Frequently Asked Questions

Commencement is the main ceremony in Stanford Stadium where all graduating seniors and advanced degree graduates gather from all schools with their families. This main ceremony includes the procession, President's address, keynote speaker addresses and degree conferrals. The ceremony from processional start to recession of the stage members lasts approximately two hours. Graduates do not have their names called, walk across the stage or receive diplomas at the main ceremony, this occurs at their individual school or department ceremonies. School and department ceremonies generally happen after the main Commencement ceremony and at various locations across the campus. Many ceremonies are followed by a reception.

The 2023 Commencement will be held the weekend of June 16 – 18, 2023. The main Commencement ceremony will be held in Stanford Stadium on Sunday, June 18 and begins at 9:30 a.m. 

Most events during the weekend do not have tickets and generally there are no limits on the number of guests graduates can bring. There are exceptions and some events do require RSVP, such as Senior Dinner on the Quad, which is exclusively for graduating seniors and require reservations. Some department ceremonies may require tickets or have restrictions on number of guests due to limited capacity of a venue. It is recommended to contact the departments directly for information about these events.

Yes, the main Commencement ceremony will be livestreamed on the Commencement website, and broadcast live on Stanford’s radio station KZSU 90.1FM and on kzsu.stanford.edu. A complete recording of the event will be available on the Stanford YouTube channel.

In general, students who graduated in the previous Summer, Autumn, and Winter quarters, as well as those who have applied to graduate in the Spring and Summer quarters will be eligible to participate. Also, undergraduates who entered into a co-term program and would otherwise be graduating in Spring or Summer quarters for their bachelor’s degree, will also be eligible to participate.

If you will be graduating in Spring or Summer quarter, please make sure you have applied to graduate in Axess before the deadline (see the academic calendar for dates). Instructions for applying to graduate, as well as a graduation checklist, can be found of the Student Services website.

Baccalaureate at Stanford is a multi-faith celebratory gathering for graduating seniors, graduate students, and professional students, as well as their families and friends. The ceremony serves as a bookend to the Opening Convocation held four years earlier and is a time to acknowledge the spiritual contribution to the education of the whole person.

Baccalaureate will be held in Frost Amphitheater on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

Up-to-date information about Stanford’s visitor policy can be found on the Health Alerts website. All travelers, including domestic and international, are required to adhere to the policies outlined on the Health Alerts website. Before traveling, please visit the following websites for travel information and restrictions, updates and alerts:

Stanford’s current travel policies on the Health Alerts website
California State website
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website
World Health Organization (W.H.O.) website

You may email commencement@stanford.edu for information regarding visa letters of invitation. Invitations are only addressed to the student, not family or guests. When requesting a letter of invitation, please include your full legal name and your degree program/school. Please note: Bechtel International Center does not provide Letters of Invitation.