We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of Illinois graduates at Commencement! Use this page as a comprehensive guide for everything you need to know about Commencement day.
Essentials
Memorial Stadium clear bag policy
Memorial Stadium will have a clear bag policy in place for the universitywide Commencement ceremony.
House Rules
For your safety and enjoyment, the following items are not permitted inside Memorial Stadium:
- Laser pointers
- Backpacks/bags
- Banners/signs
- Coolers
- Containers
- Alcoholic beverages
- Weapons
- Noisemakers
Tickets
Tickets are NOT required for guests to attend the universitywide Commencement ceremony. Doors open at 8 a.m. the day of the ceremony.
Commencement Etiquette
- Graduates and guests should plan to attend the entire ceremony to celebrate all of the accomplishments of our graduates.
- Participants should remain seated until the conclusion of the ceremony, which will be marked by the platform party recessional.
- Only degree candidates and faculty are allowed on the field.
- Cell phones and other electronic equipment should be silenced.
- All graduates should plan to meet their guests outside the stadium following the ceremony.
- While graduation is a festive occasion, the ceremony itself is characterized by a degree of formality.
- Courtesy and mutual respect for all those in attendance are critical for the enjoyment of this momentous occasion.
Arrival time for candidates
– Doors open at 8 a.m.
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, advanced certificates
Report to Memorial Stadium no later than 8:45 a.m. Please refer to the section “Seating and Conferring of Degrees” for your appropriate location inside Memorial Stadium.
Doctoral candidates
Includes A.Mus.D., Aud.D., D.V.M., Ed.D., J.D., J.S.D., M.D. and Ph.D.
Report to ARC Gym 4 by 8:30 a.m. for instructions from Graduate College staff regarding the procession into Memorial Stadium. Please do not bring anything with you to ARC or Memorial Stadium. You are not allowed to carry anything in the procession, and there is no secure place to leave it in the staging area.
University Honors (Bronze Tablet)
Arrive at Memorial Stadium by 8:45 a.m. Additional instructions will be emailed to these candidates.
Seating and Conferring Procedures
All candidates for bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and advanced certificates will assemble in the section of the Memorial Stadium field designated for their college or school. During the ceremony, candidates from each college rise as a group and are presented by their respective dean to the president.
Bachelor’s degrees
Candidates for bachelor’s degrees assemble in the section of Memorial Stadium on the field designated for their college or school. Candidates should fill in the front rows. Memorial Stadium ushers will provide assistance if necessary.
Band and chorus members and ROTC candidates should stand at the same time that other candidates for undergraduate degrees from their college are presented to the president.
University Honors (Bronze Tablet) recipients Assemble as a group and process onto the field before the doctoral candidates. They sit together and are presented as a group to the president. They should also stand when candidates from their college are presented to the president.
Master’s degrees and advanced certificates
All master’s degree and advanced certificate candidates sit as a group in their designated seating area inside the stadium. Candidates rise as a group and are presented by the dean of the Graduate College to the president, who will confer the degrees. Candidates for bachelor’s degrees assemble in the section of Memorial Stadium on the field designated for their college or school. Candidates should fill in the front rows. Memorial Stadium ushers will provide assistance if necessary.
Doctoral degrees
All doctoral degree recipients (A.Mus.D, Aud.D., D.V.M., Ed.D., J.D., J.S.D., M.D. and Ph.D.) assemble as a group in ARC Gym 4 and line up as directed by Graduate College staff.
Doctoral candidates process into the stadium following the platform party and are seated on the field of Memorial Stadium. The dean of the Graduate College asks the doctoral candidates to rise and presents the candidates to the president, who confers the degrees.
Weather
Rain gear
Graduates: Umbrellas are not allowed on the field. Ponchos will be distributed upon entering the stadium. There is no umbrella storage. Please leave umbrellas with your guests.
Guests: Guests will be allowed to bring umbrellas into the stadium. Guests should be prepared to wait to enter the stadium while bags are checked as part of the stadium’s clear bag policy. While umbrellas are allowed, rain suits or ponchos are highly recommended instead as umbrellas will impede the view of other guests.
Remember that Illinois weather in May can change quickly. Please check the weather forecast and dress appropriately so you can celebrate the day comfortably with your graduate.
Inclement weather plan
The universitywide Commencement ceremony takes place rain or shine. However, if the weather is unsafe, the ceremony will be cancelled or shortened depending on the weather forecast. Unsafe weather includes high winds and lightning strikes within eight miles of Memorial Stadium. The Commencement Office works closely with members of the university’s safety team and local meteorologists in making the determination to cancel or shorten the ceremony.
Should inclement weather occur, a cancellation notification will be sent out via social media, the University of Illinois website, the university’s text messaging system (Illini Alert) and to local media. All unit convocation ceremonies at the university will still take place at their regularly scheduled times.