Commencement day will be filled with joy and excitement, lots of family and friends, and rich traditions. With the information on this page, you’ll know exactly what to expect so the one thing the day won’t feature is confusion.
You are invited to participate in the 2026 Spring Undergraduate Commencement if you are an undergraduate who plans to complete the requirements for your degree in the 2026 spring or summer term.
There is no summer Commencement ceremony.
Tentative Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
Time: TBA
Location: TBA
| TBA | Graduates should be arriving for lineup at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. |
| TBA | Gates open for guest seating at Memorial Stadium. |
| TBA | Graduates should be in line at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. |
| TBA | Procession begins. |
| TBA | Ceremony begins. |
| TBA | The recession concludes the ceremony. |
Parking is available for free in all lots surrounding Memorial Stadium for the day. Accessible parking for guests with ADA hangtags or license plates is available in the Orange Lot through Gate 4 off 17th Street. Graduates have parking in the Green Lot, north of Assembly Hall.
Guests who do not have ADA hangtags or license plates may follow the instructions listed above. Drivers may drop off guests who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility at the nearest drive aisle to the stadium then park in the Orange Lot off of 17th Street.
Traffic patterns will change around Memorial Stadium on Commencement Day. Plan your route ahead of time for entering and exiting the ceremony.
Opt-in to safety messages during Commencement by texting “SafeIU” to 77295.
Spring Undergraduate Parking Handout
Tickets are not issued for Commencement, and graduates can bring as many guests as they wish. Guest seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis in sections not reserved for graduates. Ushers will be stationed throughout the stadium to direct guests to the best possible seats.
Accessible seating is available for guests in wheelchairs and with limited mobility. Venue staff are trained to assist with special seating for guests in wheelchairs and with limited mobility. See the accessibility accommodations page for more information.
Graduate seating is arranged by school and occupies the field in Memorial Stadium. Faculty marshals will lead you in the procession, then direct you to designated seating by school. Upon entering your row, please sit in the next available chair. At the beginning of the ceremony, all graduates and faculty will rise and remain standing through the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Before line up, join us for a reception in your honor from 3 – 6 p.m. on the South Lawn of Indiana University Memorial Stadium. Enjoy live music, refreshments, and opportunities for photos with fellow graduates, family, and friends.
Graduates must enter the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall south entrance dressed in graduation apparel by 6:30 p.m. Herff Jones representatives will be available for apparel issues or needs.
Graduates will follow posted signage leading to the North Lobby then stop to complete an information card for GradImages, the Commencement photographers. GradImages provides graduation portraits taken free of charge for graduates and their families for purchase. Print or digital photographs will be available for order after the ceremony.
Graduates will be directed to have their photos taken and then follow posted signage back to the South Lobby to find their school's designated lineup space within the arena. Plenty of event staff will be on hand for assistance. Graduates should stand with their school and wait for further instructions.
The procession begins around 7:15 p.m. Graduates will be split into three single-file lines by school, with each line led by head faculty marshals and event staff to Memorial Stadium to begin seating. After all graduates are seated, participating faculty and the platform party (those sitting on stage) will enter and be seated before the ceremony starts.
Graduates should wear comfortable dress shoes as there will be periods of standing and walking extended distances.
Full of pageantry and traditions, Commencement is the grand culmination of your college journey—and it is an experience you’ll remember and cherish! The ceremony includes a Commencement speaker, remarks from President Whitten and the provost, a student speaker, induction into the Indiana University Alumni Association, and the conferral of degrees.
During the conferral of degrees, undergraduate candidates are recognized together by their school deans. Because of the large number of graduates, individual names are not announced. Consider also attending your school recognition event for a more focused program.
Remember, all graduates participating in Commencement will receive a lovely Indiana University diploma cover at the ceremony. Your diploma will be mailed to your home address at a later date.
Students who complete all requirements and apply to graduate by their programs’ stated deadlines will have their names printed in the Commencement program. Programs will be provided at the ceremony or you can download one.
If you are not sure if you met your program’s deadline, please contact the recorder’s office in your school.
If your name has changed since you became an IU student, please follow these steps on how to change it.
Graduates will be part of a recession out of Memorial Stadium and should coordinate a meeting place with family and friends nearby.
Graduates must return their apparel in the mailer provided by Herff Jones. Failure to return apparel may result in a fine, so do not skip this important step. Caps, tassels, cords, and stoles of gratitude (for undergraduate degrees) do not need to be returned; keep them as mementos of this exciting day!
Graduates
Guests
