Commencement 2026
How is commencement different from graduation?
Great question! Graduation is the official acknowledgment that a degree is completed and recorded. Commencement is a ceremony—you know, the one with the caps and gowns!—where friends, family, faculty, and staff celebrate the graduates and take a moment to honor this tremendous accomplishment.
Explore this site and get all the details about commencement.
Friday, June 12 to Monday, June 15 | Upper East Field
Friday, June 12
9 a.m. – Stevenson
1 p.m. – Cowell
5 p.m. – Crown & Merrill
Saturday, June 13
9 a.m. – Porter
1 p.m. – Kresge
5 p.m. – College Nine & John R. Lewis
Sunday, June 14
9 a.m. – Oakes
1 p.m. – Rachel Carson
5 p.m. – Chicane Latiné Year-End Celebration
Monday, June 15
9 a.m. – Graduate Division
1 p.m. – Baskin School of Engineering Celebration
Dates & Deadlines
Wednesday, March 4 – Graduation & Commencement Virtual Information Session
Monday, March 30 – Commencement registration opens
ONCE A SLUG, ALWAYS A SLUG
Your connection to UC Santa Cruz doesn’t end after graduation. You are now part of the Alumni Network, which is over 160,000 Slugs strong. As an alum, you have access to events, benefits, services, and connections for life. Stay connected by updating your personal information. Join our alumni LinkedIn, Facebook, and/or Instagram channels, or find a way to give back by volunteering. No matter where you are, you’re always a Banana Slug.