UMass Boston

You must register to attend!

Please RSVP by Wednesday, May 13, 2026 to our on-campus Commencement ceremonies.

RSVP Here

There will be a total of three Commencement ceremonies this year:

This ceremony is for students receiving a doctoral degree. Only faculty who are hooding doctoral candidates will take part in the formal ceremony. Other faculty members who are not hooding may march in the academic procession and sit in a reserved section. All faculty must RSVP for this event.

This ceremony is for students receiving doctoral and master’s degrees, certificates of advanced graduate study (CAGS and EDS), and post-master’s certificates. Faculty are encouraged to wear regalia and participate in the academic procession. Faculty participating in the academic procession will be seated on stage. All faculty must RSVP for this event.

This ceremony is for students receiving bachelor's degrees. Faculty are encouraged to wear academic regalia and participate in the academic procession. Faculty participating in the academic procession will be seated on stage. All faculty must RSVP for this event. 

Registering to Attend

Please RSVP by May 13, 2026 so that we may plan on-stage faculty seating accordingly.

RSVP Here 

The academic procession is one of the oldest university traditions and is widely viewed as a symbol of our collective dedication to the development of knowledge and academic inquiry. In accordance with article 15.9 of the FSU collective bargaining agreement, Faculty are all expected to be a part of our academic procession. 

Regalia

All faculty participating in Commencement should dress in full academic regalia. 

If you plan to march in the academic procession, and you do not have your own academic regalia, you may rent regalia for the day from our third-party regalia vendor, Balfour. Please note that the university does not pay for the purchase or rental of regalia for faculty members. 

Please keep the box your order is delivered in, as you will need the box and the accompanying return shipping label inside to return your rental to Balfour.

Place your rental order online through Balfour's Online Order form. The deadline for placing rental orders is Sunday, April 5, 2026.

Order Rental Regalia Here

Retired Faculty Members

If you are a retired faculty member, you are invited to participate in or attend the commencement ceremonies. You must complete a registration form to indicate your attendance plans so that we can ensure seating for you. Retired faculty who plan to attend, must RSVP here. 

If you have any questions regarding the commencement ceremony, please contact University Events & Ceremonies at events@umb.edu or 617-287-5313.