We are proud of your artistic and academic achievements and look forward to celebrating with you and your loved ones at our 2026 Commencement Ceremony! Please review this page for information on how to participate and attend the ceremony.
Have questions? Email the Office of Student Affairs!
LOCATION: Dickson Court North
DATE: Friday, June 12, 2026
TIME: 4:00 PM
The ceremony will take place in Dickson Court North, just north of the Schoenberg Music Building. (See map here)
Immediately following the ceremony, the School of Music will host a reception for graduates and their guests in Dickson Court South.
No. Many people confuse the commencement ceremony for the College of Letters and Science (aka The College) as a UCLA general commencement. This is not a UCLA general ceremony but a ceremony for undergraduate students who have majors in The College of Letters and Science. If a student has a second major in a program in the College of Letters and Science, they are welcome to make arrangements to attend The College’s and/or a separate Departmental ceremony as well.
Please refer here for the full list of 2026 Commencement Ceremonies.
CEREMONY START TIME: 4:00 PM
Estimated 2 hours, subject to the number of degree candidates in attendance.
All students participating will have their names read, cross the stage, and have photos taken by Grad Images (the official campus photo team).
Yes. Please regularly check this Commencement page as we get closer to the event to access the livestream link.
LOCATION: Dickson Court North
DATE: Friday, June 12, 2026
TIME: 4:00 PM
Please refer to the “General Commencement Information” section above for further information.
The School of Music Commencement ceremony is NOT a ticketed event. Neither students nor guests are required to purchase tickets to participate/attend.
Guests are recommended to park in Parking Structure 2.
UCLA Transportation utilizes the Bruin ePermit System, where your license plate serves as your parking permit. Information about when and how to purchase parking permits for Commencement 2026 weekend can be found at the General UCLA Commencement page (see Commencement Parking(. It is recommended that students and guests purchase their parking permit for Structure 2 or 3, if available.
Seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Guests are welcome to arrive early to secure seating. There will be ample standing area in the courtyard for guests to watch the ceremony.
Guests are recommended to bring sunglasses and sun cover, given our ceremony takes place outside in the afternoon with minimal covering. We recommend checking the projected weather forecast and preparing accordingly.
Guests with need for seating and accessibility concerns should reach out to OSA@schoolofmusic.ucla.edu for support.
Pictures can only be taken from your seats. Access aisles must be kept clear for safety purposes.
There will be an official photographer from Grad Images who will photograph each student as they come on stage. Students will be given a name card at check-in, which will be used to request proofs of the photos taken. There is no obligation to purchase any photos when you request a proof.
A reception will take place after the ceremony in Dickson Court North. There will be light refreshments for students and their guests to enjoy.
All eligible graduates will be contacted directly by the Office of Student Affairs to complete a RSVP to attend the ceremony. Please be sure to check that your contact information is accurate on MyUCLA, and also check your email account’s spam folder frequently, to be sure you do not overlook these important messages.
Have questions? Contact the Office of Student Affairs!
You are eligible to participate in the School of Music 2026 Commencement Ceremony if:
*Students who are declared to graduate in Fall 2026 are eligible to walk in the 2026 ceremony, however their names will not be listed in the program booklet. Fall 2026 graduates will be listed in the 2027 commencement booklet.
The School of Music Commencement ceremony is NOT a ticketed event.
Graduating students must RSVP by May 15, 2026 to participate in the ceremony. The RSVP was sent directly to graduating students who are eligible to participate via an email on April 3, 2026.
If you did not receive this email and believe you are eligible to participate in the 2026 Commencement Ceremony, please email osa@schoolofmusic.ucla.edu.
There is no rehearsal for the School of Music Commencement ceremony. Students will be given instructions when they arrive at check-in on commencement day.
Please note that you should not bring anything with you that needs to be carried, like purses, jackets, etc. because there is nowhere to secure personal belongings at the venue. All items that you cannot personally carry should either be left in the car or with one of your family members.
CHECK-IN: Graduates must check in by 2:30 PM at the Dickson Court South Check-In. At check-in, you will be given a name card to fill out for your name pronunciation and contact information.
The processional will begin at 4:00 PM sharp. The ceremony is expected to end around 6:00 PM, followed by a reception in Dickson Court South.
NOTE: Please arrange to meet your guests in a specific location at the end of the ceremony. All Commencement venues have the authority to prohibit any other items deemed to be a security risk. Patrons will not be allowed to bring those items into the event venues.
Undergraduate Candidates
All undergraduate students begin at UCLA with a declared degree-expected term of two years from matriculation for transfer students, four years for first-year students. Students are expected to complete all degree requirements within that time frame. Students who exceed the time-to-degree limit must petition with the school to change their degree-expected term. Students with time-to-degree related questions should contact your Academic Advisor.
Graduate Candidates
You should make an appointment to meet with your academic counselor to declare your candidacy.
Graduation Etc is UCLA’s official source for graduation regalia, including caps, gowns, tassels, diploma frames, portrait packages, and announcements. Students who wish to participate in the in-person commencement ceremonies must wear a cap and gown.
Ackerman Union A-Level 308 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, California 90024
phone: 310-825-2587
fax: 310-825-2794
e-mail: gradetc@asucla.ucla.edu
The general filing deadline for Spring 2026 is June 12; however, to be eligible to participate in the University-wide Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, you must file by June 1. We recommend allowing approximately 1–2 weeks prior to the deadline to complete your defense and submit your dissertation. This provides sufficient time for processing, including obtaining committee signatures and review by the Division of Graduate Education (DGE).
Students who are declared in a School of Music minor are eligible to participate in the 2026 Commencement Ceremony. When you arrive, please check-in at the respective program check-in table for your minor:
Ethnomusicology Minor → Ethnomusicology table
Musicology Minor → Musicology table
Music Industry Minor → Music Industry table
Students in a minor program will be lined up behind the students in the corresponding major program. They will be seated in the same section. After the names of the students in the major program are read, the students in the minor program will be invited to have their names read.
If you are a School of Music major with a non-School of Music major or minor: please contact your advising unit for that program to determine your eligibility to participate in other College/School Commencement ceremonies.
If you are a School of Music major with a School of Music double major or minor: you may be eligible to cross the stage twice for both programs. When you check-in to the ceremony, you must complete two NAME CARDS in order for your name and picture to be taken twice. You will be lined up and seated with your School of Music major so you should prepare to stand up and walk with your second program, when called.
Only undergraduate students may receive recognition of Honors (Latin Honors) in the Commencement program based upon their cumulative UC GPA at the end of Winter 2026. Current Latin Honors GPA thresholds can be found online here.
All appropriate parking lots will be open during Commencement. UCLA Parking Services will staff lots according to ceremony times and locations. Parking Lot 2 is the closest parking lot to the School’s ceremony.
More information about Commencement Parking can be found at https://transportation.ucla.edu/campus-parking/commencement-parking. The 2026 parking information, including pre-paid parking, will be updated in Spring Quarter.
If you or your guests need an accommodation to be able to access the Commencement ceremony, you must contact Commencement on the Message Center (accessed through MyUCLA) and describe the accommodation. Your guests can also contact Message Center without a UCLA login. The campus does not provide transportation or wheelchairs for any guests once they arrive on campus (i.e., no shuttle from parking to the venue, etc.).
Every student in attendance to the ceremony who completes a name cared at check-in will have their name called. Students will receive the name card at check-in the day of the ceremony. Names will be called by the faculty representative of the graduate’s major/minor program.
At the ceremony check-in, graduates will receive a two sided name card to fill out. This is the card that will be read by the name readers as they cross the stage.
The first side of the card will ask you to print your name and provide phonetic spelling. See Phonetic spelling instructions guidelines here.
The back side of the card will be utilized by Grad Images, so they can track your photo and position in line. This side of the card will request your contact information and mailing address. Graduates will not be required to purchase photos, but they are required to fill out the entire card. This is to prevent a mix up with photographs.
Graduates will be arranged to line up and sit with their graduate/major/minor program for the duration of the ceremony. As such, graduates can choose to sit with friends in their same program.
Official transcripts with graduation date included will be available for a fee within seven weeks after the end of your final term. You can order your transcripts through MyUCLA.
Diplomas will be available three to four months after the degree award date. The Registrar’s Office will send you information about obtaining your diploma in person (no fee) or by mail (with the appropriate fee) approximately seven weeks after the end of your final term. You may change your mailing address through MyUCLA. For diploma availability information, call the Diploma Hotline at (310) 825-8883. For more FAQs about diplomas, visit the UCLA Registrar’sOffice website.
