2026 Commencement Weekend

Master’s Candidates & Graduates

The following students are eligible to participate in the Master’s Convocation Ceremony: August 2025 graduates, January 2026 graduates, May 2026 candidates and August 2026 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 the GMS Student Affairs Office.

Doctoral Candidates & Graduates

The following students are eligible to participate in the MD & PhD Convocation Ceremony: August 2025 graduates, January 2026 graduates and May 2026 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 the GMS Student Affairs Office.

*Please note that MD/PhD dual degree candidates/graduates must also complete the RSVP survey sent by the CAMED Student Affairs Office.

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 the BU Campus Store/Herff-Jones online. Ordering options include home delivery or campus pickup. Campus pick up orders will be available beginning May 4 at the BU Campus Store. It is highly recommended that all orders are placed as soon as possible to avoid processing and transit delays.

*Please note that if you want your regalia to take photos before May, we recommend selecting the home delivery option.

Master’s Candidates & Graduates Deadlines

March 23: Deadline for campus pickup orders

March 27: Deadline for custom-made orders

April 15: Deadline for all master’s regalia orders

Doctoral Candidates & Graduates Deadlines

March 23: Deadline for campus pickup orders

March 27: Deadline for custom-made orders

April 1: Deadline for all doctoral regalia orders

Miss the deadline?

A limited selection of regalia will be available for purchase (or rental if doctoral) at the campus store beginning May 4. While every attempt will be made to provide walk-ins with the regalia appropriate for your degree, sufficient inventory cannot be guaranteed.

Difficulty affording regalia?

If purchasing regalia presents a significant financial difficulty for you, please reach out the GMS Student Affairs Office (gmssa@bu.edu).

All master’s and doctoral candidates/graduates receive a hood as part of their regalia order and will be “hooded” when they walk across the stage during the ceremony. Typically, a hooder is a program director, research mentor, advisor, etc. Candidates/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/graduates are responsible for confirming that their chosen hooder will be attending the ceremony and have informed the GMS Student Affairs Office.

Candidates/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 confirmation 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 the BU Campus Store/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 14, 2026

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 14, 2026

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 CAMED 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 17, 2026
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 invited commencement speaker, and the student speaker, plus presentations to the honorary degree recipients and the conferring of degrees. Candidates/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.

*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: TBD
Time: TBD

The Newbury Center’s 6^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.

*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

The LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center hosts its 5th 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.

*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 Shuttle, the closest stop is Agganis, which is approximately a 10-minute walk to the Track & Tennis Center. If taking the Green Line, the closest stop is Babcock St.  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 the GMS Student Affairs Office.

 TBD: Deadline for faculty to RSVP

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

TBD: Deadline to order faculty regalia

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 Shuttle, the closest stop is Agganis, which is approximately a 10-minute walk to the Track & Tennis Center. If taking the MBTA Green Line, the closest stop is Babcock St. 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). There will also be a dedicated shuttle traveling directly between the Medical Campus and the Track & Tennis Center that day. Guests are welcome to join faculty and staff on this shuttle bus, at the following times, and leaving from Albany St. (near the 710 Albany St. garage).

Bus 1: Departs 710 Albany St. at 8:00 a.m.; Departs TTC at 12:30 p.m.

Bus 2: Departs 710 Albany St. at 1 p.m.; Departs TTC at 5:30 p.m.

Both the GMS Master’s Convocation Ceremony and the MD & PhD Convocation Ceremony typically last between 1.5 and 2 hours in length. The doors open for guests 1 hour prior to the ceremony starting. 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 the GMS Student Affairs Office (gmssa@bu.edu) with any questions.