Frequently Asked Questions
Commencement Activities
Attending commencement is a ceremonial event and does not, in itself, signify that all degree requirements have been met or that a degree has been awarded.
Commencement ceremonies are held once a year at the end of the spring term for students who graduated in fall of the previous year, and candidates for graduation in spring and summer of the current year.
Enrolled students must apply to graduate online through my.SDSU during the open application filing periods by selecting the “Application for Graduation” menu option through the “Academic Records” tile. Additional information for undergraduates can be found on the Apply to Graduate website. For graduate students, please review the Graduation Information website under Applying for Graduation.
If you graduated in fall 2024 or have applied to graduate for spring 2025 or summer 2025 during the open application filing period, you will be eligible to participate in the May 2025 commencement ceremonies.
If you applied to graduate after the spring and summer graduation application filing period had closed, you must verify with your College Commencement Coordinator if you are eligible to participate or if you must wait until the following commencement ceremony in May 2026.
Master’s and doctoral students should visit the Graduate Studies website for more information on graduation.
The graduation fee covers the costs of the diploma, diploma cover and administrative graduation conferral and processing. The fee also partially funds the commencement ceremony.
Updates will be posted on the SDSU Commencement website as they become available. Students will receive information via their official SDSU email account (@sdsu.edu). Students are encouraged to check their official SDSU email account frequently.
Graduation with honors is granted to undergraduate students who achieve high grade point averages. Excellence is recognized at three levels:
- Cum laude (3.50-3.64)
- Magna cum laude (3.65-3.79)
- Summa cum laude (3.80-4.00)
Eligibility is determined by calculating two GPAs, both of which must meet the minimum requirements for honors designation. They are the GPA calculated on all units taken at this institution (a minimum of 24 graded units) and the overall (cumulative) GPA (including both SDSU and transfer units).
Only summa cum laude students will be awarded an honors cord to be worn during the commencement ceremony. Students will be notified via email in April by the Office of the Provost regarding instructions on summa cum laude honors cord distribution.
For questions about your honors status, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Ceremony Registration
SDSU is partnering with Tassel (formerly MarchingOrder) to provide candidate registration and prerecorded, professional name reading.
Applying for graduation and registering to attend your commencement ceremony are two different but related activities. Applying and paying your graduation fee ensures that your degree will be evaluated once your coursework is complete for the semester in which you applied, and your degree will be awarded if all requirements are met. Registering to attend your ceremony ensures that tickets will be issued for your guests.
Candidates will receive an email to their @sdsu email account on Monday, March 10 with a Tassel registration link. Candidates can also register directly on Tassel on or after March 10.
All candidates planning to participate in Commencement 2025 at Viejas Arena must register in advance in order to attend.
Registration to attend your ceremony is required by Sunday, April 13.
To ensure your preferred name is read correctly on stage, you must register in Tassel and provide the full pronunciation. The name entered in Tassel does not need to match the name printed on your diploma. Please note that the name entered in Tassel will not automatically update your official student record or change the name listed on your diploma or in the digital program.
Other than the required photo ID, graduates are encouraged to bring as little as possible with them into the arena.
Viejas Arena is a clear-bag venue. Bags must be clear plastic or clear vinyl and may not exceed 12" x 6" x 12" or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. Small purses, bags, clutches, or wallets (clear or non-clear) no larger than 4.5" x 6.5" will be allowed. All bags are subject to inspection before entering and while inside the facility.
To ensure a respectful and safe environment, graduates are prohibited from bringing the following items:
- Banners, posters, signs or flags
- Fireworks
- Bottles or cans
- Beach balls
- Balloons
- Drugs or alcohol
Graduates and guests are encouraged to read through the Viejas Arena A-Z Guide for venue-related questions.
Guest Tickets
Students who graduated in fall 2024 or applied for spring/summer 2025 graduation by the February 3, 2025 filing deadline will have the opportunity to claim a limited number of guest tickets for commencement ceremonies taking place at Viejas Arena. All guest tickets are complimentary and will be digital/mobile tickets.
Read more about guest tickets.
All guests aged 1 and older must have tickets to attend commencement. Babies under 12 months may attend without a ticket but must sit on an adult's lap. Strollers are not permitted in the arena during commencement. Baby car seats are allowed but must be placed in a ticketed seat.
Regalia, Diplomas & Diploma Covers
SDSU’s annual GradFest event takes place before commencement, offering graduates special discounts on regalia and diploma frames, along with details about photography and other graduation-related essentials.
This year GradFest will be held March 18-20, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. in Montezuma Hall on the SDSU campus.
Regalia can also be ordered online through the SDSU Bookstore beginning March 21.
Diplomas are not distributed at commencement. The diplomas are issued by the University after verification that all degree requirements have been completed and the degree has been conferred. Graduates will be mailed their diploma from SDSU vendor, Michael Sutter, approximately four to six weeks after their degree has been granted.
For more information about diplomas, please visit the Undergraduate Diploma webpage for undergraduates and the Graduation Information webpage for graduate students.
Diploma frames are available through the SDSU Bookstore.
Yes! SDSU encourages graduates to get creative and decorate their mortar board caps to express themselves and showcase their academic accomplishments.
Please do not use any inappropriate symbols or language, as you will not be permitted to wear regalia that is deemed disrespectful or offensive to other graduates or guests.
The Jostens Elements Collection gowns, sold by the SDSU Bookstore, are made with sustainably produced, biodegradable fabric* — they even use biodegradable and recycled materials to create the zippers and thread.
Additionally, each gown comes with a unique code. For every code redeemed, Jostens will donate to an environmental sustainability project.
*In the right conditions, this gown fabric will biodegrade in under a year.
Diploma covers are traditionally distributed at commencement and will be handed to you as you cross the stage.
Ceremony Parking
No, parking is not free. The fee is:
- $5 for guests who prepay.
- $10 starting May 15, 2025.
To prepay, use the SDSU Commencement 2025 Parking Pre-Payment Portal and enter your license plate number and credit/debit card information. Vehicles with an active student or employee parking permit are exempt from the fee.
Commencement Program
If you have graduated in fall 2024 or applied to graduate in spring 2025 or summer 2025 by the February 3, 2025 filing deadline, you will be eligible to participate in the May 2025 commencement ceremonies and your name will be listed in the digital program.
Candidates’ names will be listed whether or not they elect to participate in commencement. The presence or absence of your name in the digital program does not, in itself, indicate whether you have completed degree requirements.
Your name will not be listed in the digital commencement program if you have placed a confidential hold on your record. To remove your confidential hold, log onto your my.SDSU account and follow the instructions provided in the How Do I Remove My FERPA Confidentiality Privacy Restrictions? guide or contact the Office of the Registrar. Failure to remove your confidential hold by Monday, April 14 date may result in your name not being included in the digital program.
As part of the university’s commitment to sustainability and waste reduction, printed programs will not be distributed at commencement ceremonies.
SDSU's Commencement 2025 digital programs will be available for viewing, downloading and printing on the commencement website or via a QR code on the day of the ceremony.
Travel Visa
If you will be completing a bachelor's degree, please contact the Office of the Registrar to request a graduation candidate letter.
If you will be completing a master's or doctoral degree, please reach out to the SDSU College of Graduate Studies for official documentation regarding your graduation status. The CGS team can be reached 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Thursday, in person at Student Services East (SSE) 1410, via phone at 619-594-5213 or by email at [email protected].
Other Questions
Please email [email protected] with any additional questions.
