2025 Commencement Weekend

Master’s Candidates & Graduates

The following students are eligible to participate in the Master’s Convocation Ceremony: August 2024 graduates, January 2025 graduates, May 2025 candidates and August 2025 candidates. All participating students must have submitted a diploma application to the GMS Registrar Office and have been given approval. Once given approval, students will be emailed the GMS Master’s Convocation RSVP Survey from GMS Student Affairs.

*The deadline to RSVP is March 7.

 

Doctoral Candidates & Graduates

The following students are eligible to participate in the MD & PhD Convocation Ceremony: August 2024 graduates, January 2025 graduates and May 2025 candidates. All participating students must have submitted a diploma application to the GMS Registrar Office and have been given approval. Once given approval, students will be emailed the MD & PhD Convocation RSVP Survey from GMS Student Affairs.

*The deadline to RSVP is March 7.

All candidates and graduates are required to wear University-approved academic regalia if participating in the ceremonies. General information regarding regalia can be found here. All regalia orders must be placed through Barnes & Noble/Herff-Jones online. Ordering options include home delivery or campus pickup. Campus pick up orders will be available beginning May 5 at The Campus Store. It is highly recommended that all orders are placed as soon as possible to avoid processing and transit delays.

 

Master’s Candidates & Graduates Deadlines

*The deadline for the campus pickup option is March 24.

*The deadline for custom-made regalia is March 28.

*The deadline for ordering all master’s regalia is April 15.

 

Doctoral Candidates & Graduates Deadlines

*The deadline for the campus pickup option is March 24.

*The deadline for custom-made regalia is March 28.

*The deadline for ordering all doctoral regalia is April 1.

 

Miss the deadline?

A limited selection of regalia will be available for purchase (or rental if doctoral) at the campus store beginning May 5. While every attempt will be made to provide walk-ins with the regalia appropriate for your degree, sufficient inventory cannot be guaranteed.

All candidates and graduates will be hooded when they walk across the stage. Typically, a hooder is a program director, research mentor, advisor, etc. Candidates and graduates may choose to have a non-BU affiliated person to hood them, but they must have earned an equivalent degree (i.e. master’s degree for hooding a master’s candidate or doctoral degree for hooding a doctoral candidate). All hooders participating in these ceremonies are required to wear academic regalia. All candidates and graduates are responsible for confirming that their chosen hooder will be attending the ceremony and have informed GMS Student Affairs.

Candidates and graduates that wish to have a non-BU affiliated person hood them during the ceremony may do so if they have done the following:

• Completed the RSVP survey and provided their non-BU hooder’s information (including confirm they have earned the appropriate degree)
• Confirmed with their non-BU hooder that they will in fact attend, participate in, and wear the approved academic regalia for the ceremony
• Ordered the approved academic regalia for their non-BU hooder through Barnes & Noble/Herff Jones.

The term “Commencement Weekend” refers to the four consecutive days in May that any and all ceremonies take place at BU. All students are allowed to participate in any ceremony that they are eligible for. Please see below for specifics of each ceremony.

 

GMS Master’s Convocation Ceremony

Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025

Time: 10 a.m.

Location: BU Track & Tennis Center, 100 Ashford St., Charles River Campus

The GMS Master’s Convocation Ceremony honors our master’s graduates with individual student recognition (calling of names, walking across the stage and hooding), as well as various student speakers. This ceremony is typically between 1.5 and 2 hours in length. This ceremony is hosted specifically by GMS via the GMS Student Affairs Office. Directly following the ceremony there will be a reception across the street (on the softball field) for all graduates, guests, faculty & staff who would like join.

 

MD & PhD Convocation Ceremony

Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025

Time: 3 p.m.

Location: BU Track & Tennis Center, 100 Ashford St., Charles River Campus

The MD & PhD Convocation Ceremony honors our doctoral graduates with individual student recognition (calling of names, walking across the stage and hooding), as well as various student speakers. This ceremony is typically between 1.5 and 2 hours in length. This ceremony is co-hosted with the MD side of our school via both the GMS Student Affairs Office and the MED Student Affairs Office. Directly following the ceremony there will be a reception across the street (on the softball field) for all graduates, guests, faculty & staff who would like join.

 

All-University Commencement Ceremony

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Nickerson Field, Charles River Campus, 285 Babcock Street

The All-University Commencement will comprise of speeches from Boston University President, the Commencement speaker, and the student speaker, plus presentations to the Honorary Degree Recipients and the conferring of degrees. Candidates and graduates will be seated with their school/college and recognized as a group ( i.e. no individual names will be called). For additional information on the All-University Commencement, please visit the BU Commencement website.

*The deadline to RSVP will be posted once more information becomes available.

*Please note that the All-University Commencement is not organized by GMS and requires graduates to register separately on the BU Commencement website. Additionally, this ceremony does not involve students walking across the stage to receive their degree or having their name read.

 

First-Generation Graduation Pinning Ceremony

Date: Friday, May 16
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Ave

The Newbury Center’s 5^th Annual First-Generation Graduation Pinning Ceremony is to celebrate the graduating first-gen undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Eligible first-gen candidates and graduates interested in participating in the ceremony must RSVP.

*The deadline to RSVP will be posted once more information becomes available.

*Please note that Eligible Terrier F1RST (or first-gen) candidates and graduates are those who parents/guardians/caregivers did not earn a master’s, doctorate or professional degree (such as a JD or MD). Additionally, this ceremony is not organized by GMS, so please direct any questions to M.C. Damm, Newbury Center Assistant Director.

Lavender Ceremony

Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Location (ceremony): TBD

Location (reception): TBD

The LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center hosts its 4th annual Lavender Ceremony. Join for an evening of reflection, recognition, and camaraderie as we celebrate our student’s journey and accomplishments. This event is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow graduates, faculty, staff and allies who have supported you along the way. The ceremony is for both undergraduate and graduate students. A reception will follow once the ceremony is finished. Graduating students interested in attending the ceremony are asked to RSVP.

*The deadline to RSVP will be posted once more information becomes available.

*Please note that this ceremony is not organized by GMS, so please direct any questions to lgbtqia@bu.edu.

Students are highly recommended to take public transportation or choose a ride-share service (i.e. Uber, Lyft) if able to do so. If taking the BU Bus, the closest stop is C8, which is approximately a 10-minute walk to the Track & Tennis Center. If driving, there is no parking available on site for students. If Disability & Access Services are needed for parking, please request through the Accommodations Request Form (see Requesting an accommodation section).

All faculty who want to participate in either the GMS Master’s Convocation Ceremony or the MD & PhD Convocation Ceremony must RSVP via the survey sent out by GMS Student Affairs.

*The deadline to complete the 2025 Faculty RSVP was February 21.

All faculty are required to wear University-approved academic regalia if participating in the ceremonies. New this year – faculty must order their own regalia through a direct link provided by Herff-Jones (and emailed out from GMS Student Affairs), or they may wear their own set. Pickup of regalia orders will take place in the main GMS office (L-317). A notification email will be sent once regalia is delivered and ready for pickup.

*The deadline to order regalia was March 3.

Guests are highly recommended to take public transportation or chose a ride-share service (i.e. Uber, Lyft) if able to do so. If taking the BU Bus, the closest stop is C8, which is approximately a 10-minute walk to the Track & Tennis Center. If driving, parking is available in the Agganis Arena lot at 925 Commonwealth Ave. If Disability & Access Services are needed for parking, please request through the Accommodations Request Form (see Request an accommodation section).

Both the GMS Master’s Convocation Ceremony and the MD & PhD Convocation Ceremony typically last between 1.5 and 2 hours in length. Directly following each ceremony, all graduates, guests, faculty & staff are invited to join us for a reception. The receptions are to be held on the softball field across the street from the Track & Tennis Center, and usually conclude within 1 hour’s time.

Email GMS Student Affairs (gmssa@bu.edu) with any questions.