staff will be providing wheelchair assistance (rides) from the gate to the guest’s seat in Tercentenary Theater, either to general seating or accessible seating. No reservation is needed for the wheelchair runner service.

Please note: these wheelchairs are for transport only and will be used solely to escort guests to and from seating sections. If you think your family member will need a wheelchair for the entire day, we recommend that you rent one ahead of time.

• Gary Drug Company
• Belmont Medical
• BORE Medical Supply

• Taxis: We recommend first calling the accessible Cambridge Taxi program at 866-654-1003. Other companies include:
• Metro Cab: 617-782-5500
• Boston Cab: 617-536-5010
• Independent Taxis Operators Association: 617-268-1313
• Checker Cab of Cambridge: 617-497-9000
• Top/City Cab of Boston: 617-536-5100
• Uber offers wheelchair-accessible vehicles in Boston through its Uber WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) service.
• Lyft provides wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAV) in Boston/Cambridge. You must enable “Wheelchair access” in your app settings first to request these vehicles.

Guests may be dropped off at the Quincy Street entry to Gund Hall, and the Cambridge Street entrance is level with the sidewalk (no stairs).

Handicap parking for Gund Hall (48 Quincy St) near Cambridge St is available via Harvard University parking garages, including 52 Oxford Street and 10 Everett Street. On-street, metered accessible spots are limited and visitors with disabilities should use the Harvard Transportation disability parking resources for authorized access. 

• Broadway Garage (7 Felton St): Located nearby but it does not have an elevator. This garage is accessible with a few spaces on the first floor that can be used for accessible parking. There are curb cuts at all crosswalks between the garage and Gund Hall.
• 52 Oxford Street Garage: Located near the Peabody Museum and Science Center.
• 10 Everett Street Garage: Serves the Harvard Law School area and is a short distance from Gund Hall.

• Permits: Valid disability plates or placards are required for all accessible spots.
• Visitor Parking: Visitors can find information on accessible parking through Harvard Disability Resources.
• City of Cambridge: For on-street spots, you can look for designated spaces using the City of Cambridge parking map.